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.
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.
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
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 Salmon
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
Instructions
- 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.)
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