Recipes Ingredients Seafood Recipes Salmon Recipes Simple Poached Salmon 4.4 (104) 10 Reviews This easy recipe is a quick and healthy way to make perfectly cooked fish every time. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 20, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Our poached salmon is a versatile dish, perfect for a healthy weeknight meal, lunch leftovers, or when you’re having guests over for dinner. If you don’t know how to poach salmon, have no fear. Our technique is easy to learn, and it's a quick way to cook salmon fillets perfectly every time. Poaching helps keep fish moist and tender, making it difficult to overcook. Perhaps the best part of this recipe is it takes far less time to prepare than you might think. The whole recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, but the fillets only take about 5 minutes to cook. Our recipe has a very light, bright flavor profile, but you can add whatever seasonings you’d like to amp up the flavor. Try throwing in some slices from a knob of ginger or a few sprigs of fresh herbs, like dill, parsley, or thyme. Grant Webster 23 Delicious and Healthy Salmon Recipes That Are Anything But Boring How to Poach Salmon Poaching is a moist cooking technique, where food is submerged (either fully or partially) in liquid and gently simmered until cooked through. It is an ideal cooking method for tender vegetables and lean proteins because it keeps the food from drying out as quickly as you might see when sautéing, roasting, or broiling. For our recipe, we fully submerge the salmon fillets in broth so they cook evenly without flipping the fish. Salmon is delicate, so we like to cook it undisturbed to maintain the shape of the fillets. The Poaching Liquid The most common poaching liquid you see in recipes is water or broth. For even richer flavor, sometimes food is poached in fat, like olive oil or melted butter. For this poached salmon recipe, you could also poach in a mixture of broth and clam juice. Try adding a splash of white wine for even more flavor. How to Tell When Poached Salmon Is Done The best way to tell when poached salmon is done is to gently press down against the top of the fillet with a fork. When the fillet separates easily into flakes, that means it's ready. You can also slide a thin-bladed paring knife into the center of a filet and hold it there for about five seconds. When you touch the blade, it should feel hot to the touch, meaning the fish is cooked through in the center. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 small onion, peeled and halved ½ lemon, thinly sliced Coarse salt 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each and about 1 inch thick) Directions Grant Webster Simmer poaching liquid: In a large, deep, straight-sided skillet or heavy pot, combine carrots, celery, onion, lemon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 8 minutes. Grant Webster Add salmon to poaching liquid: Season salmon with salt and gently lower into simmering liquid (liquid should just cover fish). Reduce to a very gentle simmer. Grant Webster Cook salmon: Cover and cook until salmon is opaque throughout, about 5 minutes (longer for thicker fillets). Grant Webster Grant Webster Remove and serve: Using a wide slotted spatula, remove salmon from liquid. Grant Webster What to Serve With Poached Salmon Poached salmon is a light protein that pairs well with many side dishes: Lightly steamed vegetables, like asparagus, green beans, or carrots Crunchy green salad with a zippy vinaigrette Tender baked sweet potato Sautéed Sweet Potatoes and Spinach Skillet Paprika Potatoes Herbed Buttered Orzo, rice, or other grains Storing Poached Salmon Let the fish cool completely before storing poached salmon. Place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. To keep it as moist as possible, add a ladle or two of the poaching liquid to the container. Reheating Poached salmon can be served cold from the refrigerator or gently reheated and eaten warm. To reheat, bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Add your salmon fillets, cover the pot, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, just until warmed through. Frequently Asked Questions Is poaching the same as boiling? No, poaching is not the same as boiling. Poaching is a more gentle way to cook food than boiling. When poaching, the liquid should never come to a rapid boil and should remain at a bare simmer. What fish are good for poaching? The fish that are good for poaching are meaty and hearty like salmon, halibut, and trout. They hold up well to the poaching technique. Whichever fish you select for poaching, use thick fillets (about 1-inch thick). Can I poach frozen fish? Yes, you can poach frozen fish. However, starting from frozen means the fish will take a few more minutes to cook. Since poaching is such a gentle technique, the center of the fish will cook properly without overcooking the rest of the fillet. Can you overcook poached salmon? Yes, you can overcook poached salmon. While it's more difficult to overcook salmon when poaching than cooking on the stovetop, it does take less time than one may think for the fish to cook through. As soon as the salmon starts to look pale pink all over, it's time to test for doneness. Other Easy Fish Recipes to Try Baked Fish With Summer Squash Sumac-Dusted Salmon With Broccolini Salmon With Fennel, Bell Peppers, and Olives Skillet Cod With Bulgur, Zucchini, and Tomatoes Grilled Striped Bass Cod With Herbed White Wine and Lemon Sauce Steamed Flounder With Vegetable Couscous Originally appeared: Everyday Food, June 2009 Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley Wofford is a recipe developer, food stylist, and writer with over 15 years of experience and holds a Professional Culinary Arts diploma from the International Culinary Center. In addition to MarthaStewart.com, Riley's work can be found in TODAY.com, Delish, Food52, and Marley Spoon.