The Foodie Physician

Dining with the Doc: Spice-Rubbed Salmon

Jump to Recipe  ↓ Print Recipe  ❒
Share64
Tweet
Pin2K
Yum1K
+14
4K Shares

Smoky and sweet with a bit of heat, this spice-rubbed salmon is the perfect light dish for the New Year.

Spice-Rubbed Salmon | @foodiephysician

 

Once the New Year comes around, I’m like most people- ready to move on from all of the holiday indulgences and start focusing on some lighter, healthier dishes.  Spice-Rubbed Salmon is one of my go-to recipes on busy weeknights.  When people ask me how it’s possible to cook healthy meals when you’re pressed for time, I point to recipes like this one.  Not only is it healthy and delicious, it can be prepared in about 15 minutes!

I love dry spice rubs and they’re so easy to make yourself, there’s no need to buy them!  Spice rubs are a great way to add a ton of flavor to a dish without adding a lot of calories or fat.  And most of us have a good number of dried spices hanging out in our pantries.  This is a great all purpose rub that works well on salmon but also on chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables.  It has a combination of smoky, spicy and sweet flavors that balance each other out nicely.  It gets smokiness from chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika and a hint of spice from cayenne pepper.

 
Smoky & sweet with a bit of heat, @foodiephysician's Spice-Rubbed Salmon is the perfect dish for a busy weeknight!Click To Tweet
Spice-Rubbed Salmon | @foodiephysician

For sweetness, I used honey granules that I recently got in my latest Hatchery box.  They are a nice way to add the flavor of honey to your dishes without the messiness of honey.  If you don’t have it, you can substitute coconut sugar or light brown sugar.  And if you like heat, feel free to double the cayenne.  Who knew healthy could be so good?

Spice-Rubbed Salmon | @foodiephysician

 

For the perfect side dish, try my easy Sesame Roasted Broccoli.

 

Sesame Roasted Broccoli | @foodiephysician

5 from 1 vote
Print
Spice-Rubbed Salmon
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
13 mins
 

Smoky and sweet with a bit of heat, this spice-rubbed salmon is the perfect light dish for the New Year.

Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 234 kcal
Author: The Foodie Physician
Ingredients
  • 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon honey granules (can substitute coconut sugar or light brown sugar)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Pat the salmon dry. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, honey granules, a 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together. Brush each salmon filet with ½ teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle equal amounts of the dry rub on top, patting it onto the salmon so that it adheres.
  2. Heat a grill, grill pan or nonstick skillet over medium and spray with cooking spray. Place the salmon in the pan, seasoned side down and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2-5 minutes to desired doneness. Remove from pan and serve.
Nutrition Facts
Spice-Rubbed Salmon
Amount Per Serving
Calories 234 Calories from Fat 94
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10.4g 16%
Saturated Fat 1.8g 9%
Sodium 157mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 3.2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2%
Protein 28.4g 57%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Spice-Rubbed Salmon | @foodiephysician
CLICK BELOW PIN!
Spice-Rubbed Salmon | @foodiephysician
Share64
Tweet
Pin2K
Yum1K
+14
4K Shares

Subscribe to The Foodie Physician Newsletter

Hungry for more? Get the latest tasty goodness delivered straight to your inbox!

Comments

  9. Elizabeth Shaw says

    January 6, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    I seriously need you and Mrs. Nutricioulicious to come whip up some salmon for me. I still can't take the plunge to buy and cook it! I do however have my mother in law in town this weekend who ALWAYS orders it when we go out. I will sneak a bite this weekend and let you know how I do- this looks to good to be missing out on!

    Reply

  10. Farrah says

    January 7, 2016 at 10:36 am

    Yum!! 😀 I have all of these spices…but they're back in West Virginia, which (assuming my school doesn't screw me over on rotations) I won't be back at until mid-April. Looking forward to trying this recipe out though! *-* My friend would love this! (We're both major salmon fiends, hehehe.)

    Reply

  17. Barb Evenson says

    January 19, 2016 at 8:55 pm

    New follower here! I love salmon in restaurants, but when I've bought it to cook at home, I can't get past the oily, fishy taste. Do you have any shopping tips? Thinner better than thicker? Specific type of salmon? Quality? Thanks for making cooking interesting!

    Reply

    • sonaliruder says

      January 21, 2016 at 11:00 pm

      Thanks so much for your comment, Barb! The best quality salmon is usually going to be wild Alaskan salmon- it's leaner and has a pure flavor. Unfortunately, it's also going to cost more than farm-raised salmon so I try to stock up if it ever goes on sale. Regardless of which type of salmon you buy, make sure that it's as fresh as possible and doesn't smell fishy. I also find that salmon tastes "fishier" if you overcook it so I generally only cook it for a couple of minutes on each side until it's medium rare. Then I take it out of the pan and the residual heat will continue to cook it a little more. I hope you try this dish out- the flavorful rub should also counteract any fishy taste.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge

Get all the latest recipes straight to your inbox

4K Shares
Share64
Tweet
Pin2K
Yum1K
+14