Dinner in just 10 minutes? You betcha. For this spectacular yet almost effortless meal, salmon is pressure cooked in a sweet and tangy Vietnamese-inspired caramel sauce.
Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- Finely grated zest of 1 lime (about 2 teaspoons)
- Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6-to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, preferably center-cut pieces
- Sliced scallions (white and green parts), for garnish
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- In your pressure cooker or Instant Pot, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and black pepper. Use the sauté function to bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat.
- Place the fish in the pressure cooker, skin-side up (if there is skin still attached, that is). Spoon the sauce over the fish, cover, and cook on low pressure for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes; then release the remaining pressure manually. Check the fish for doneness by cutting into a fillet. If you prefer your salmon more well-done, cook it for another minute or so using the sauté function.
- Carefully lift the salmon fillets onto a serving platter, flipping them over so the browned caramelized side is facing up. (The fillets may fall apart a little as you lift them out. That’s okay. They’ll still taste ridiculously lovely.)
- Use the sauté function to reduce the sauce until it’s thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the salmon and garnish it with the scallions and cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I’ve tried to like my Instant Pot. I’ve tried soups and stews. Rice and beans. Meats. I’ve read tons of recipes. Blog posts. Magazine articles. There is an Instant Pot love fest happening around me but I’ve always been left scratching my head wondering why. Until now.
With my mind suitably blown by this Vietnamese caramel salmon, I’m finally feeling the love. The salmon was moist and beautifully flavored with the tangy caramel sauce and made a lovely meal served with steamed rice and a salad. Aside from a bit of measuring and a few stirs, there was no work involved as the Instant Pot did the rest.
My only issue was that when the Instant Pot reached pressure, it overheated and I had to turn it off. Despite this, the salmon was still perfectly cooked. Next time, I’ll double the sauce ingredients to hopefully prevent this from happening. Added bonus? More syrupy caramel to add to my steamed rice.
This Vietnamese caramel salmon is the perfect weeknight dinner–quick, easy and I had all the ingredients in my pantry. I served it with rice and an Asian cucumber salad. This received rave reviews and requests for this dish to be in our regular rotation of dinner ideas.
This is a keeper. Although, the wild Pacific salmon (go ahead, drool) was overly done, so we would let the steam release naturally for 2 minutes then manually release the steam. Salmon is usually over-done.
Nods. It’s tricky to not overcook salmon. Thank you for sharing your tip. And I am guessing it was still incredible as wild Pacific salmon always is…
I don’t have a pressure cooker or instant pot. Advice on cooking on stovetop?
Hi Roni, your better bet might be to cook it in an oven at 350F. I would mix all your marinade ingredients then place in a baking dish along with salmon, skin side up. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the salmon is done to your taste. Remove the salmon and return the dish and marinade to the oven and broil for a few minutes until the sauce is reduced.
This is a fantastic recipe and I’ve subbed kabocha squash for the salmon with amazing results, too.
What a great idea, Jacqueline! Thanks for the suggestion.
Hope you try it. My new favorite way to eat Kabocha!
I will, Jacqueline!