Salmon and Kimchi Skillet

By Sarah DiGregorio

Published Sept. 3, 2024

Salmon and Kimchi Skillet
Armando Rafael for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(965)
Comments
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Sautéing kimchi brings out its mellower side: a delicious, cabbage-y sweetness. In Korean cuisine, stir-fried kimchi (kimchi-bokkeum) is a classic staple served with rice. In this recipe, the kimchi is cooked in a fragrant mix of butter and toasted sesame oil along with just a touch of sugar, making a four-ingredient seasoning and sauce for salmon filets. Often, jarred cabbage kimchi is already chopped into large bite-size pieces, so you can simply empty the jar into the skillet. If your kimchi has very long or unwieldy pieces of cabbage, you may want to use kitchen scissors to snip them up in the jar (or chop it on a cutting board). Serve the salmon and kimchi with rice. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1tablespoon toasted sesame oil 
  • 1(16- ounce) jar chopped cabbage kimchi (about 2 cups)
  • ½teaspoon sugar
  • 4(6- to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, patted dry 
  • Salt 
  • Chopped scallions and sesame seeds, for topping (optional) 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

507 calories; 36 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 591 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Melt the butter with the sesame oil in a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet over high heat.

  2. Step 2

    When the butter’s foam subsides, add the kimchi with its liquid to the skillet. Stir in the sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has bubbled away and the kimchi has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. If the liquid simmers away quickly, before the kimchi has softened, decrease the heat to medium and stir often.

  3. Step 3

    Season the salmon lightly with salt. Nestle the fillets in the skillet, skin-side down if your fillets are skin-on, spooning kimchi on top of the salmon. Roast in the oven for 6 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn the broiler to high. Put the skillet on a rack about 5 inches from the broiler heat source and broil, turning and checking the fish and kimchi once, until the kimchi gets very deeply browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve topped with scallions and sesame seeds, if you like.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
965 user ratings
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Comments

Sid

I followed the instructions for cooking. Next time, I think I will try cooking the kimchi in butter and then topping it with sesame seed oil. The recipe ended up being a bit too toasty, almost like it was burnt. I believe the issue may have been that the sesame oil was already hot, and then the entire dish was heated at 450 degrees, while the heating point for sesame seed oil was 410. I served on a bed of steamed rice. Overall will cook again! 7/10

Deborah

My family (including my teenager) LOVED this- it's very quick, and very nice. I added chopped purple cabbage before the kimchee just to increase the veggies- it worked really well.

meg

Made as instructed, added gochugaru chile flakes on top at end with sesame seeds and scallions. Served with noodles and sautéed spinach. Delicious!

Elise

Followed recipe exactly and used my homemade kimchi. Served on steamed rice and topped with sesame seeds, scallions, and cucumbers marinated in soy sauce. My partner added sriracha mayo, too. Definitely adding to my weeknight dinner rotation!

jc

I first fried the salmon fillets, skin side down, until the skin was crispy, and took them off before they had cooked through, before adding them back once the kimchi was done, and before going into the oven. The crispy skin added great texture and flavor. Very enjoyable dish, and quick & easy to make too.

Rae

This was super delicious. I used homemade kimchi (Eric Kim has a fantastic recipe) which I highly recommend. Finishing under the broiler caramelizes the sugar, resulting in a subtle sweetness that compliments the pepper in the kimchi. I watched my cooking times, and did end up reducing to medium heat when my kimchi liquid dried up. Broiler needed the most micromanagement, but totally worth the end result. I listened to some other comments and served with a side of sautéed garlic and spinach.

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