Exquisite Broiled Salmon With Zesty Flavors

Broiled salmon is one of the quickest and tastiest recipe you can make for dinner. The superb seasoning  combination of basil, lime and chili pepper make a sweet, savory and citrusy taste that is a perfect balance for the rich salmon.

💭 Why This Recipe Works

• So Easy. Only 5 ingredients and few simple steps to exquisitely broiled salmon.
• Super Fast. The broiled salmon is ready in under 15 minutes.
• Healthy. Salmon is an excellent source of protein. Broiled salmon is rich in Omega 3s, vitamins,  minerals, and antioxidants.
• Easily Scalable. The serving size of this broiled salmon recipe can be easily decreased to 1 or increased to multiple servings.
• Tasty. Broiled salmon has a rich taste and buttery texture with a beautifully browned top.
• Seasonings. Basil adds hints of pepper, mint and anise. The lime zest add citrus notes. And, the red chili flakes add the spice that pulls all of these together and softens the richness of the broiled salmon.

🥘 Ingredients You Will Need

1. 4 salmon fillets cut crosswise through the mid-section of the salmon.
2. Sliced fresh basil leaves. You will need about 6, 2 to 3-inch long, basil leaves. To slice the basil for the broiled salmon, stack the leaves together. Roll up the leaves into a tight little roll about pencil thick. Using a sharp knife, slice across the roll in thin strips. Gently toss the leaves with your fingers to separate them.
3. Lime zest. One lime will yield the 2 teaspoons needed. A zester or grater works ideally for zesting the lime. Avoid cutting down to the white pithy part of the lime.
4. Red chili flakes.

🔪 How to Prepare This Recipe

1. Select Your Salmon. Most types of salmon will work in this broiled salmon recipe. You can select your favorite species or ask your fishmonger. For a deeper dive into the characteristics of the various species, check out my article on Types of Salmon.
2. Remove any pin bones from the salmon. You can do this by lightly running your fingers against the grain of the salmon to check for tiny bones. Then either pull them out with your fingers or a tweezers.
3. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. This helps the butter and seasonings adhere to the salmon and aids in browning. Place the salmon fillets on a foil lined baking sheet. Season salmon with salt and pepper.
4. Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Stir in the red pepper flakes until fragrant. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the basil and lime zest. Pour the buttery mixture over the salmon.
5. Broil for 5 minutes until the broiled salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

💭 Cooks Tips

• Make sure your salmon fillets are evenly sized. When they are evenly thick, they will get done at the same time. Avoid cuts from nearer the tail as these are thinner.
• Select skin on salmon. The skin helps keep the salmon from falling apart. After removing from the oven, the skin of broiled salmon separates easily from the flesh.
• When broiling salmon, you need to watch the broiling time closely so your salmon doesn't burn or get over cooked.
• Always zest the lime before juicing. After zesting, you can squeeze the lime juice. You will get about 2 tablespoons of lime juice from your lime. Lime juice can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
• Know your salt. We prefer kosher salt. The coarse grains of kosher salt compared to fine table salt are suited for seasoning foods to taste. It is easier to sprinkle with your fingers and dissolves more quickly. But even kosher salt brands vary, so test them first.

🌡️ Storage

Uncooked salmon can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen up to 8 months.
Leftover broiled salmon can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

To thaw frozen salmon,  place them in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can put the fillets in a resealable plastic bag (such as Ziploc) and place them in a bowl of ice cold water in the sink. Drizzle cold water from the tap over the salmon until thawed.

📖 Variations

Thyme Mustard Glaze: Omit the red pepper flakes. Replace the basil leaves with chopped thyme leaves. Replace the lime zest with lemon zest. Add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Add these substitute ingredients to the melted butter. Continue with step 3 of the broiled salmon recipe.

Sweet Chili Glaze: Omit the red pepper flakes. Stir in 1 tablespoon light brown sugar to the melted butter and heat until sugar is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon smoke paprika, a pinch of cayenne pepper and the lime zest. Continue with step 3.

Honey Garlic Glaze: Omit the red pepper flakes. Stir in 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the lime juice. Omit the lime zest or use as garnish. Continue with step 3.

🧾 More Easy Fish Recipes

• Oven Baked Salmon
• Instant Pot Salmon for Two
• Baked Tilapia 
• Baked Cod Recipe
• Pan Fried Cod With an Herb Butter Sauce

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