A delicious Sweet and Sour Salmon recipe that never goes wrong!
pan seared salmon fillets cooked in a simple sweet and sour salmon sauce.

This dish has a vaguely elegant touch, and it tastes as good as how the name sounds. As the name of the food implies, it has the flavor of delightfully sweet and sour.

Check also Fish Patties Recipe.

The texture is also one that you would enjoy, for the outside surface of the salmon is slightly crusty, but when you get to the inner part, it is heavenly tender.

You may serve pan seared salmon with sweet and sour sauce at lunch or breakfast. It is suitable for heavy lunch and is also good for a fancy or formal dinner with friends or family.

The natural taste of salmon is highlighted by the multiple ingredients and flavorings. Hence, you are rest assured that the meal you will be serving this dish with will be a success. No one turns their back on a well-seasoned and saucy food like this one. There is no component to this dish that would be a waste; the salmon fillet down to the sauce is mouthwatering.

Jump to:

• Where Did It All Started?
• Why Does This Sweet And Sour Salmon Recipe Works?
• What's in This Pan Seared Salmon Recipe?
• How to Make The Sweet And Sour Salmon?
• Top Tips!
• Recipe Variation
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• More Salmon Recipes
• More Easy Recipes
• Recipe Card
• Comments

Where Did It All Started?

The consumption of salmon goes way back to one of the oldest periods in history. You will be baffled by the fact that humans had already been eating salmon 25,000 years ago by Paleolithic people. Thus, we have already been relying on salmon as a source of nourishment for thousands of years. The availability of salmon in fresh and saltwater made it an ideal choice as the main food back in the day.

However, back then, salmon was only cooked so simply. People would just fish it out from the water, clean it for a bit, then skewer it with a stick and let the smoke from a fire cook it.

Today, there are already so many recipes that you may try with salmon, such as oven-baked salmon, grilled salmon and this pan-seared salmon with sweet and sour sauce. It is a dish wherein a sauce made from a sweet and sour flavoring is first prepared and would, later on, be dozed into a sauteed salmon.

Why Does This Sweet And Sour Salmon Recipe Works?

Salmon is one of the most favorite seafood among people and restauranteurs. There are many dishes you can make with salmon as well.

From baked salmon to deep-fried salmon, you are free to choose which one you'd make. However, this pan-seared salmon with sweet and sour sauce is the most must-try because:

• This healthy meal can be served with almost any side dish.
• Preparation time doesn't take that long to finish.
• The finished result is delicious, healthy, and will make a simple meal more elegant in the atmosphere.
• This dish is perfect for family dinner and can be made ahead of time.
• This recipe instructs you on how to cook salmon in a pan.
• It is an easy and simple salmon recipe.

What's in This Pan Seared Salmon Recipe?

• Salmon Fillets. Salmons have mildly flavored meat with a refreshing and subtle taste. When buying salmon fillets in the market, the salmon should have deep red meat. The skin should also be shiny and slippery to the touch. This is an indication that the salmon is fresh.
• Salt. Season the salmon with salt before cooking. The salt empties the moisture and then returns deeply into the meat, which makes it more flavorful.
• Olive Oil. It works well over medium heat. Hence it is the best oil to use for this recipe.
• Ginger. Give the salmon a bite of interesting spice by seasoning it with fresh ginger.
• Garlic. Garlic serves as a flavoring agent that coaxes out the natural flavor of the salmon.

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce

• Cornstarch. For a thicker and richer sauce, add the right amount of cornstarch into the mixture.
• Pineapple Juice. It has a naturally sweet flavor that could do well for the sweet and sour sauce, so long as the measurement is correct.
• Soy Sauce. It provides a sweet and umami flavor that later on becomes almost sour. I recommend using low sodium soy sauce.
• Honey. Add more sweetness by adding some honey to the mixture. Honey also helps the cornstarch in creating a thicker consistency.
• Ketchup. It provides the dark red color of the sauce; it also provides a sweet and sour flavor.
• Light Brown Sugar. With pineapple, soy sauce, and honey, the flavor would be too tricky to distinguish. Light brown sugar is added to create a more balanced flavor.
• Red pepper Flakes. Red pepper flakes add a slightly sharp and a little earthy dose of spice to the pan seared salmon with sweet and sour sauce.
• Rice Vinegar. Made from fermented rice, rice vinegar gives the pan-seared salmon with sweet and sour sauce a mild, slightly sweet flavor.

For Garnish

• Sesame Seeds. Garnish the dish with sesame seeds for the mild, sweet, and nutty hint.
• Chopped Green Onion. Green onion also serves as an aesthetic garnish for the dish.

How to Make The Sweet And Sour Salmon?

Preparing the sweet and sour sauce

• In a small bowl, whisk together all the sweet and sour sauce ingredients.
• Now, Heat half of the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic ginger,  saute until fragrant ( about 30 seconds).
• Pour the soy sauce mixture into the saucepan, bring to a boil stirring constantly until thickened.
• Remove the sweet and sour sauce from heat, cover and set aside.

Preparing the salmon

• Pat both sides of salmon dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt.
• Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add salmon skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through and has a golden brown color.
• Transfer the salmon to a serving plate, spoon sweet and sour sauce over, scatter sesame seeds and green onion on top, then serve immediately.

Top Tips!

• In making the sauce, make sure that you are constantly stirring the mixture to make the texture thicker and less gooey.
• The salmon should be dry from water moisture. It allows the salt to seep into the meat quickly.

Recipe Variation

• If red pepper flake is unavailable, you may use chilli powder or ground black pepper to have sweet chili sauce.
• Got no honey? Perhaps you have maple syrup. Use it as a substitute. Maple syrup has a similar texture to honey, and both provide the same sweetness.
• Replace oyster sauce with more soy sauce if you like.
• Add a few drops of lemon juice for extra flavor.
• Use sesame oil instead of olive oil.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this dish on top of hot boiled white rice for lunch. For dinner, Pan-Seared Salmon with Sweet and Sour Sauce is best paired with a fresh and yummy vegetable salad, grilled bok choy or green beans.

Recipe FAQs

More Salmon Recipes

• Sheet Pan Baked Salmon With Veggies
• Honey Garlic Baked Salmon Recipe
• Crustless Quiche Recipe With Salmon And Eggs

More Easy Recipes

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