Are you ready to unlock a culinary secret that will completely change your weeknight dinner game? A technique so fast, so foolproof, and so unbelievably delicious, you’ll wonder why you’ve never tried it before? This incredible Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon is your guide to a truly restaurant-quality meal, on the table in about 15 minutes. We’re talking flaky, tender, and perfectly cooked salmon, gently poached in the most luscious, fragrant, and authentic-tasting coconut red curry broth you’ve ever had. And yes, it’s all done in the microwave!
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a game-changing kitchen hack that will give you back your weeknights. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to building a deep, complex flavor base and how to use your microwave to perfectly steam-poach fish, keeping it impossibly moist and tender every single time. Get ready to be amazed by what your microwave can do.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate 15-Minute Gourmet Meal Hack
What makes this Red Curry Salmon so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, fresh flavor and its brilliantly simple and fast cooking method. This recipe is a masterpiece of modern efficiency. The heart and soul of the dish is the from-scratch, aromatic coconut curry broth. A vibrant, fresh paste of shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, lemongrass, and ginger is “bloomed” in the microwave to release its flavor. This is then whisked with rich, full-fat coconut milk and a savory red curry paste. The beautiful, raw salmon filets are then gently poached in this luscious broth—all in the microwave! The result is perfectly cooked, flaky salmon in a deeply flavorful sauce that tastes like it has been simmering for hours.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 20 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Aromatic Flavors: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of fresh, high-impact ingredients to create its signature vibrant and savory flavor.
- The Salmon: For the best, most succulent result, it is highly recommended to use a high-quality, fatty fish like salmon. Its rich oils are perfect for a gentle cooking method like poaching and help to keep it wonderfully moist.
- The Aromatic Paste: This is the secret to a “from-scratch,” non-microwaved taste! A fresh, vibrant blend of shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, lemongrass, and ginger creates an incredible, deep flavor base.
- The Curry Broth:
- Red Curry Paste: A high-quality, store-bought red curry paste is a fantastic shortcut that provides a deep, complex, and authentic Thai flavor with zero extra effort.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: This is the non-negotiable key to a rich, luscious, and creamy broth. It not only provides an incredible flavor and body to the sauce but also helps to protect the salmon from the direct heat of the microwave, ensuring it poaches gently.
The Microwave Masterclass: The Secret to Perfectly Cooked Fish
Forget everything you thought you knew about microwave cooking! When used correctly, a microwave is a form of moist-heat cooking, similar to steaming or poaching. It’s actually one of the best ways to cook delicate fish! The two non-negotiable secrets are:
- Use a Lower Power Setting: Cooking your salmon on medium (50% power) is the most crucial step. High power would boil the outside of the fish before the inside has a chance to cook, resulting in a tough, rubbery texture. The lower power setting allows the microwaves to penetrate the fish more gently and evenly, cooking it perfectly from the inside out.
- Cover Tightly: Tightly covering your dish with microwave-safe plastic wrap is the key that traps the steam from the hot broth. This creates a perfect, hot, and humid environment that gently poaches the salmon, keeping it unbelievably moist and tender.
Step-by-Step to the Best Microwave Salmon
This elegant meal comes together in just a few simple, magical stages.
Step 1: Make the Aromatic Paste and Build the Curry Broth
Step 1: In a mini food processor, process the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, your 1 roughly chopped small shallot, the 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, the 1 small jalapeño, the 1 small stalk of chopped lemongrass, and the 1-inch piece of fresh ginger until everything is very finely chopped.
Step 2: Spoon this aromatic mixture into a 9 1/2-inch, microwave-safe glass pie plate. Microwave it, uncovered, on high for 3 to 4 minutes, until it sizzles and is very fragrant.
Step 3: To the pie plate, stir in the 1 can of full-fat coconut milk, the 1 tablespoon of red curry paste, the 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until they are well combined.
Step 4: Microwave this mixture, uncovered, on high for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the coconut milk is simmering and all the flavors have melded.
Part 2: Cook the Salmon to Flaky Perfection
Step 1 (The Most Important Step!): Stir the 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice into the hot broth. Place your 4 salmon filets, evenly spaced apart, in the coconut milk mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the salmon.
Step 2: Cover the pie plate tightly with a microwave-safe plastic wrap.
Step 3: Microwave on medium (50% power) for about 6 minutes, until the salmon is cooked to your desired degree of doneness. You may need to cook it for a minute or two longer depending on the power of your microwave. The salmon is perfectly cooked when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
To serve, garnish with some more fresh cilantro and scoop the salmon and the luscious curry broth over a bed of hot, cooked rice.
15-Minute Microwave Salmon in Red Curry (Easy Recipe!)
A quick and easy recipe for a flavorful Thai-style red curry poached salmon, uniquely cooked entirely in the microwave. The dish starts with an aromatic oil made by processing shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, lemongrass, and ginger. This is microwaved, then combined with full-fat coconut milk and red curry paste to create a fragrant poaching liquid. Skinless salmon fillets are then gently cooked in this sauce in a covered pie plate at medium power until tender and flaky. The finished dish is served over rice.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems, plus more for garnish
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
- 1 small stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger
- 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 4 (4-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Make the Aromatic Oil: In a mini food processor, process the vegetable oil, shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, lemongrass, and ginger until very finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Spoon this mixture into a 9.5-inch microwave-safe glass pie plate. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes, until it sizzles and is fragrant.
- Make the Poaching Liquid: Stir the coconut milk, red curry paste, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the pie plate until combined. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is simmering.
- Cook the Salmon: Stir in the lime juice. Place the salmon fillets, evenly spaced, in the coconut milk mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt on the salmon.
- Cover the pie plate tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) for about 6 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness. You may need to cook for longer in 1-minute intervals depending on your microwave’s power.
- Garnish with more cilantro and serve the salmon and sauce scooped over cooked rice.
Notes
- This entire meal is cooked in the microwave, making it a very fast and convenient one-dish meal with minimal cleanup.
- Cooking the salmon on medium (50%) power is a key step that allows it to poach gently and evenly without becoming tough.
- The recipe was tested in a 1000-1250 watt microwave; cooking times may need to be adjusted for different models.
- If you don’t have a mini food processor, you can finely chop the aromatics by hand.
What to Serve With Your Red Curry Salmon
This beautiful and saucy dish is a fantastic, light, and healthy meal. It pairs wonderfully with classic, simple side dishes.
- Fluffy Jasmine Rice: A bed of simple, fragrant, and fluffy steamed jasmine rice is the perfect, classic partner for this dish, ideal for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, savory-sweet curry broth.
- Steamed or Sautéed Vegetables: A side of simple, steamed broccoli or some sautéed baby bok choy is another fantastic and healthy choice.
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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by preparing the entire aromatic paste up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftover salmon and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is it really safe and delicious to cook a beautiful piece of salmon in the microwave?
Yes, absolutely! It’s one of the best and most foolproof ways to do it. The key is to think of your microwave not as a tool for just reheating, but as a steamer. By poaching the salmon on a lower power setting in a flavorful, fatty liquid and trapping the steam with a tight cover, you are creating the perfect, gentle, moist-heat environment to cook the delicate fish without it ever drying out.
Q2: What is the secret to not overcooking my fish in the microwave?
The secret is to use a lower power setting (50%) and to check for doneness on the early side. All microwaves are different, so it’s a great idea to check your salmon after about 5 minutes. It is perfectly cooked when it flakes easily with a fork. Remember, it will also continue to cook for a minute or two from the residual heat after you remove it from the microwave.
Q3: Can I make this recipe on the stovetop instead of in the microwave?
Of course! To make this on the stovetop, simply complete all the steps in a large skillet over a medium heat. Sauté your aromatic paste, add your liquids and bring them to a simmer, and then nestle your salmon into the broth, cover the skillet, and let it poach gently for about 8-10 minutes.
Q4: What is lemongrass, and how do I prepare it for this recipe?
Lemongrass is a wonderfully fragrant herb that is a staple in many Southeast Asian cuisines. It has a beautiful, citrusy, and floral aroma. To prepare it, simply trim off the tough, woody root end and the dry, upper leaves. For a paste like this, you just need to peel off the tough outer layer and then roughly chop the more tender, pale bottom portion of the stalk.
Q5: Can I use a different kind of fish?
Yes! This gentle poaching method would also be fantastic with another firm, flaky white fish, like cod, halibut, or even some large shrimp (they will only need about 2-3 minutes to cook).