Cajun Salmon w/ Mango Salsa

This easy gluten free cajun salmon is perfectly spiced and served alongside a 4 ingredient mango salsa. It’s fresh, healthy and perfect to meal prep for the week.

Salmon is my go to protein these days. It’s so easy to make and I pretty much always have some on hand. I love a simple orange salmon or my teriyaki salmon if I’m feeling something Asian inspired, but this cajun salmon with mango salsa is my favorite for summer.

It is chock full of fresh flavor. You have a little spice from the cajun seasoning, tang from the lime, sweet from the mango and fresh jasmine rice to balance it all out.

You can also make a blackened cajun salmon, you can either let it broil for a few minutes before removing from the oven, or transfer to a skillet and let the top side simmer until blackened.

The key to blackened salmon is all in the spices. Blackened fish doesn’t mean it is burnt, it has just been cooked and seasoned in a way that achieves a very dark, crispy outer coating. Try my cilantro salmon nourish bowls or ground beef taco bowls next!

How to make cajun salmon

Whisk together the brown sugar and all spices for the salmon in a small dish.

In another dish, whisk together the orange juice, olive oil and lime juice along with 2 teaspoons of the spice blend. Pour on top of the salmon and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the mangoes and peppers and add to a bowl with the onion, cilantro and lime juice. Set aside. When the salmon is done marinating, sprinkle on top the rest of the spice blend and pat into the skin.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet. Once warm, add the salmon, skin side up and cook for 4-6 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 4-6 minutes or until cooked through the center.

It should easily flake off the skin when it is done. You can flip it back to be face down to get it nice and crispy and blackened if desired.

Serve with jasmine rice, mango salsa and a fresh squeeze of lime juice. Also delicious with my chipotle aioli or other spicy sauce. Try my bang bang salmon bowls next!

Oven or air fryer instructions

You can easily make this cajun salmon in the oven or air fryer for a more hands off approach.

Oven: To bake salmon, follow all of the same steps as usual, but add the marinated and seasoned salmon to a greased baking dish and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes or until cooked through the center.

You can broil it for the final few minutes to get the top super crispy!

Air fryer: Air frying salmon is one of my favorite methods because it gets so crispy. Follow all of the same instructions as usual, but air fry after marinating and seasoning in a greased air fryer basket at 380 Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes.

Can you eat salmon skin?

You can, and some people love it! I’m personally not a big fan, but it will get fairly crispy when it cooks, so you can certainly try it if you like.

Whether or not you eat the skin, I do recommend keeping the skin on while it cooks as this helps it cook more evenly and ensures the salmon doesn’t dry out.

The skin is healthy and rich is lots of nutrients, so definitely give it a try!

Serving suggestions

I love to serve this cajun salmon with my homemade 4 ingredient mango salsa, jasmine rice and a fresh squeeze of lime juice.

If you’re looking for some greens, some sauteed asparagus or a simple arugula salad on the side would be delicious.

I love adding sauces to just about everything, and my chipotle aioli is delicious with this. You can also try a simple mix of mayo, paprika and lime juice to drizzle over the top.

You’ll also love..

• Lemon Pepper Salmon
• Baked Fish Tacos
• Salmon Patties
• Gluten Free Mongolian Beef
• One Pot Vegan Pasta

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