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Green Curry Salmon

Homemade green curry isn’t just for dining out. This green curry salmon recipe is fresh and flavorful, and totally satisfying and you can totally make it at home!

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homemade green curry salmon in a large pot made with coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, peppers and onions
Photography by Gayle McLeod

Coconut Curry Salmon: Healthy, Fast, Simple

This salmon curry recipe hits the spot. Salmon is loaded with fatty acids (brain food), and the curry is full of Thai flavors, bright herbs, and a creamy, coconut broth. You can serve the green curry salmon over a bed of cauliflower rice if you want to keep the carbs low, or serve with simple steamed rice—brown or white are both great. And if salmon isn’t your thing, you can even make this green curry recipe using a white fish, like halibut or sea bass. In other words, take our green curry salmon recipe and feel free to make it your own—be adventurous! We’re just here for the tasty and healthy recipe ideas!!

homemade green curry salmon in a large pot made with coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, peppers and onions

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Ingredient Spotlight: Green Curry Paste

Yes, in a perfect world we would make green curry paste from scratch. Fortunately, there is really tasty store-bought green curry paste available. Thai green curry paste is often a blend of some or all of the following ingredients: green chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal (which is closely related to ginger and turmeric, and has a flavor similar to lemongrass), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, coriander, cumin seeds, white peppercorns, shrimp paste and salt (thanks Wikipedia!). Thai green curry (kaeng khiao wan) offers a balance of chili pepper heat and cooling creamy coconut milk that the spicy, fragrant paste is mixed with to make a coconut curry broth. We think that it does matter which green curry paste you use, because there is quite a variety in taste across brands. We really love Mae Ploy green curry paste for store-bought, but if you’ve got your own favorite (or homemade), feel free to use it!

salmon, peppers, onions, rice, fish sauce, green curry paste, lime juice, coconut milk and ginger in prep bowls

What’s In Green Curry Salmon?

You know that you’ll need salmon—four skinned salmon filets for our recipe—and green curry paste. And not much else! Here’s everything you’ll need to make green curry salmon:

  • Coconut milk (we love to use full-fat coconut milk here for a rich and creamy base)

  • Green curry paste

  • Lime

  • Ginger

  • Fish sauce

  • Sweet onion

  • Bell pepper

  • Scallions

  • Fresh cilantro

  • Red pepper flakes

4 (4 ounce) raw salmon fillets on a baking sheet seasoned with salt and pepper
coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, ginger, and fish sauce in a large pot to make green curry salmon
coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, peppers and onions in a large pot
coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, peppers, onions and salmon in a large pot

How To Make Green Curry Salmon

If you’ve never made green curry at home before, you’ll be delighted by how easy it is to whip up for your next meal.

  1. Warm the green curry paste and coconut milk, whisking to combine.

  2. Pour in lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, onions and peppers and simmer.

  3. Gently lay salmon—seasoned with salt and pepper—into the simmering curry.

  4. Transfer the pan to the oven to cook for another 10 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through (but not overcooked).

  5. Serve piping hot, with sliced lime wedges, green onions, cilantro and red pepper flakes for garnish, over rice or cauliflower rice.

homemade green curry salmon in a large pot made with coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, peppers and onions
homemade green curry salmon in a large pot made with coconut milk, lime juice, ginger, fish sauce, peppers and onions

Tools You’ll Need:

More Coconut Curry Recipes

Now is the best time to be making all of the coconut curry recipes—it’s creamy, warming and so healthy. We can’t get enough, as evidenced by our roster of recipes:

homemade green curry salmon served on top of white rice garnished with green onions, cilantro and red pepper flakes

To Your Health!

Try this easy salmon curry, and let us know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

Green Curry Salmon

  • Serves: 4
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  20 min
  • Calories: 348

Ingredients

  • 4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, shaken
  • 1 tablespoon green curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 small sweet onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick half rounds
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch-thick strips
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch-thick strips
  • Cooked rice, for serving
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced, for serving
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving
  • Red pepper flakes, for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375° F with a rack in the center position.

  2. Season the salmon all over with the salt and pepper.

  3. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, ginger, and fish sauce; whisk to combine. Add in the onion half rounds and pepper strips and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the peppers and onions begin to soften.

  4. Nestle in the salmon and bake in the oven until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes.

  5. Serve the salmon over rice. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories348
  • Protein35 g
  • Carbohydrates24 g
  • Total Fat12 g
  • Dietary Fiber9 g
  • Cholesterol65 mg
  • sodium746 mg
  • Total Sugars10 g

Green Curry Salmon

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Meg

    To what internal temperature do you cook the salmon? It's too squishy for me at 125*F as is recommended by many, but I don't want it hard and dried out, either. Does the sauce help keep the salmon moist? TY

    You can cook it to 145. Yes the curry should help keep it moist and if you don't cook it over 145 it shouldn't dry out. Hope you enjoy Meg!

  • Linh

    Hi, when we bake in the oven do we put the lid on? Thank you and great recipe!!!

    No lid needed. Hope you enjoy Linh!

  • Jacky

    Can this be frozen? Would you make sauce and leave salmon raw and freeze like that? Defrost before you cook?
    Thanks

    Freeze the sauce and salmon separately so you don't run the risk of overcooking your salmon once reheating. Hope you enjoy Jacky!

  • Catherine

    What brand do you recommend for the green curry paste? For some reason I'm not seeing the name and while it looks like there should be a hyperlink I'm not showing it linked properly

    I always use Mae Ploy.

  • Daea

    Awesome recipe, thank you

    Thanks Daea, we are so glad you loved it!

  • Deb

    This was love at first bite! Made this last week and tonight I made it again and it’s delicious and so quick and easy to make. Definitely going into my regular rotation.

    Thanks Deb, we are so glad you loved it!

  • Michelle

    Great flavor! Mine was not very green like the pic. Needed to cook the salmon much longer than 10-12 min in the oven

    Thanks Michelle, glad you enjoyed it!

  • Karly

    Made this for the first time tonight and it is a winner!! Fast, easy, delicious....it will be a permanent fixture in our rotation for sure.

    Wonderful to hear!

  • Hannah

    This was so delicious… and healthy! Came together quickly. I used a little extra curry paste and was perfect.

    Thanks Hannah, so glad you loved it!