Ina Garten’s Seared Salmon with Spicy Red Pepper Aioli Recipe for Bold Taste

Seared salmon transforms an ordinary weeknight dinner into a culinary celebration of vibrant flavors and elegant simplicity.

This remarkable dish combines succulent fish with a bold, zesty sauce that awakens every taste bud.

Fresh ingredients merge into a symphonic experience that elevates home cooking beyond basic meal preparation.

Robust spices complement the rich, buttery fish with a tantalizing heat that builds gradually across each delightful bite.

Complex yet approachable, this recipe promises a restaurant-quality meal you can easily recreate in your own kitchen.

The combination of smoky peppers and bright, citrusy notes creates a harmonious profile that feels simultaneously familiar and extraordinary: Get ready to impress.

Why You’ll Love Ina Garten’s Seared Salmon with Aioli

• Elevate Home Cooking: Transform your kitchen into a gourmet restaurant with this restaurant-quality salmon dish that's surprisingly simple to prepare.
• Quick Flavor Explosion: Craft a spicy red pepper aioli that delivers intense, vibrant flavors in just minutes, turning an ordinary fish into an extraordinary meal.
• Master Professional Technique: Learn Ina Garten's professional searing method that creates a perfectly crispy exterior while keeping the salmon tender and juicy inside, delivering restaurant-level results at home with minimal effort.
• Customize with Ease: Adjust the cooking time to achieve your preferred salmon doneness, making this recipe flexible for different taste preferences and ensuring a perfect result every time.

What Goes Into Ina Garten’s Seared Salmon Recipe

• Salmon Fillets: Fresh, high-quality fish with a rich flavor and delicate texture, preferably wild-caught for better taste and nutrition.

• Roasted Red Peppers, Chipotle Pepper: Sweet and smoky peppers that provide depth and heat to the sauce.
• Garlic: Intense flavor enhancer that adds sharpness to the aioli.
• Mayonnaise: Creamy base that helps bind and smooth the aioli.
• Lime Juice: Bright, acidic element that balances and lightens the sauce.

• Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance the salmon's natural flavor.
• Olive Oil: High-heat cooking oil that helps create a perfect sear and adds a subtle fruity note.

Cooking Steps for Salmon with Red Pepper Aioli

Step 1: Prepare Oven

Heat oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure perfect cooking environment.

Step 2: Create Spicy Sauce

• Garlic
• Chipotle pepper
• Lime juice
• Roasted red peppers
• Mayonnaise
• Salt
• Black pepper

Pulse until smooth and creamy, then set aside.

Step 3: Ready Salmon Fillets

• Patting dry with paper towels
• Rubbing with olive oil
• Seasoning generously with salt and black pepper

Step 4: Sear Fish Surface

Heat cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Place salmon rounded side down, cooking for exactly 2 minutes without moving.

Step 5: Finish Cooking

Turn salmon rounded side up and transfer skillet to preheated oven. Roast 3-4 minutes until centers are rare.

Step 6: Rest And Serve

Cover pan with foil, letting salmon rest 3-4 minutes. Plate with sauce and fresh lime wedge for squeezing.

Serving Tip: Enjoy immediately while salmon remains warm and succulent.

Tips for Perfectly Seared Salmon

• Skillet Searing Secrets: Choose a heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless steel pan that distributes heat evenly and creates the perfect golden-brown crust on your salmon.
• Moisture-Removal Magic: Removing excess moisture from salmon ensures a crispy exterior by preventing steam from forming during cooking, which helps achieve that restaurant-quality sear.
• Patience Pays Off: Resist the temptation to move or flip the salmon too quickly, allowing it to develop a beautiful caramelized crust that locks in delicious flavors and creates a stunning presentation.
• Resting Technique Triumph: Letting the salmon rest after cooking allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring each bite remains incredibly tender and succulent throughout the fillet.
• Aioli Flavor Booster: Prepare the spicy red pepper aioli ahead of time to let the flavors meld and intensify, creating a more complex and vibrant sauce that complements the rich salmon perfectly.

How to Store Seared Salmon with Aioli

• Freeze Perfectly: Wrap individual salmon portions in freezer-safe plastic wrap, then place in a sealed freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months to maintain optimal texture and flavor. Remove excess air to prevent freezer burn and protect the delicate fish.
• Portion Wisely: Separate salmon and aioli into small, single-serving containers before refrigerating. This strategy prevents repeated reheating, which can dry out the fish and compromise its tender quality. Label containers with the date to track freshness.
• Moisture Preservation: Keep a damp paper towel over the salmon when storing in the refrigerator. This trick helps prevent the fish from drying out and maintains its succulent texture. Always store salmon in the coldest part of the refrigerator, typically the back shelf.

Twists on Ina Garten’s Red Pepper Aioli

• Mediterranean Herb Infusion: Replace the spicy red pepper aioli with a zesty herb yogurt sauce using fresh dill, mint, lemon zest, and Greek yogurt for a lighter, Mediterranean-inspired flavor profile.
• Sesame Crusted Version: Before searing, coat the salmon with a mixture of sesame seeds, black pepper, and sea salt to create a crispy, nutty exterior that adds extra texture and depth to the dish.
• Asian Fusion Adaptation: Transform the aioli by incorporating wasabi, rice vinegar, and grated ginger for a bold, tangy Asian-inspired condiment that complements the rich salmon perfectly.
• Smoky Paprika Rendition: Create a Spanish-style variation by adding smoked paprika to the aioli and garnishing the salmon with toasted almonds for a robust, earthy flavor experience.

Seared Salmon with Aioli: Final Notes

Salmon enthusiasts will fall in love with Ina Garten’s Mediterranean-inspired masterpiece.

Culinary magic happens when simple ingredients create extraordinary results.

Precise cooking techniques elevate this dish from ordinary to restaurant-quality excellence.

Spicy red pepper aioli provides a tantalizing complement to perfectly seared salmon fillets.

Garten’s method guarantees succulent, flavorful fish with a crisp exterior and tender interior.

Bon appétit, fellow food adventurers – snap a photo, share this recipe’s deliciousness, and let fellow culinary explorers marvel at your kitchen prowess.

Ina Garten Seared Salmon With Spicy Red Pepper Aioli Recipe

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4.5 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s seared salmon brings Mediterranean flair to dinner tables with its zesty red pepper aioli. Crisp exterior and delicate fish combine with spicy, creamy sauce, creating a restaurant-worthy meal you’ll want to savor again and again.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless, center-cut salmon fillets
• 1 cup good mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s
• 1 lime, quartered, for serving

Flavor Enhancers:

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon (canned) chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• ¼ cup jarred roasted red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Seasonings:

• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Good olive oil

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Instructions

1. Prepare a robust cast-iron skillet by heating it thoroughly over high temperature until scorching hot, approximately 5 minutes, targeting 400°F (200°C).
2. Create a vibrant chipotle-roasted red pepper aioli by finely mincing garlic and chipotle pepper into a coarse paste. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, incorporating lime juice and roasted red peppers, then purée until smooth.
3. Blend mayonnaise into the purée, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Whisk until the sauce reaches a silky consistency and set aside for later use.
4. Pat salmon fillets completely dry using paper towels, then massage with olive oil. Season generously with 1 salt and black pepper, ensuring even coverage.
5. Position salmon fillets skin-side down in the searing hot skillet, cooking undisturbed for precisely 2 minutes to develop a golden, crispy exterior.
6. Carefully flip fillets using a metal spatula, then transfer the skillet directly into the preheated oven. Roast for 3 to 4 minutes, aiming for a rare to medium-rare internal temperature.
7. Remove skillet from oven and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Allow salmon to rest for 3 to 5 minutes, which helps retain moisture and complete the cooking process.
8. Plate the salmon alongside the prepared chipotle aioli, garnishing with fresh lime wedges for an extra burst of citrus brightness.

Notes

• Hot skillets transform salmon’s texture, creating a golden-brown crust that seals in rich, delicate flavors while preventing moisture loss during cooking.
• Drying salmon fillets thoroughly removes excess surface moisture, enabling restaurant-quality caramelization and eliminating unwanted steaming that dulls the fish’s natural essence.
• Resisting the urge to move salmon during initial searing develops a stunning crispy exterior, letting natural sugars and proteins develop complex, deep-colored crusts.
• Aluminum foil tenting after roasting allows residual heat to gently complete cooking, maintaining succulent meat and redistributing internal juices for maximum tenderness.
• Chilled aioli provides a refreshing temperature contrast against warm salmon, introducing bright, tangy notes that elevate the entire dining experience.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 fillet (of 4 servings)
• Calories: 273
• Sugar: 0.7g
• Sodium: 117.7mg
• Fat: 13.9g
• Saturated Fat: 1.9g
• Carbohydrates: 2.3g
• Fiber: 0.7g
• Protein: 34.3g
• Cholesterol: 93.6mg