When used on salmon, the classic bagel coating provides crisp crunch and great flavor for a super speedy meal the whole family will love. As an added bonus, the recipe can be scaled to a single serving or to accommodate a larger group.
When I make a sauce or spice rub, I tend to experiment with it a lot over time. After all, flavorful condiments have the power to transform something simple into something truly special.
And who among us wouldn’t be thrilled to perk up good old chicken for a quick weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy?
With that in mind, I first used “everything bagel seasoning” as a coating on chicken. It was good, but my family and I agreed that it needed something more. With a nod to the bagel theme, I tried it again with a cream cheese and chive sauce.
Again, the chicken was good, but the sauce made the meal fussier, and it wasn’t garnering the amount of raves that seemed to justify the added effort. (Knowing that everyone has been cooking more than ever since March, I’m trying harder than ever to bring you more meals that are delicious AND extra easy!)
As luck would have it, I simply needed to take the bagel theme in a slightly different direction. Salmon (or lox) goes well on an everything bagel, right?
As it turns out, the everything spice mix provides a winning, crunchy coating on piece of salmon－no need for a special sauce. Plus, it cooks on the stovetop in mere minutes, and the recipe is simple to scale for any number of diners.
I like to keep some wild-caught salmon fillets in the freezer. They are flash frozen immediately after being caught, so they taste extremely fresh.
For those who may be wondering, there are no bagels involved. The seedy mix that adorns the traditional everything bagel is used exclusively as a crispy coating for the fish. The mix is easy to whip up at home and can be kept on hand and used in a variety of ways. It also happens to be nut-, soy- and gluten-free. For those who prefer, many grocery stores (like Wegmans and Trader Joe’s) also carry the seasoning mix.
No complicated, multi-bowl dredging setup is required either. Simply rub a small amount of olive oil on the top of each fillet and then press the top of the fish into the seasoning mix.
Start by cooking the salmon, bagel seasoning side down, for 2 minutes or until the topping is lightly golden. Then flip so the skin side is down. Feel free to use skinless salmon, if preferred.
You can get a good sense of how cooked through the salmon is by looking at the sides. Cutting into a piece is fine, too. Keep in mind that residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the fish once the pan is removed from the heat.
Almost any basic roasted, sautéed, or steamed vegetable will complement the salmon. The flavorful fish also makes a filling salad topper. In addition to the roasted broccoli (above), I served the salmon with lime rice, which is nothing more than cilantro lime rice for those who don’t care for that herb! I think it could be a “thing.”
How else can you use the spice mix?
- Sprinkle over a green salad or roasted vegetables
- It’s delicious on any savory bagel spread with cream cheese or butter
- Use it as a crunchy seasoning for avocado toast and eggs
- Coat the rim of a bloody Mary glass with the seasoning
- Sprinkle it over popcorn, mac and cheese, or a baked potato (sweet or regular)
- Upgrade store-bought hummus with a light coating
- Stir it into regular or cauliflower rice
- Tuna steaks would likely be an excellent alternative to the salmon in this recipe
An easy formula of one tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning to each 6-ounce serving (give or take) of salmon means that you can scale the recipe down to one serving or up to as many as needed. If cooking for a large group, you may simply need a second pan.
Finally, while we may not typically put fish in the “great as leftovers” category, leftovers of this salmon are quite good. Simply reheat very gently in the microwave so as not to overcook and dry out the delicate fish.
Everything Crusted SalmonPrep Time: 2 minCook Time: 5 minTotal Time: 7 minYield: 4 servings (easy to make for 1, 2, 3 or more)
The classic bagel coating provides crisp crunch and great flavor for super speedy salmon the whole family will love. The recipe is easy to scale, too. See recipe notes for helpful hints.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each*
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided use
- ¼ cup everything bagel seasoning, homemade or store-bought
InstructionsPlace the seed mix on a small plate or flat bowl. Rub the fish with the 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and then gently press the top surface of each fillet into the seeds. Set the coated fillets, skin side down on a plate.
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large (12-inch) skillet, preferably non-stick or cast iron, over medium until it shimmers.
Place the salmon fillets in the skillet, seed side down, and cook without moving them until the seeds are lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Flip the fillets and continue to cook until the salmon is cooked to your liking. (Tip: you can gauge doneness by looking at the sides of the fish or cutting into one of the fillets and taking a peek. Total time will depend on variety of salmon used, precise heat, and desired level of doneness. We like a slightly undercooked center, and my last batch of medium thickness wild salmon took about 3 minutes on the second side.)
Notes*I use wild salmon fillets with the skin on, but you may use salmon variety of choice, with or without the skin, as preferred.
When scaling this recipe up or down, figure on 1 tablespoon of seed mix per 6-ounce fillet. Similarly, 1 tablespoon of oil is a good amount to lightly coat a 12-inch skillet, which allows sufficient space to cook 4 (6-ounce) fillets. When cooking 2-3 fillets, you may use a 10-inch skillet with 2 teaspoons of oil. If cooking a single serving of salmon in a 7-inch skillet, 1½ teaspoons of oil should be enough to coat the pan.
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- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each*
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided use
- ¼ cup everything bagel seasoning, homemade or store-bought
Place the seed mix on a small plate or flat bowl. Rub the fish with the 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and then gently press the top surface of each fillet into the seeds. Set the coated fillets, skin side down on a plate.
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large (12-inch) skillet, preferably non-stick or cast iron, over medium until it shimmers.
Place the salmon fillets in the skillet, seed side down, and cook without moving them until the seeds are lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Flip the fillets and continue to cook until the salmon is cooked to your liking. (Tip: you can gauge doneness by looking at the sides of the fish or cutting into one of the fillets and taking a peek. Total time will depend on variety of salmon used, precise heat, and desired level of doneness. We like a slightly undercooked center, and my last batch of medium thickness wild salmon took about 3 minutes on the second side.)
*I use wild salmon fillets with the skin on, but you may use salmon variety of choice, with or without the skin, as preferred.
When scaling this recipe up or down, figure on 1 tablespoon of seed mix per 6-ounce fillet. Similarly, 1 tablespoon of oil is a good amount to lightly coat a 12-inch skillet, which allows sufficient space to cook 4 (6-ounce) fillets. When cooking 2-3 fillets, you may use a 10-inch skillet with 2 teaspoons of oil. If cooking a single serving of salmon in a 7-inch skillet, 1½ teaspoons of oil should be enough to coat the pan.
This salmon was delicious. Even my husband, who is not a salmon lover to say the least, said it’s ok with him to put this in the regular dinner rotation. The instruction to cook the salmon a total of about 5 minutes resulted in perfectly cooked, just translucent, fish. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hi Elaine, I love that your husband, who is not usually a salmon fan, said you could add this to the regular rotation. That sort of feedback is always welcome when you go to the time and effort to cook dinner. Well done! (And thanks for the feedback! )
We love salmon and eat it often. This has become a go-to because it’s easy and everyone loves it!
Anything that’s easy and everyone loves becomes a go-to for me, too. So happy this has become a regular at your house!
My bf and I made your everything bagel spice salmon last night and it was so good! I’m anxious to try the peanut sauce recipe and others.
I’m so glad, Wendy! Coincidently, I just made the recipe with tuna and a quick wasabi sauce, which was delicious, too.
I made one serving for my lunch today with an individual frozen salmon fillet (which I thawed first) and it took about 5 minutes and was absolutely delicious!
I love how quick this meal is, too, Dana. Thanks so much for your terrific feedback!
How do you thaw your wild salmon fillets? Since we live in Columbus, Ohio, I’d like to try buying the flash frozen salmon. I worry about the freshness of the fish I see in the seafood case.
Hi Karen, Ideally, the fillets should be thawed in the refrigerator, but I must admit that I sometimes start them on the counter to get them going faster. It doesn’t take too long and then they thaw the rest of the way in the fridge. In a pinch, I float the salmon (in the package) in cool water in my sink. We really do love the convenience.