This pan-fried salmon recipe has a delicate cornstarch egg-free crust on the outside and is very juicy and tender on the inside. You will love this easy, delicious, and allergy-friendly recipe! I sprinkle salmon filets with a little bit of seasoning, and then coat them with cornstarch for a delicate, egg-free crust.
Disclaimer: Please check that all ingredients are suitable for your allergies and be sure to ask your medical care team regarding any allergy related questions (I do not share medical advice). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Salmon Shopping Tips
When I shop for salmon, I look for fresh center cuts cuts that look fresh and firm. When I buy pre-packaged fresh salmon, I check the best by or sell by dates for the freshest date. I also give them a quick sniff to pass the smell test. Avoid any pieces that smell sour or have a strong ammonia-like scent.
I buy the center cut pieces of salmon filets. Try to select pieces that are approximately the same size and similar thickness so that the pieces cook evenly. I personally like the salmon oil, flavor, and texture of the center cut pieces.
Cooking tips
- If you buy pre-packaged salmon about 1 pound each, my favorite are center cut pieces that look like a rectangle. I like any salmon filets that have a little bit of belly on them. They’re the most juicy and flavorful.
- Skinless or with skin? I usually buy skinless, boneless salmon filets from Trader Joe’s. Sometimes I will buy boneless salmon filets with skin because one of my son’s likes the crispy salmon skin.
- The filet pieces near the head are slightly uneven in shape, so might cook unevenly. I turn the thinner sections toward the outside of the frying pan and the thicker sections toward the center of the pan to ato slow down the cooking.
- The salmon tail isn’t as tasty to me, but you might like it. The tail cooks unevenly. The tip ends up tasting dry by the time the thicker end of the salmon is done cooking, so you might want to position the smaller end of the tail toward the outside edges of the pan.
- If you end up buying a whole salmon filet, you can cut the salmon filets into even sizes by weight and cook them pieces according to my tips above.
Handle your salmon filet pieces carefully and place them on top of your other groceries. I also recommend buy fresh salmon for this recipe. Frozen and then thawed salmon will not have the desired tender and flakey texture.
Easy Salmon Recipe for a Quick Weeknight Dinner
You can easily make this salmon dish in 20 to 25 minutes. Then you can serve it over a salad, with rice and veggies, or other veggie and/or carb combinations.
It takes a few minutes to rinse the salmon filets and pat dry. Then I season with a light sprinkle of onion salt and pepper. Finally coat the salmon with a few tablespoons of cornstarch, and set aside until ready to cook.
I use a large 12-inch non-stick frying pan to cook the salmon on medium heat. It’s important to allow some space in between the pieces of salmon so that they can sear, not steam.
Salmon Cooked with Chinese and French Inspirations
My mom used to pan fry whole fish by coating it with a little bit of cornstarch and then pan frying it with a little bit of oil and then making a tangy-sweet sauce. I love to eat my mom’s pan-fried fish dish but seldom make it, because it’s so messy and my kids were not fond of any kind of sweet and sour dishes when they were little.
I am inspired by the French style of pan-frying sole a la meunière, which uses seasoned wheat flour to coat the fish and lightly pan-frying with a little bit of butter. Except I lean into my Chinese ways and coat with cornstarch for a lighter and delicate crust compared to wheat.
Since salmon is such an oily fish, I use just a little bit of added oil to cook the salmon to crispy perfection. If the salmon is fresh, you can really taste the salmon flavor with this recipe.
Salmon for Good Health
Foods rich in omega-3 such as salmon may be beneficial to our health. I have dry eyes and my optometrist suggested that I try a fish oil supplement. The supplement helps slightly but I eating salmon helps more. I noticed that my eyes feel dry and irritated when I don’t eat salmon at least once a week.
I cook salmon for my family about once a week and rotate through my various salmon recipes for variety. Sometimes I like to steam salmon Chinese style. If I’m using my oven anyways, I might bake the salmon instead. This pan fried salmon recipe is the easiest.
Allergy-Aware Pan-Fried Salmon
This recipe is free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, shellfish, and sesame. The only top allergen is salmon.
My favorite cornstarch is Let’s Do Organic’s Organic Cornstarch, which is free of top 9 allergens.
I buy whole black pepper from Trader Joe’s which is nut-free last time I checked. I love their grinder, it works very well for something that costs $2 or so. But once in awhile I get a dud and I transfer the whole peppercorns to a pepper grinder that works like a champ, is mess-free, and allows me to adjust the grind.
My favorite Onion Salt is from Trader Joe’s. I think it might be made in a facility with some allergens and we haven’t had any issues with this product. Other brands to consider are McCormicks Onion Salt and Morton and Bassett’s Granulated Onion with Parsley (a no salt option!). Generally, McCormicks is a peanut and tree nut free brand and Morton and Bassett tests for peanut and gluten only.
If you need more help with finding nut-free ingredients, see What’s In Nut Free Wok’s Cupboard.
Pan-Fried Salmon Recipe: Egg-Free, Nut-Free
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon filets boneless, skinless*
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- freshly ground black pepper optional
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch more, if needed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or other neutral oil
Instructions
- Rinse the salmon filets. Pat dry with paper towels and cut the filets in half, and place on a large plate or other flat surface.
- Sprinkle both sides of the salmon filets with onion salt and ground black pepper (if using). Sprinkle both sides of the salmon filets with cornstarch. Set aside until ready to cook.
- Preheat a large non-stick frying pan for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
- Add olive oil to the pan and swirl the pan to coat. Place the cornstarch coated pieces of salmon flat side (skin side) up and pan fry for 5 minutes, until slightly browned.
- Use a fish turner or a turner to lift a filet to check if the first side is slightly browned. Turn the fish over pan-fry for an additional 5 minutes until the sides of the salmon pieces are opaque (1 more minute if needed). Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Related Recipes
Serve this pan-fried salmon dish with a salad or a simple vegetable stir fry such as Stir-Fried Romaine Lettuce or Stir-Fried Iceberg Lettuce with Oyster Sauce. Or you can learn How to Make Lettuce Cups for Lettuce Wraps and eat lettuce cups filled with salmon and fresh steamed rice.
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I may mention the names of stores and/or brand names of products that I use because readers ask and I share products and sources which I use and think may be helpful to readers, all opinions are my own. Please note that manufacturing practices and ingredients can change at anytime without notice and readers are always responsible for assuring allergen safety before buying or consuming foods. NutFreeWok.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for reading!
