Salmon and Green Beans in Red Pepper Sauce

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated September 25, 2025

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
45 min
Rating
5(829)
Comments
Read comments

Resist the notion that fish should be paired with vegetables that keep their crunch in the cooking process. Rather, make these green beans, which hold their shape while they gently and endearingly collapse, contributing a generous texture to a roasted red pepper sauce. Crisp-skinned salmon is the star protein here and simmers alongside the beans in the sauce, which is balanced, rich and tasty with anchovies and miso. A sauce this good works with any protein that benefits from a gentle simmer. 

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)

  • 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, seeds in or out

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on or off

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

  • 6 to 8 oil-packed anchovies

  • 1 tablespoon white or red miso

  • ½ cup thinly sliced fresh scallions

  • Rice, for serving

  • 1 lemon, cut in wedges

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

36 grams carbs; 100 milligrams cholesterol; 680 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 41 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 951 milligrams sodium; 42 grams protein; 7 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

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the red pepper sauce: Using a food processor or blender, coarsely chop the onion, roasted red peppers, Scotch bonnet and garlic by pulsing them together.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large (10-inch) cast iron or nonstick skillet over high and add 2 tablespoons oil.

  3. Step 3

    Place the salmon fillets in the hot oil, skin side down, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook without moving until the contact side is gently browned, about 5 minutes. Move the salmon to a plate, setting it skin side up, and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Turn the heat down to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, the green beans, anchovies and miso. Cook, stirring frequently, mashing the anchovies with the spatula until miso is broken up and anchovies are dissolved. Add ½ cup water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook until green beans are just wrinkly, 4 to 6 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Reduce heat to medium, pour the red pepper sauce into the skillet. Stir in ½ cup water and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Simmer the sauce, stirring frequently until slightly reduced and the liquid and oil collect toward the center of the skillet, 5 to 6 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

  6. Step 6

    Using a wooden spoon, create divots in the sauce and green beans. Nestle the fillets in the divots, skin side up. Cook until the fish is fork-tender, the sauce reduced and the green beans are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    Garnish with scallions and serve fish, green beans and sauce immediately over rice, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
829 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Abby Cunniff

This is my favorite dish I have ever made from NYT Cooking, and I have been cooking from these recipes for more than six years. I absolutely love how elegant and flavorful this recipe is! Please add more Nigerian and West African recipes like this one!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy B

Is there a substitute I can use for the anchovies?

Steve

Made as written with skinless steelhead, a habanero, and fire roasted jarred red peppers. Used a 12" cast iron skillet. Nice flavors, and the fish held its own against the sauce. I'd make it again.

Deb

I'm not a fan of raw onion and garlic so I sautéed the onion garlic and pepper after wiping out the pan completely when the skin side of the salmon crisped up. Added 1/2 cup water and cooked that for a minute or so. Then removed to a bowl and using my immersion blender puréed it all. Back to the skillet with the green beans. Cooked for a few more minutes and finished the salmon in the roasted pepper sauce. Added chopped fresh dill when done. Delicious

AK Doc

Just made this last night. We are fortunate to have very easy access to excellent salmon, always looking for alternative presentations that really work well, and this one really does. I would suggest removing the skin, cubing the salmon, and adding to the thickening simmering sauce 5-6 minutes prior to serving. Use more salmon than suggested to feed a crowd and add more beans as well, there is plenty of sauce to share. The cubed salmon cooks rapidly and is much easier to eat. The skin, even if crispy from its initial sear, rarely retains any crisp and soggy salmon skin is not my cup of tea. The flavors meld well, even better the next day.

G

Based on the reviews this recipe was loved or despised. We really enjoyed this dish - give it a try. Some suggestions based on the negative comments: I drained the oil used to brown the salmon to reduce the fishy taste some reviewers noticed. Strongly recommend skinless salmon (the freshest you can find). I cooked the pepper mixture with the anchovies and miso first to mellow the raw onion flavor and added a tablespoon of tomato paste and a tsp of curry powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Let that cook for 5-10 mins and the flavors meld beautifully. Taste as you go and add whatever flavors you like! I added twice the anount of green beans and 1 cup water after the pepper mixture lost its ‘sharpness’ and simmered until the green beans softened. Then added the fish and covered for a few minutes. Finished with some fresh lemon. Delicious with rice or crusty bread.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.