Marry Me Salmon
Updated March 19, 2026
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets, preferably skin-on (10 ounces total)
Kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more to taste
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice (1 cup)
½ cup heavy cream
Fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
9 grams carbs; 285 milligrams cholesterol; 1330 calories; 38 grams monounsaturated fat; 24 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams saturated fat; 102 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 2 grams fiber; 1494 milligrams sodium; 91 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Pat the salmon dry and lightly sprinkle salt and pepper all over.
- Step 2
Heat a medium nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high, then add 1 tablespoon of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes.
- Step 3
Sear the salmon skin side down until the skin is browned and crisp, and the flesh is opaque about three-quarters of the way up, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat if the skin starts to burn. Transfer to a plate skin side up. (The fish will finish cooking in the sauce later.)
- Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the skillet and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened considerably, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Step 5
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil to the skillet. Add the oregano and crushed red pepper, stirring for a few seconds to bloom them and open up their flavors. Add the tomato paste and stir frequently until a shade darker in color, about 3 minutes.
- Step 6
Add the clam juice and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cream and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt, pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper as desired.
- Step 7
Return the salmon to the skillet flesh side down, without getting sauce on the crispy skin, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the salmon is cooked through, about 1 minute. It will continue to cook as it sits. To serve, top with basil leaves, if using.
Private Notes
Comments
If you don't like sun-dried tomatoes, your best bet would probably be to choose a salmon recipe that is not centered around a sun-dried tomato sauce; NYT has plenty.
If you're a fan of Better Than Bouillon bases, then you might want to keep their Lobster base on hand for recipes that call for clam juice/fish stock. I rely on it when/if I don't have bottled clam juice. (They used to have a clam base that I liked but it was discontinued.)
@MarcRock Hi Marc, fish or chicken stock work in a pinch. You won’t get that rich seafood taste, but the sauce will still be delicious. Enjoy, Eric
I bought a large bag of frozen Alaskan salmon tails from my farmer’s market. Adapting the cook time on the salmon for the small and thin portions was easy; I just went a bit hotter on my cast iron and pulled the tails when they were cooked about 2/3s of the way through. I forgot the basil but the recipe paired wonderfully with a rich Chardonnay.
Do you think this could work with swordfish or cod? Both are a little less rich then salmon
I've made this recipe a few times and it doesn't disappoint! Recently, I added shitake mushrooms to the onion mixture, and it was a nice addition. I particularly enjoy that the salmon skin stays crispy with this cooking method.