- February 7, 2022
- 30 Minute Meals
Salmon Stir Fry Recipe
Juicy salmon, seared stir fry style with a delicious Asian inspired simple sauce. A quick and easy dinner recipe the whole family will love.
I love how simple and healthy stir-fry recipes can be, and this salmon stir-fry checks all those boxes. This recipe is the ideal version of “healthy comfort food”.It’s loaded with fresh and delicious vegetables and topped with flavor-packed seared salmon pieces for a versatile and addictive weeknight dinner you will be cooking on repeat.
You can eat it as is with just the salmon and veggies, over soba noodles, with basmati rice or brown rice, or with this roasted cauliflower rice recipe too. If you’re looking for other stir fry recipes give this stir fried chicken with green beans dish a save as well.
Grab all the details below on what ingredients to use, how to make your own healthier stir fry sauce, and tips for cooking, serving, and reheating. Let’s dive in!
Supplies Needed
- Large Skillet or Wok
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Whisk
- Small Bowl or Glass Jar
- Spatula / Tongs
Is salmon stir fry healthy?
Salmon seared and stir fried is a great way to enjoy lean meat that is high in Omega-3 fatty acids (aka the good fats), protein, and is zero carb. Fresh salmon provides you with other vital nutrients as well like B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and is great for reducing risk of heart disease.
Salmon paired with a large pile of colorful vegetables and a serving of your favorite rice or noodles is a well balanced meal to keep your energy up, your metabolism balanced, and your stomach full.
Simple Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:
This is a very simple, base sauce that you will use to flavor the salmon filet as well as the stir fried vegetables. I build this sauce in a small bowl or jar (the jar is nice because you can shake it all together).
Here is what you will need:
- Soy Sauce (or coconut aminos)
- Chicken Broth
- Sesame Oil (or sub with extra virgin olive oil)
- Honey or Brown Sugar
- Fresh Ginger
- Fresh Garlic
- Rice Vinegar
- Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional for heat)
If you’d like to make a teriyaki salmon stir fry try this homemade teriyaki sauce recipe instead.
Stir Fry Salmon Ingredients:
- Salmon Fillets: Use pieces of salmon that are similar thickness if possible for even cooking, skin optional.
- Bok Choy: Sliced into pieces about 1/4 -1/2 inch thick.
- Broccolini: Trim the ends, but leave mostly whole.
- Green Onions: Slice into small, thin pieces.
- Red Bell Pepper: Remove the seeds and slice them into thin pieces, do not chop.
- Snow Peas or Snap Peas: Leave whole or slice in half if desired.
- Carrots: I used a peeler to create carrot ribbons and added them after the stir fry was off the heat. You can slice or dice your carrots if desired though as well.
- Fresh Garlic and Ginger: Mince both well and set aside.
- Sesame Seeds (garnish): Toasted is the best way!
Prepping and Cooking the Salmon:
Here is what you need to do to prep and cook your salmon-
- Remove your fresh or frozen salmon from the packaging. Pat it dry with a paper towel to remove moisture. The moisture will prevent it from searing and browning.
- Remove any pin bones and the skin if you desire (I removed the skin and cooked it in the air fryer to get it extra crispy).
- You can leave the salmon whole, but I prefer making salmon cubes for this recipe. Slice them into even pieces if you choose to do this as well.
- Season with a little salt, black pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, paprika, sesame seeds, and some sesame oil.
- Pre-heat a large frying pan or wok to medium-high heat.
- Quickly sear the salmon pieces in the pan, about 2 minutes per side (do not overcook).
- Remove the salmon from the nonstick skillet place the salmon fillets on a sheet pan and set aside. You will toss them in the sauce at the end!
Cooking the Vegetable Stir Fry:
Vegetables can vary on cooking time based on their density and how they were sliced and prepared. Here is the order in which I like to cook the vegetables –
- Heat oil in the wok over medium-high heat.
- Add the red pepper, bok choy, garlic cloves and minced fresh ginger. Toss in the green onion as well (if you have diced carrot pieces and not ribbons, add them in here as well).
- After about 2-3 minutes of cooking, add in the broccolini and the peapods. Toss for about a minute, then add in a few tablespoons of your stir fry sauce.
- Let the sauce cook down and move the veggies around in the pan. Cook until they are tender but not mushy. Remove the pan or wok from the heat and add the carrot ribbons.
Assembly and Serving:
Take your cooked vegetables and place them on a platter or a large serving bowl with your favorite whole grains. Because your salmon has been sitting aside, it needs a quick and brief reheat (but we don’t want to over cook it).
The trick here is to return your wok or pan to the stove and pour the remaining marinade into the pan and reduce it over medium-high heat until its thickened and syrup like.
Take your cooked salmon chunks and toss it back into the pan (off the heat) and coat it in the warmed stir fry sauce. This will give the salmon so much flavor without over cooking it.
Place the cooked salmon right over the top of the veggies. Serve it up for a quick dinner and enjoy for a healthy weeknight meal!
More Salmon Recipes To Try:
It’s safe to say I am without a doubt a salmon lover. Therefore, I’m no stranger to making epic salmon recipes (like these salmon cakes, air-fried salmon, and coconut-crusted salmon with chimichurri), but this is definitely going to the top of the list for favorite dinners hands down.
Salmon Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
Salmon Ingredients
- 4 Salmon Steaks or Fillets similar size/ thickness is best
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Dried Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1/ 3 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/ 3 cup Chicken Broth
- 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1/4 cup Honey or Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Fresh Ginger minced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder
Vegetables
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 small Bok Choy sliced thin
- 1 small Red Bell Pepper seeds removed, sliced thin
- 4 Green Onions sliced thin
- 1 Carrot peeled into ribbons
- 2 cups Broccolini ends trimmed
- 1 cup Snap Peas
Instructions
Stir Fry Sauce:
- Add all the ingredients into a bowl or glass jar. Mix well and set aside. It will be divided throughout the recipe.
Salmon Prep/ Cooking:
- Start by prepping the salmon by removing it from the packaging, patting it dry and removing the skin (if desired). Also check the fish for pin bones and remove as well.
- Slice the salmon into 1-2 inch cubes if desired. Toss the cubes in the sesame oil.
- Combine the spice in a small dish and then season the salmon pieces and mix until evenly coated.
- In a large non stick skillet or wok, pre-heat to medium high heat.
- In a single, even layer, add the salmon pieces to the pan and sear for 2 minutes per side. Do not over cook.
- Remove from the heat and set on a plate or sheet pan and set them aside. They will get tossed in the hot stir fry sauce again at the end!
Vegetable stir fry:
- Prep your veggies entirely and set them aside. Do not mix them (they will cook at different times and will be added separately).
- Add the oil to the pan you previously cooked your salmon in. Preheat it back to medium high heat.
- To the pan or wok, add the bok choy, red pepper, green onion, and toss together for 2-3 minutes. If you sliced or diced your carrots into thicker pieces, add them in as well.
- Next, add in your broccoli and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add in the pea pods.
- At this point, add in 1/4 cup of your stir fry sauce and fully toss your vegetables in until cooked through and coated. Remove from the heat and toss in the carrot ribbons until mixed.
- Remove the veggies from the pan and place the pan back on the heat.
Finish Your Sauce & Salmon:
- With your pan back on the heat, pour the remaining stir fry sauce into the pan by itself and bring it to a simmer.
- Allow it to reduce down and become somewhat syrup like, this takes 3-5 minutes.
- Remove it from the heat and gently toss your already cooked salmon into this mixture to fully coat it.
- Pour the remaining sauce and salmon all over the top of your cooked veggies and serve with your favorite side of whole grains or cauliflower rice.
I’m new to cooking. This recipe was easy to follow, and the dish came out well. Thanks!