Salmon mignon is a delicious and healthy way to enjoy salmon. Also known as salmon fillet salmon mignon refers to a thick cut of salmon from the mid-section of the fish. With its buttery texture and mild flavor salmon mignon takes well to a variety of cooking methods and pairs nicely with many sides. Follow this guide to learn how to cook salmon mignon to tender, flaky perfection.
Ingredients
- Salmon mignon fillets, about 6 ounces each
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh herbs like dill, thyme, or rosemary (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Prep the Salmon
- Thaw frozen salmon mignon fillets overnight in the refrigerator if using frozen.
- Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Make sure they are as dry as possible to help get crisp skin when pan-searing.
- Drizzle both sides with olive oil. Massage the oil evenly over the fillets.
- Generously season both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using.
Choose Your Cooking Method
You can cook salmon mignon in a variety of ways, just keep the thickness of your fillet in mind. Thinner fillets, around 1 inch thick, do well with faster cooking methods like grilling, broiling, or pan searing. Thicker fillets, 1 1/2 inches or more, are better suited for oven roasting or poaching.
Oven Roasting
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place fillets skin-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
- Roast for 10-12 minutes until salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Pan Searing
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- When oil shimmers, add fillets skin-side down.
- Cook for 4 minutes until crisp. Flip and cook 3 more minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to rest.
Poaching
- Fill a skillet with 1-2 inches water and add aromatics like lemon slices, peppercorns, herbs, or wine.
- Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Lower heat, add fillets, and poach for 5-7 minutes until opaque.
Grilling
- Prepare a hot grill. Oil grates to prevent sticking.
- Place fillets skin-side down. Grill for 3 minutes per side.
- Move to indirect heat if they aren’t yet opaque in the center.
Broiling
- Place oven rack 6 inches from broiler and preheat broiler on high.
- Put fillets skin-side down on a foil-lined pan. Broil 6-8 minutes until cooked through.
Check for Doneness
- Salmon mignon is cooked to medium rare at an internal temperature of 125°F. It will be opaque and starting to flake.
- For well done, cook to 145°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the fillet.
- If undercooked, just pop it back into the oven for a couple more minutes.
Let It Rest
- After cooking, transfer the salmon to a clean plate and tent it with foil.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- This allows the juices to redistribute through the fillet for moist, tender salmon.
Serving Suggestions
Salmon mignon pairs wonderfully with fresh bright flavors. Consider
- Rice pilaf or quinoa
- Roasted potatoes or veggies
- Fresh green salad
- Grilled asparagus
- Lemony couscous
- Dill yogurt sauce
For an easy weeknight dinner, try pairing simply prepared salmon mignon with microwaved roasted potatoes and steamed green beans.
Preparing salmon mignon is easy once you get the basic cooking methods down. For optimal flavor and texture, make sure not to overcook this tender and flaky fish. Use a meat thermometer and cook just until opaque in the center, allowing it to rest before serving. With its versatility and quick cook time, salmon mignon can be on the dinner table in under 30 minutes any night of the week.
What You’ll Need To Make Pan Seared Salmon
The ingredients are simple: olive oil, salt, pepper, and salmon. I recommend using 6-ounce salmon fillets; these are often sold already portioned and ready to cook at the fish counter. This size will ensure that the salmon cooks fully on the interior without overcooking on the exterior.
Begin by seasoning the salmon with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Don’t skimp on the salt—the biggest mistake most home cooks make is under-seasoning their food.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Resist the urge to fiddle with the fillets as they cook. Letting the fish sear untouched in hot oil creates a lovely, flavorful, and golden crust.
Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Transfer to a platter and serve. Enjoy!
Restaurant-quality pan seared salmon—crisp on top and just barely cooked in the center—is easy to make at home.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, 1¼ in thick (I have my fish monger remove the skin, but its fine to leave it on if you like)
- Season the salmon with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, without moving, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and serve.
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 384
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 336 mg
- Cholesterol: 94 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
The Best Salmon You’ll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality) | Epicurious 101
FAQ
FAQ
What is a salmon mignon?
Salmon mignon is when you take the two “legs” of the steak and fold them into the middle, hold it together with twine, and then cook it. It looks like a center-cut filet mignon, which is where it got the name.
Is it better to cook salmon in the oven or on the stove?
How to grill salmon mignons?
Place your salmon on the grill diagonal to the grates skin side down, directly over the heat source. In total, salmon grill time will be 7-9 minutes. Grill for 4-5 minutes on the first side (once on the grill, do not move them around until that are ready to turn over. This will help to ensure that they don’t break up).
Do you cook salmon in the oven or fry it?
Salmon can be baked, roasted, pan-fried, stir-fried, cooked ‘en papillote’ (wrapped in foil or paper) and steamed. The easiest way to cook salmon is in a baking dish in the oven. This causes the least mess and also – if it bothers you – less of a fishy smell in the house.