Next Post
Crispy Cheese Poblano Avocado Burrito.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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 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 is seasoned up, 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 the salmon 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.
Add rice to complete the meal…it’s essential for soaking up all that yummy curry sauce.
This is such a simple, wholesome, and delicious 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.
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.
Love this recipe! Making it for a friend who said they love Brussels sprouts. Do you think I could swap them in for the broccoli?
Hey Karen,
Happy Monday!! 💘 Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Totally, that will be great! xx
My husband made this tonight as an early Valentine’s dinner. It it SO GOOD! It’s decadent and so tasty. The flavors blend together so nicely. He used steelhead trout instead of salmon as we are not big salmon fans. We will keep this in our special occasion rotation. Thank you for this incredible recipe!
Hey Terri,
Happy Sunday!!🏈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Great to hear the trout worked here as well! xx
Made this tonight and it was delish! We have a toddler so I used regular curry powder instead of spicy and it was still great! We don’t eat curry very often but my husband enjoyed it. Will definitely make again!
Hey Emma,
Happy Sunday!!🏈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
I think this is my new favorite salmon recipe! Love the spice and the butter on top is perfection. Trying to turn my husband into a salmon-lover and he said I can definitely make this recipe again! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe recipe!
Hey Katelyn,
Happy Friday!!❤️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it was delish! xT
Should the coconut milk be unsweetened?
Hi Pam,
Yes, I like to use unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I made this for dinner last night and it was
unbelievably good! I was worried it may be too spicy for my kids but they ate all of the salmon and even asked for more! I even just ate the rice and sauce for leftovers and it was so good!
Hey Jordan,
Awesome!!🌼 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xT
This is so Tasty! I omitted the garlic butter bc I was doing some batch cooking and it was a step I felt like I could skip!
I added in a couple Tb of lime juice it really made it pop!
Thanks Tiegan
Hey Dawn,
Awesome!!🌼 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xT
I just made this for dinner tonight. It’s excellent!! Based on other comments next time I will cook the salmon skin side up in my pan for 2 min without the curry powder etc to give it a crispy top, take the salmon out and proceed with the sauce. I also think using Thai Masaman curry paste vs Thai red curry paste would be a nice alternative. I would love to see you use other Thai curry pastes besides just red in your recipes. Thanks!
Hey Merrill,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)
I’ve been following your recipes for 6 months now, and this one might just be my favorite. I think the sauce over rice is delicious all by itself. Not sure it even needs the salmon.
I cooked the salmon on the cooktop in olive oil and the curry powder instead of in the oven. The honey drizzle was an excellent touch!
I will definitely have this dinner again, but maybe I will try it with chicken cubes and maybe even some beef tips!
Well done!!
Hey Bob,
Happy Sunday!!💕 Thanks so much for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, so glad it was a hit! xx
Ahhmazing! Made as written and it was outstanding! I forgot the garlic butter
At the end, but I find it hard to believe that what we had could be improved upon.
Bravo!
Hey there,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
So good! 3rd time making this. Modifications 1) roasted broccoli & added on side w/sauce 2) no fish sauce 3) mixed in Thai Basil when serving
Hey there,
Happy Friday!😁 Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
My husband managed to make this recipe all by himself – and it turned out great!! We ate the leftovers the following day (reheated on the stove too). We also bumped up the broccoli and added some green beans for extra veg. Thank you for this lovely, tasty recipe!!
Hey Pamela,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your comment, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Hi Tieghan , Fiona from Australia cooked this tonight for my Husband we both loved this dish , will be cooking this again one of my favourites.
Hey Fiona,
Amazing!! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for making it and your comment! xx
I made this and really enjoyed it! I couldn’t find curry paste so I made my own Thai paste. I used more seasonings overall, but the flavor the recipe puts together was wonderful! Loved the salmon and broccoli.
Hey Taryn,
Amazing!! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for making it and your comment! xx
Made this tonight for a small dinner party and it was so wonderful. Everyone loved it and friends asked for seconds.:) Thank you for sharing your gift of cooking with us all!
Hey Brittany,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was tasty and thanks a lot for trying it out! xT