This curry salmon cooks in one pan in about 30 minutes with a homemade curry paste instead of one from a jar. I toast mustard seeds until they start to pop, then grind them with onion, fresh ginger, a red chili, garlic, curry powder, coriander, turmeric, and paprika. The paste cooks in a little oil before the coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and cherry tomatoes go in. Cubes of salmon simmer in the sauce until cooked through. The bok choy and green beans go in at the very end so they stay bright. The sauce is creamy and warm with ginger and turmeric, with lime and cilantro to finish. Leftovers freeze well, too.
We cook with store-bought curry paste a lot (like in these Thai turkey meatballs). When we don’t have any on hand, this curry salmon is what I make.
Rather than store-bought, this recipe features a homemade curry paste that is made with curry powder, whole mustard seeds, fresh ginger, garlic, spices, and more.
The sauce is creamy from the coconut milk and warm from the ginger, turmeric, and red chili. A squeeze of lime at the end brightens it. The bok choy and green beans only cook for a minute or two, so they soften but keep some crunch.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Everything cooks in one pan in about 30 minutes.
- The curry paste is made from curry powder, mustard seeds, fresh ginger, garlic, and spices, so you don’t need a jar of curry paste.
- The coconut milk sauce is creamy and mildly spicy, with fresh lime stirred in at the end.
- Leftovers keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 2 months in the freezer.
➡️ Ingredients
Curry Paste:
- Mustard seeds
- Yellow onion
- Fresh ginger
- Red chili pepper
- Garlic
- Curry powder
- Ground coriander
- Ground turmeric
- Salt
- Paprika
Salmon, Sauce, and Vegetables:
- Salmon fillets (skin-on or skinless)
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Canned full-fat coconut milk
- Vegetable broth
- Coconut aminos
- Fish sauce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Black pepper
- Bok choy
- Green beans
- Lime juice
Optional Garnish:
- Cilantro
⏲ How to make coconut curry salmon
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare The Curry Paste: Heat the mustard seeds in a pan on the stovetop until they start to pop just slightly. Then, grind up all of the remaining curry paste ingredients in a mortar and pestle or a single-serve blender attachment.
- Remove The Salmon Skin: If using skin-on salmon fillets, remove the skin using a sharp knife.
- Cut The Salmon Into Cubes: Cut the salmon into 1-inch x 1-inch cubes then set those aside.
- Prepare The Sauce: Cook the prepared curry paste for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in coconut milk, vegetable broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce, tomatoes, and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the sauce starts to reduce.
- Cook The Salmon: Add in the cubed salmon and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes.
- Cook The Vegetables: Then, add in the bok choy and green beans to cook until slightly wilted and softened before pouring in the lime juice. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning to your preferences.
- Serve: Serve the salmon in bowls (optionally: serve on top of steamed cauliflower rice) and garnish with chopped cilantro.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Yellow Onion: Use white onion, red onion, or shallots.
- Fresh Ginger: Use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.
- Red Chili: Any type of chili pepper can be used in place of the red chili, though spicier varieties, like these chile Puya or aji amarillo peppers, will alter the flavor of the final dish.
- Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: Canned coconut cream would be your best option. You could also try using coconut milk from a container (or, if you don’t have a nut allergy, almond milk from a container), but the resulting sauce will be less thick and the flavor may be slightly altered.
- Vegetable Broth: Chicken broth or beef broth can be used instead here.
- Coconut Aminos: Soy sauce can be used in place of coconut aminos.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes would be your best option.
- Bok Choy: Use Napa cabbage or Chinese cabbage.
- Green Beans: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini all work in place of green beans.
- Fresh Cilantro: Fresh parsley or basil will work.
Any of these swaps will change the nutrition numbers on the recipe card.
〰️ What to serve with the curry salmon
- Serve on top of cauliflower rice or white rice.
- Serve with naan.
- Add a green goddess salad as a side.
💬 FAQs
Can I add other vegetables in addition to the tomatoes, bok choy, and green beans?
Yes! Feel free to add any other vegetables to the curry, such as broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, or zucchini.
What if I don’t like salmon? Can I use another fish?
Yes, you can use another type of fish in this recipe. I would suggest halibut or cod.
How should I store the prepared salmon curry?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Can I freeze salmon coconut curry?
Yes, it freezes well. Let the curry cool, then store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it in a pan on the stove over medium heat until it is warmed through.
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Curry Salmon With Coconut Milk And Bok Choy
Ingredients
Curry Paste:
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ⅓ small yellow onion, roughly chopped (~20 grams)
- 1 inch knob fresh ginger, ~10 grams, peeled
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, ~6 grams, stem removed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Salmon, Sauce, and Vegetables:
- 4 small salmon fillets, skin-on or skinless (~14 oz)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil (30 mL)
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (240 mL)
- ¼ cup vegetable broth (60 mL)
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos (5 mL)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (6 g)
- ⅔ cup halved cherry tomatoes, ~90 grams
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ bunch bok choy, ~125 grams, cut into wedges
- ½ cup chopped green beans, ~50 grams
- 1 teaspoon lime juice (5 mL)
Optional Garnish:
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare Curry Paste: To a large pan over medium heat, add mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop just slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow mustard seeds to cool. Then, add them to a mortar and pestle or single-serve blender attachment, add in all remaining curry paste ingredients, and grind them up until well-combined. Set aside.
- Remove Skin And Cut Salmon Into Cubes: If using skin-on salmon fillets, using a sharp knife, remove the skin (if using skinless fillets, skip this step). Then, cut the salmon into 1-inch x 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same pan used to prepare the curry paste, heat oil and cook the prepared curry paste for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in coconut milk, vegetable broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce, tomatoes, and pepper. Cover pan with a lid and cook on medium heat until sauce starts to reduce, about 5-6 minutes.
- Cook Salmon And Serve: To the pan, add in cubed salmon and cook until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily, about 5-6 minutes. Add in bok choy and green beans and cook until slightly wilted and softened, about 1-2 minutes. Pour in lime juice. Taste mixture and adjust seasoning to your preferences. Serve in bowls (optionally: serve on top of steamed cauliflower rice) and garnish with chopped cilantro.
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