Crispy Skin Salmon Dinner for Two

Pan fried crispy skin salmon with wild rice medley, mixed vegetables and a creamy dill sauce, finished off with fresh parsley and capers.

This salmon dinner for two is perfect for date night, valentines, or any special occasion. It is simple to make but looks fancy and tastes delicious! This recipe covers everything from crisping the salmon skin just right to plating it all beautiful.

Do people know you can eat salmon skin? I am a big fan (when it’s crispy), it adds such a nice texture to your dish and it is actually good for you. But every time I make it for guests they always peel it off and leave it on the plate…… seriously people??? LOL Whether they don’t know it’s meant to eat or don’t like it, I don’t know. So I just make it for those that give it the proper respect if you know what I mean. And if you’ve never tried it you really should!

What you need to make Crispy Skin Salmon Dinner for Two

Ingredient List

• Sockeye salmon fillets with skin
• Yellow summer squash
• Zucchini squash
• Carrot
• Mushrooms
• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh or dried dill
• Fresh parsley
• Garlic clove
• Mayo
• Sour cream
• Milk
• Butter
• Fresh lemon juice
• Capers
• Wild rice blend
• Chicken broth
• Salt and pepper
• Oil

How to make Crispy Skin Salmon Dinner for Two

The Rice

1. Follow the liquid amount and cooking time on the rice package. Use the chicken broth for the liquid. Mix 1/2 cup of rice with the amount of liquid called for on the package and 1/2 Tbsp of butter. Cook according to the package directions. When its done season to taste with salt and pepper.

The Salmon

2. Remove the salmon from any packaging and place skin side down on a plate lined with paper towels. Pat the tops dry also. Set aside.

The Creamy Dill Sauce

3. In a small dish combine 2 Tbsp sour cream, 1 Tbsp mayo, 2 tsp milk, 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp caper juice, 2 tsp chopped fresh dill or 3/4 tsp dried, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste. *You will add the garlic clove from the veggies see instructions below.

The Veggies

4. Cut half a yellow summer squash and half a zucchini squash into quarters lengthwise then slice into 1/4 inch slices. Peel and slice thin 1 small carrot Note: if the carrot is more then 1/2 inch in diameter cut it in half and then slice. Wash and slice 4 medium mushrooms. Cut 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes in half. Peel 1 garlic clove (leave whole).

5. Heat a medium sized frying pan until hot. Add 1 Tbsp butter and the garlic clove, reduce heat to medium/high and cook for a minute or two. Add all the veggies except the cherry tomatoes. Sauté until crisp tender. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes. *Remove the garlic clove, press through a garlic press and mix into the sauce.

The Crispy Skin Salmon

6. After you start the veggies heat a medium size frying pan over high heat until very hot. Season both sides of the salmon generously with salt and pepper. Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1/2 Tbsp oil to the pan. Place the salmon fillets into the pan skin side down. Note: the salmon should sizzle when it hits the pan, if it doesn’t the pan is not hot enough. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 4-6 minutes or until the skin is crispy. Reduce heat to medium, press down on the fillets for about 30 seconds with a spatula to make sure they crisp evenly. Carefully flip over and finish cooking which should only be a minute or two. I usually flip them over and then turn off the heat. If you want to check with a thermometer they should be between 130-140°. Remove to paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

To Plate

Divide the rice between two plates, placing it in a mound a little off center of the plate. Spoon the veggies around the rice so they form a half circle. Place a salmon skin side up toward one side of the rice/veggies with one end of the salmon up on the rice and the other end sitting on the plate. Spoon the sauce over the bottom corner (closest to the center of the plate) and down onto the plate. Place a small spoonful of drained capers on the same corner so they kind of spill off the salmon. Place a small sprig of fresh parsley on the center of the salmon. Now eat it before it gets cold 🙂

Crispy Skin Salmon Dinner for Two

Crispy skin salmon served over rice medley and mixed vegetables with a creamy dill sauce, finished off with fresh parsley and capers.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 People

Calories 480 kcal

Ingredients

  

Rice Medley

• ½ cup Wild rice blend
• Chicken broth see amount on rice package
• ½ Tbsp Butter
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Mixed Vegetables

• 1 Tbsp Butter
• ½ Yellow summer squash
• ½ Zucchini
• 4 medium Mushrooms
• 1 small Carrot
• ½ cup Cherry tomatoes
• 1 Garlic clove
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Crispy Skin Salmon

• 2 4-6 oz Sockeye salmon fillets skin on
• 1 Tbps Butter
• ½ Tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Creamy Dill Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Mayo
• 2 Tbsp Sour Cream
• ½ Tbsp Milk
• 2 tsp Lemon juice
• ½ tsp Caper juice
• 1 Tbsp Chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 garlic clove from veggies *see instructions
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Garnish

• Fresh parsley
• Capers drained

Instructions

 

• Place the salmon skin side down on paper towels to dry. Set aside.

For the Rice Medley

• Follow the liquid amount and cooking time on the rice package. Use the chicken broth for the liquid.
• Mix the rice, broth and butter in a small sauce pan. Cook according to directions on the rice package. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the Mixed Vegetables (while the rice is cooking)

• Cut the squashes in quarters lengthwise then slice into ¼ inch slices. Slice the mushrooms. Peel the garlic clove (leave it whole). Peel the carrot and slice thin (if it's more then about ½ inch in diameter cut it in half and then slice). Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the garlic cook for a couple minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables except the tomatoes. Cook until crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Remove the garlic clove and reserve for the sauce.

For the Crispy Skin Salmon (after you start the veggies)

• Season both sides of the salmon generously with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the butter and oil.
• Place the salmon skin side down in the pan (if it doesn't sizzle when it touches the pan wait a little longer to put it in). Reduce heat to medium press down on the fillets for about 30 seconds with a spatula to make sure they crisp evenly. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the bottoms are crispy. Flip over and finish cooking which should only be a minute or two. You can check with a meat thermometer, it should be between 130-140° F. Remove to paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

For the Creamy Dill Sauce

• Mix all ingredients in a small bowl (press the garlic through a garlic press).

To Plate

• Divide the rice between two plates placing in a mound off center of the plate.
• Spoon the vegetables around the rice so you have a half circle of veggies.
• Place a salmon fillet skin side up with the top end up on the rice and the bottom sitting on the plate in the spot with no vegetables.
• Spoon the sauce over the corner of the salmon and down onto the plate.

  Place a small spoonful of drained capers right on the corner of the salmon so some of them spill off, (on top of the sauce). Place a very small sprig of parsley on the salmon somewhere around the center.

Keyword cooking for two, date night, salmon recipes

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Thanks for reading and as always have fun in the kitchen!