Think you can't cook gourmet fish in a microwave? Think again! This Easy Microwave Salmon recipe is a game-changer for busy weeknights. Drizzled with a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce, it’s a healthy low-carb meal that’s perfect for a quick lunch or a fast dinner. Healthy eating has never been this fast!
I recently came across a recipe for microwaving salmon from none other than Stephen King. Apparently Mr. King's simple recipe for cooking salmon in the microwave was quite controversial. So, of course I had to try it!
The microwave method for cooking this nutritious fish won me over. It's totally legit, easy, and makes for a quick and healthy fish dish!
By the way, you can also cook salmon quickly by poaching it as in this Super Easy And Delicious Asian Poached Salmon Recipe!
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Stephen King's Microwave Salmon Recipe
Prior to trying out this recipe, I didn't believe that cooking raw salmon in the microwave would produce a decent result.
The cook time in Mr. King's recipe is "3 minutes or so" and the "or so" is pretty important, because there's a lot of variation in the size of salmon fillets, thickness of the fillet, and microwaves, etc.
My first attempt at microwaving salmon took 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The result was a moist, tender, and flaky salmon!
So now that I knew that the microwave is a great option for cooking fish, I worked on tweaking Mr. King's recipe to add some seasonings and fresh herbs. I'm delighted to share my take on this easy way with cooking salmon in the microwave!
🥘 Ingredients
So here are the ingredients you will need to make this wonderful microwaved salmon dish:
- Fresh salmon fillet - I recommend Wild Alaskan Salmon for the greatest microwave salmon dining!
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Lemon juice
- Butter
- Garlic powder (or Buffy's Slayer Helper, Ultimate Garlic Lovers Spice Blend see below)
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Parsley for garnish
We are starting with fresh raw salmon. If you have frozen salmon, be sure to defrost it completely before use in this recipe.
I quite enjoy using this Garlic Blend called "Buffy's Slayer Helper" so just wanted to recommend it, however you can sub garlic powder.
Ok it's time to have some fun cooking salmon in the microwave oven!
🔪 Instructions
Start by making your lemon, butter, and garlic sauce. Set a pan or saucepan on medium low heat, then melt the butter. Once melted add the garlic seasoning and lemon juice and stir to combine. Keep your sauce warm while you prepare and cook your salmon.
Place some damp paper towels in a microwave-safe dish. Add the salmon fillets, and season with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil and the lemon juice over the salmon and rub the oil and lemon juice over the fillets with your hands.
Cover the fillets completely with damp paper towels. Then place the dish containing the salmon in your microwave.
I used a 1000-watt microwave to cook my salmon.
Cook at 100% power in 45 second intervals (check the salmon after each 45 second interval), until the salmon flakes easily and is fully cooked. Notice when microwaving your fish, that there is very little fishy smell!
Cooking time for me this time around was 2 minutes and 15 seconds. This was less time by 30 seconds than my first attempt due to the smaller size of the fish fillets that I microwaved this time.
Drizzle the lemon, butter, and garlic sauce over the salmon fillets, and garnish with minced parsley and lemon wedges. Season with additional salt and pepper if you desire and enjoy!
Suggestions For Serving
I love serving this delicious dish with some mashed sweet potatoes, and a lovely spinach and beet salad for an incredible healthy meal.
You could also serve the salmon with some crusty bread and a vegetable side dish such as roasted broccoli with parmesan or delicious roasted carnival squash when it's in season.
I hope you'll enjoy a bit of microwave cooking with salmon filets soon!
FAQ
It's best to add some liquid such as lemon juice and oil to the salmon when you microwave it. Then wrap it in damp paper towels and be sure to check it at 45 second intervals to be sure that you are not overcooking the salmon. Overcooking the salmon will dry it out.
Use a fork to scrape the top of the salmon. If it flakes easily then it is done! Also cut into the thickest part of the salmon and check to make sure there is no bright orange flesh, as that indicates the salmon is not fully cooked. You can also use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Per America's Test Kitchen, it's best to cook farmed salmon to an internal temperature of 125F, and wild salmon to 120F.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator, and consume within 3 days.
Some Other Salmon Recipes You Will Enjoy!
Here are some other delicious salmon recipes that you will enjoy:
- Super Easy and Delicious Asian Poached Salmon
- Easy Healthy Salmon With Garlic Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Alaskan Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel
- Poke Inspired Bowl With Salmon
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Cheers!
Grace
Easy and Delish Microwave Salmon Recipe
Equipment
- 1 microwave
- 1 microwave safe dish
Ingredients
- ¾ lb salmon fillet
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ ts salt
- ⅛ ts pepper
- ¼ ts lemon juice
Lemon Butter Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ ts lemon juice
- ¼ ts garlic blend I used Buffy's Slayer Helper Garlic Blend; of course you can sub garlic powder!
Garnishes
- 4 slices lemon
- ½ ts parsley minced
Instructions
- Start by making your lemon, butter, and garlic sauce. Set a pan or saucepan on medium low heat, then melt the butter. Once melted add the garlic seasoning and lemon juice and stir to combine. Keep your sauce warm while you prepare and cook your salmon.
- Place some damp paper towels in a microwave safe dish. Add the salmon fillets, and season with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil and the lemon juice over the salmon and rub the oil and lemon juice over the fillets with your hands.
- Cover the fillets completely with damp paper towels.
- Place the dish containing the salmon in your microwave.
- Cook at 100% power in 45 second intervals (check the salmon after each 45 second interval), until the salmon is flaky and fully cooked. It took me 2 minutes and 15 seconds to cook my salmon.
- Drizzle the lemon, butter, and garlic sauce over the salmon fillets, and garnish with minced parsley and lemon wedges. Season with additional salt and pepper if you desire and enjoy!
Grace
This is the ultimate easy healthy dish! Love the lemon butter garlic sauce that accompanies this microwave salmon as well!