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This Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter is full of Thai flavors and so simple. Made with flavorful Thai curry paste, creamy coconut milk, and a quick homemade curry powder. The salmon is seasoned, broiled until crispy, and then served in a creamy curry sauce with spicy chili garlic butter. A side of rice soaks up all that yummy coconut curry sauce, so delicious.

Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking back at all the years of recipes, there is so much variety, flavor, and color. When I started HBH just after turning 19, I had no idea what I was doing, or really how to cook for that matter. I truly was learning by doing and having a lot of fun experimenting with new flavors.

When I look back at the first year of recipes, I cringe at the photos, but you know what’s kind of funny? While the recipes are written poorly for sure, the ideas are honestly pretty solid and so creative.

My mind must have been so full of brand new ideas back then. I wasn’t afraid to try anything!

The other week I was reminded about an old Thai salmon burger that I had made. The flavors sounded so interesting and really delicious. I decided then that I wanted to do some kind of Thai curry with salmon.

Originally, this recipe looked a little different. But as I was cooking, I just kind of did what I often do, I winged it.

Somehow I ended up with caramelized curried salmon in the creamiest red curry sauce. The chili garlic butter was an afterthought, but it ended up MAKING the curry. Everything together is so delicious and flavorful.

Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter | halfbakedharvest.com

Details – the salmon

Since I wanted to customize the flavors, I made my own curry powder for the salmon. I added lots of cumin and ginger with a touch of paprika, cayenne, and cinnamon. I think it’s the perfect blend.

I shared the recipe in the notes. Of course, you can also just use store-bought curry powder.

Once the salmon fillet is seasoned up on a pan, drizzle over the honey, then broil until crispy. This is my favorite easy, mess free, way to get salmon crispy on top.

Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter | halfbakedharvest.com

The sauce

I kept the sauce really simple, butter, ginger, and lots of Thai red curry paste. Coconut milk keeps it creamy, and soy sauce adds a little salty flavor.

Finish cooking the salmon in the curry sauce so it stays really tender and flavorful.

Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter | halfbakedharvest.com

Finish it up

Honestly, this chili garlic butter completes the dish. Is it needed, no, but it makes this salmon recipe really, really delicious.

Simply brown butter, golden garlic, and chili flakes and drizzle over the salmon just before serving. It really makes every bite melt in your mouth. A squeeze of lime juice is also delicious!

Add jasmine rice to complete the thai salmon curry…it’s essential for soaking up all that yummy curry sauce.

This is such a simple, wholesome, and Pinterest worthy meal. The perfect (non-boring) recipe to really keep things fun during the week. Oh and lastly, while it’s not traditional to Thai cooking, a side of fresh warm naan is especially delicious with this creamy curry sauce. Just an idea!

Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other dinner recipes? Here are my favorites: 

Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles

One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese

Honey Garlic Salmon Soba Noodle Bowls

Coconut Milk Braised Black Pepper Chicken

Lastly, if you make this Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

@halfbakedharvest

coconut curry salmon #coconut #curry #salmon #garlic #easyrecipe #rice #weeknightdinner #foodtok #howto

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Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 791 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Watch the How-To Reel

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the broiler.
    2. Place the salmon on a baking sheet and rub with olive oil, curry powder, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the honey over the salmon. Broil until crisping on top, 3-5 minutes, watch closely.
    3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt together 1 tablespoon butter, the curry paste, and ginger. Cook, 2-3 minutes until very fragrant. Add the broccoli, coconut milk, tamari or soy sauce, and fish sauce. Slide the salmon into the sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
    4. Meanwhile, melt together 5 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook until the butter is browning and the garlic crisps.
    5. Serve the salmon and sauce over bowls of rice. Drizzle the butter over the salmon and top with basil or cilantro.

Notes

Spicy Curry Powder:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
kosher salt and black pepper
Mix everything to combine. Makes 2-3 tablespoons. 
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Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter | halfbakedharvest.com
This post was originally published on February 2, 2022
4.65 from 643 votes (422 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  2. Delicious! Our broiler quit working so I basically just poached it in the pan and we loved it. That crisp would have been everything though!

    Reply

    1. Hey Kristin,
      Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    One of the best things I’ve ever made! My husband loved it too! I used frozen broccoli and frozen fish which meant I already had everything. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hey Monica,
      Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT

      Reply

  4. I didn’t have salmon or broccoli on hand. So I used chicken instead, cooking it a little longer in the oven and a bag of mixed vegetables in place of broccoli. It was delicious! Def gonna try the original recipe again! ☺️

    Reply

    1. Hey Prit,
      Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT

      Reply

    1. Hey Nancy,
      Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT

      Reply

    1. Hey Elinor,
      Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT

      Reply

  7. This looks amazing!
    How do I make it vegetarian? Would tofu be a good substitute for salmon?
    And what can i use instead of fish sauce?

    Reply

    2. Hey there,
      Sure, tofu would work! You could use soy sauce in place of the fish sauce. I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

      Reply

        1. Hi Elizabeth,
          I like to use jasmine or basmati rice. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

          Reply

  8. Looks great but I unfortunately do not have a broiler setting in my oven, which is a convection that maxes out at 450 degrees. 🙁 Would you have any suggestions for baking temp/time?

    Reply

    1. Hi Cathy,
      You could bake in the oven until crispy or you could do this part on your skillet. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. Great recipe full of great flavor! Tried it last night with my wife and daughter, we all liked it a lot! One question for you Tieghan, getting the curry sauce to the creamy consistency I see in your pics and video, how are you achieving this? Followed the recipe verbatim (minus broccoli which we didn’t have) and the sauce was thinner than expected. Is it maybe brand specific to the coconut milk? Thanks for all the recipes, we’ve been enjoying many of them weekly!

    Reply

    1. Hey Dave,
      I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! You would just want to simmer the sauce a little longer to thicken it. xxTieghan

      Reply

  12. This looks amazing! I must try this, but I haven’t cooked many dishes with salmon. Do you usually keep the skin on the filets?

    Reply

    1. I do cook with skin on then simply peel off if I don’t want it on my cooked salmon. It come right off when cooked.

      Reply

    2. Hey Abigail,
      It’s really personal preference, you can keep the skin and eat it or eat around it or remove it. I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan

      Reply

  14. OH MAN!! This is fabulous. Just the thing for a cold night. I made this for 2, but kept the sauce measurements the same because we love lots of sauce. I didn’t have Thai red curry paste so I just used more curry powder, extra cumin and a pinch of cayenne. The heat was perfect. Also didn’t have any broccoli so I threw in a few handsful of arugula.
    I follow a KETO diet so I use riced cauliflower to soak up the sauce.

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    I’m only just found your site about two weeks ago and I’ve made several recipes that have become instant family favorites. This salmon is OUTSTANDING. My husband got up in the middle of the meal to ladle more of the coconut curry all over his rice. 😉 And the garlic chili butter! What can I say about that. It’s such a unique addition and it works so unexpectedly well. Thank you for sharing, Tiegan!

    Reply