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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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter
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.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4 (4-6 ounce) salmon filets
- 2-3 tablespoons spicy curry powder (homemade in notes)
- kosher salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
- 2 cups canned full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
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.
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.
This post was originally published on February 2, 2022
OMG ? it’s so goood
Hey Rawan,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxT
Best Thai Salmon ever!! Your recipes are way better than restaurants! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent! ❤️❤️❤️
Hey Kirti,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxT
This was so good! One of my favourite dishes to make from now on 🙂 Thank you!
Hey Ann,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxT
SO delicious. And easy! I used haricot verts (French green beans) instead of broccoli because that’s what I had on hand and everything was so flavorful. Big hit around here. Will definitely make again
Hey Theresa,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was a winner!! xTieghan
Made it tonight & it was delicious! My husband said this is the best thing I’ve ever cooked!
Hi Kristen,
Awesome!! Love hearing that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a go! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Wow!! Ah-mazing flavor, Tieghan! We all really loved the homemade curry powder rub, and the crispy browned butter mixture was such a tasty topper! Excellent and delicious dish. Congrats to Red and Hailey—we watched them both in their qualifiers and finals and were so.crazy.impressed. Red was humble and poised during his interview and it was obvious to me that you both have the same spirit/grateful heart. I love that all the announcers mentioned you/HBH, too!!
Hey Cari,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was a winner!! Thanks so much for your kind message about Red and Hailey! xTieghan
Newbie question… where is the skin on the salmon in this recipe? On the bottom? Removed? Really want to try this but not sure how to approach the salmon – help? Thanks!
Hey Jenny,
The skin is on the bottom of the salmon. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious…every bite. Thank you!
Hey Marsha,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was a winner!! xTieghan
I made this with tofu instead of salmon and WOW. It was soooo good. Will definitely be making this again
Hey Laura,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was a winner!! xTieghan
Exceptional flavor. So darn good and so easy. I didn’t have any dry ginger so I used some fresh grated ginger, but it still worked out. Your consistency of excellence is amazing.
Hey Steve,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was a winner!! xTieghan
Incredible as usual!!! We had never had salmon with a Thai/curry sauce before, but this was awesome. Making the spicy curry powder was totally worth it. I simmered the broccoli in the curry sauce for maybe 1-2 mins on its own before we put the salmon in the pan to help it cook down a tiny bit so that the salmon would actually sit in the sauce while it simmered. The butter sauce was so delicious, but it got really foamy on the stove and made it hard to see when the butter started browning so I accidentally browned it maybe a bit too much, haha. Still tasted awesome, just a heads up for others if it gets foamy! Thanks as always, Tieghan, for an easy and delicious dinner!!
Hey Meghan,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
great quick meal! didn’t have fresh ginger so used dried powdered ginger. Also decreased to only 1 cup of coconut milk as I was only cooking for 2. Will keep this in my rotation!
Hey Natalia,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Just drop everything and go make this right now. It will rock your world. 10/10 recommend. Well done, Tieghan!
Hey Kaley,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
This was delicious and so easy to make. I did have to bake the salmon for a little bit longer but that may just be my oven. The sauce tastes just like what you’d get at a good thai restaurant.
Hey Alison,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
This recipe was easy and delicious! Look forward to making it again!
Hey Kristine,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Whole family really enjoyed this meal. It was delicious. My kids requested that I make this regularly. Very easy to make too! Thank you!
Hey Amira,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT