Go Back
Four pieces of pan seared salmon in a sweet tahini sauce, topped with pomegranate and pine nuts.
Print Recipe
5 / 2 votes

Pan Seared Salmon with Sweet Tahini Sauce

Crispy-skinned pan fried salmon and creamy tahini sauce are a perfect match. Toasted pine nuts and sweet pomegranate seeds add delicate crunch to round out the dish.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 554

Ingredients

For the sweet tahini sauce

  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup (juice of about 2 large lemons) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup water

For the pan seared salmon

  • Four (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on, about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) thick
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, finely sliced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

For garnish

  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Pine nuts, toasted
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Pomegranate molasses
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the sweet tahini sauce

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, honey, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and water until smooth.

Make the pan seared salmon

  • Season each salmon fillet with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the salmon pieces, skin side up, in the pan. Cook the fish for 3 minutes, reduce the heat to medium, gently flip the salmon, and cook it for 4 minutes more. Transfer the salmon to a plate.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If your salmon fillets are thicker or thinner than 1 1/4 inches (3 cm), you'll need to adjust the cooking time slightly.

  • Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil to the skillet and stir in the onion. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until translucent, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in the prepared tahini sauce and simmer until it begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If the sauce becomes too thick, thin with water, 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a smooth consistency.

  • Return the salmon fillets to the skillet and cook until heated through and the fish flakes easily, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Serve with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, parsley, and pomegranate molasses.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 813mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g