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    Home » Fish & Seafood

    Salmon Stir Fry

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on October 2, 2022, updated October 17, 2023 - 1 Comment

    Total time: 20 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 10 minutes minutes
    5 from 4 votes
    Jump to Recipe
    salmon stir fry in a blue bowl.

    If you’re looking for a quick weeknight salmon recipe, try this easy salmon stir fry that's all done in just 20 minutes. Made with lots of veggies for a lighter stir fry with subtle flavors and a fresh touch from lime juice & fresh cilantro. A complete meal on its own, or serve with a side of rice or noodles.

    salmon stir fry in a blue bowl.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • What you need to make it
    • How to make it
    • Tips & tricks
    • Recipe FAQ
    • What to serve with Salmon Stir Fry
    • More quick & easy salmon dinner recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    A stir fry is a great way to quickly get dinner on the table. For this version we take salmon, marinate it with fish sauce & lime juice, load it up with veggies, and cook it all with ginger & garlic.

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    The end result is lighter and subtler in flavor, and the combination of fresh herbs and lime juice gives it a light, fresh, delicious taste.

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It's quick and all done in 20 minutes
    • It's easy with just a few simple steps
    • Lighter & less salty than many stir fries...
    • ... but still full of flavor
    • A meal on its own thanks to all those veggies
    • All good for you with just salmon, veggies & fresh herbs

    What you need to make it

    Ingredients for salmon stir fry.

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Shallots can be swapped for red onion or yellow onion
    • Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral cooking oil or avocado oil
    • Cilantro is best fresh but can be swapped for frozen
    • Lime juice needs to be fresh squeezed
    • Sugar: I used white sugar; brown sugar & palm sugar are also great
    • To make it gluten free make sure the fish sauce is gluten free

    What salmon can I use?

    You can use any type of salmon, wild caught or farmed.

    I like to buy a big piece of salmon fillet as its cheaper than individual fillets, use what I need, and then freeze the rest in individual portions.

    Possible variations

    • Make it spicy! Add red pepper flakes just at the end.
    • Change up the protein! This dish is delicious with chicken as well.
    • Use different vegetables (bell peppers, sugar snap peas, cauliflower...) - but make sure at least one of them is crunchy!
    • Add nuts for extra crunch. Peanuts or macademia nuts are great choices.

    How to make it

    Collage showing how to make salmon stir fry.
    1. Mix together fish sauce, lime juice & sugar in a small bowl and marinate the salmon cubes in half of it. Chill for 15 minutes.
    2. Sauté shallots in olive oil for 2 minutes, then add garlic & ginger. Sauté until fragrant!
    3. Add broccoli & carrots, cook 5 minutes
    4. Add marinated salmon and sear on all sides
    Collage showing how to make salmon stir fry.
    1. Mix in the salmon with the veggies and add zucchini. Stir fry 1 minute.
    2. Add the rest of the sauce
    3. Add cilantro
    4. Mix well, then serve!

    Tips & tricks

    • Cut the veggies small to allow for a quick cook
    • Cut the salmon in larger pieces to avoid it falling apart too much
    • Don't marinate the salmon too long or it will fall apart
    • Keep the temperature low to avoid the shallots & garlic burning
    • Don't mix too much after adding the salmon, or it will fall apart
    • This dish is best eaten straight away - but if you want to store leftovers they are good for up to 3 days
    • Reheat leftovers gently in the microwave
    • Do not freeze leftovers - they don't turn out well

    Recipe FAQ

    How do you prevent the salmon from falling apart when cooking?

    I don't mind my salmon falling apart a bit while cooking, but I don't want it to fall apart completely. To achieve this, make sure you don't marinate the salmon too long (15 minutes tops!) and stir gently while cooking.

    If you want the salmon chunks to stay in one piece entirely you can cook it separately and mix in gently just at the end.

    What to serve with Salmon Stir Fry

    This Salmon Stir Fry is delicious as a meal on its own, but you can also serve it with a side of rice, noodles, cauliflower rice, or even bread. For more options, check out my complete guide to what to serve with salmon.

    salmon stir fry in a blue bowl.

    More quick & easy salmon dinner recipes

    Looking for more quick & easy dinner recipes?

    • Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon
    • Crispy Baked Furikake Salmon
    • Baked Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce
    • Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta
    • Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Spinach & Lemon
    • Smoked Salmon Risotto with Asparagus & Lemon

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    salmon stir fry in a blue bowl.

    Salmon Stir Fry

    5 from 4 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: North American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 331kcal
    Prep time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook time: 10 minutes mins
    Marinating 15 minutes minutes
    Total time: 20 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ lb salmon cut in bite-size pieces
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon chopped shallots chopped small
    • 2 garlic cloves sliced thin
    • 2 tablespoon fresh ginger chopped small
    • 1.5 cup broccoli cut in bite-size pieces
    • 1 cup carrots cut in half and sliced thin
    • 1.5 cup zucchini cut in half-moons ¼ inch thick
    • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro loosely packed

    Marinade & Stir Fry Sauce

    • 4 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
    • 3 tablespoon fish sauce
    • 1 teaspoon sugar

    To serve

    • red chili flakes optional
    • lime wedges optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Mix together the ingredients for the marinade & stir fry sauce.
      4 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice, 3 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar
    • Mix the salmon with half of the marinade / stir fry sauce and refrigerate 15 minutes to marinate.
      ½ lb salmon
    • With 10 minutes left for the salmon to marinate, place a non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat and add in the olive oil. When hot, add shallots and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Do not let it burn!
      1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon chopped shallots
    • Add sliced garlic and chopped ginger, and sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
      2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoon fresh ginger
    • Add broccoli and carrots and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook 5 minutes until a bit softened.
      1.5 cup broccoli, 1 cup carrots
    • Push the veggies to one side and add the marinated salmon (without any excess marinade) on the other half. Sear on all sides, 2-3 minutes.
    • Add zucchini and gently mix in the salmon with the veggies. Cook 1 minute.
      1.5 cup zucchini
    • Pour over the sauce. Mix well.
    • Turn off the heat, mix in the cilantro, and serve! Optional to garnish with chili flakes & extra lime.
      ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Chopping board*
    • Kitchen knife*
    • Non-stick skillet or wok
    • Measuring spoons*
    • Measuring cups (metric or US)*

    Video

    Notes

     

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Shallots can be swapped for red onion or yellow onion
    • Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral cooking oil or avocado oil
    • Cilantro is best fresh but can be swapped for frozen
    • Sugar: I used white sugar; brown sugar & palm sugar are also great
    • To make it gluten free make sure the fish sauce is gluten free
     

    Tips & tricks

    • Cut the veggies small to allow for a quick cook
    • Cut the salmon in larger pieces to avoid it falling apart too much
    • Don't marinate the salmon too long or it will fall apart
    • Keep the temperature low to avoid the shallots & garlic burning
    • Don't mix too much after adding the salmon, or it will fall apart
    • This dish is best eaten straight away - but if you want to store leftovers they are good for up to 3 days
    • Reheat leftovers gently in the microwave
    • Do not freeze leftovers - they don't turn out well

    Nutrition

    Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 2249mg | Potassium: 1427mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 11637IU | Vitamin C: 94mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN  and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, and The Feed Feed, among others.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anya

      August 22, 2023 at 10:09 pm

      5 stars
      I made this salmon stir fry tonight and wow!!! The dish is so fresh and light and I absolutely loved the ginger. It was a quick, healthy meal and I can’t wait to eat it again 🤩🤩

      Reply
    5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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