Cast Iron Salmon

This restaurant-style cast iron salmon recipe highlights the natural flavor of salmon, resulting in perfectly flaky fish under a crispy well-seasoned crust. 

This simple but flavorful cast iron salmon is as good as our pan-seared salmon. It features seasoned salmon fillets cooked in a well-heated cast iron skillet with olive oil and butter. Drizzled with pan juices and served with slices of lemon, these salmon fillets guarantee a  delicious dinner that cooks in less than 10 minutes. 

Why cook salmon in cast iron

If you’ve made our cast iron steak or chicken breast before, you already know that using this skillet truly transforms the protein!

• Cast iron skillets withstand very high heat. This helps avoid overcooking the fish and results in a beautiful crispy crust. 
• Cast iron pans are also oven-safe. If you continue cooking the fillets in the oven, you can do that without transferring the fish into a baking pan. 
• Like cooking salmon in the air fryer and the sous vide cooker, it guarantees perfectly cooked fish every single time. 

Ingredients needed

Salmon cooked to perfection is so delicious that it doesn’t need excessive spices to enhance its flavor. Here are only a few ingredients to cook juicy salmon in a cast iron skillet. 

• Salmon. Skin-on fillets. 
• Olive oil. To drizzle over the fillets before searing them.
• Butter. To sear the salmon and yield delicious drippings. 
• Lemon. Sliced lemon to serve. 
• Salt and pepper. To taste. 

How to cook salmon in a cast iron skillet without it sticking

Here’s how you cook the most delicious salmon in three easy steps. 

Step 1 – Season

Drizzle olive oil over the salmon fillets. Season the skinless side with salt and pepper. 

Step 2 – Sear

Add a knob of butter to the cast iron skillet and heat it over high heat. Once hot, add the fillets with the skin side down. 

Cook the salmon for 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium, flip the fish, and cook it for another 2 minutes. 

Step 3 – Serve 

Transfer the salmon fillets onto the serving plates. Drizzle with the pan juices and serve with slices of lemon. 

Tips to make the best recipe

• Allow the fillets to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before you cook them. 
• Pat dry the salmon fillets to ensure they crisp up well. 
• Adding oil to the salmon fillets prevents the butter from burning. So, don’t skip it. 
• Start with a piping-hot pan if you want to achieve a crispy crust without overcooking the fish. 

Flavor variations

Like any good piece of protein, you can transform its flavor with a few tweaks. 

• Use more seasoning. Garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and onion powder are only a few of the spices you can use to flavor salmon. Salmon also goes very well with lemon pepper seasoning.
• Cook with garlic. Add minced garlic to the pan while searing the salmon. Baste the fillets with the flavorful garlic butter mixture. 
• Add fresh herbs. Dill, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and tarragon are some of the best herbs to pair with salmon. Cook the fresh herbs in the hot butter for 1-2 minutes after you have removed the fillets. 

Storage instructions

To store. Store leftover cooked salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. 

To freeze. You can also freeze leftovers. Freeze it in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months. 

To reheat. Reheat the salmon in a covered pan over medium heat or preheated oven (200C/400F) for several minutes. 

More cast iron recipes to try

• Chicken breast
• Chicken thighs
• Pizza

Frequently asked questions