Instant Pot Salmon

Here’s a weeknight dinner tip: Instant Pot Salmon! Add frozen salmon fillets and dinner is ready in 10 minutes.

Ready for the ultimate weeknight dinner hack? Instant pot salmon. Get this: you can take one frozen Salmon fillet, toss it in the Instant Pot and you’ll have dinner in 10 minutes. WHAT? This is unheard of even in weekday fast food. Salmon can take an hour to thaw, let alone cook. Yes, this trick is pretty magical! But like any good trick, there are some caveats. This is how you conjure up this healthy dinner in no time at all.

Instant Pot Salmon: some caveats!

Before we begin: let’s get a few things straight about this magical Instant Pot salmon. The main message: It’s meant for quick and healthy weeknight meals, not to impress guests. Read on to find out why.

• The Instant Pot isn’t the way to get perfectly cooked salmon. Yes! If you want to perfect this fish, pressure cooking is not the solution. Try our Baked Salmon, Grilled Salmon or Teriyaki Salmon for the best options.
• Why? The salmon comes out well cooked. There aren’t many nuances to pressure cooking, so this method results in a well-done piece of fish. It’s not over the top and gummy, of course! But at the same time, don’t expect crispy skin and tender insides. This makes it a good method for a weekday when trying to get food on the table.
• Add a sauce for a better experience. Instant Pot Salmon doesn’t work well with applied flavors, so be sure to apply them afterwards. Spread with our cilantro vinaigrette or our lemon dill sauce, it’s damn delicious! (See the full list of service suggestions below).

How to make instant pot flax

Did you read the warnings above? And are you still ready to try the Instant Pot Salmon? Perfect. Alex and I shared this recipe because it’s a nifty trick to get a weeknight dinner on the table…in a flash. If you want to impress the company: This is not the recipe for it! Head over to one of our other salmon recipes (promise?). Here’s everything you need to know about preparing Instant Pot salmon:

• Use netting about 1 inch wide. Filets of this width will cook in the specified time.
• For frozen salmon, pressure cook for 5 minutes. We like to use the Instant Pot for frozen salmon because it’s a huge time saver. If you have a piece of fresh salmon, you can try something like grilled salmon instead (and use store-bought glaze).
• Fast processing and service! This method is a quick twist: it means the total time for the recipe is only 10 minutes.

Important: Be sure to clean the sealing ring after cooking!

Inside the Instant Pot lid is a plastic ring called the O-ring. This ring helps create the seal that allows the pot to rise to high pressure. The sealing ring can absorb flavors that have been cooked in the pot, especially when they are very strong (like seafood!). After cooking the salmon, be sure to follow these guidelines:

• Cleans: After the salmon is cooked, remove the sealing ring. Clean it completely with soapy water. You can also put it in the dishwasher!
• Store in air: When storing the Instant Pot, store the lid upside down so the ring is exposed to the air. This allows the sealing ring to air out between uses.
• Deep cleaning if necessary: If the gasket smells bad, soak it in vinegar for a few hours.
• Buy additional sealing rings: If you use your Instant Pot frequently, consider purchasing additional O-rings. We have 3 extra Instant Pot o-rings and use 2 for savory recipes and 1 for sweet recipes.

Sauces to serve with salmon

Instant Pot Salmon makes a well-done cut of fish, so it’s best served with a sauce. While cooking, prepare one of these sauces:

• Creamy Cilantro Dressing Wow, how good is this cilantro sauce! Mint green and creamy, you’ll want to apply it to everything.
• Chimichurri This hot sauce takes minutes to blend in a blender, giving it a light green color and tangy flavor.
• Lemon Dill Sauce or Dill Sauce One of our favorite ways to serve salmon is with a creamy sauce made with lemon and fresh dill. It’s perfect !
• Caper butter This sauce only needs a few minutes to heat up: pour it over the fish and be amazed.
• Salmon Seasoning You can also sprinkle the cooked fish with seafood seasoning to boost the flavor!

Quick side dishes to serve with salmon

What can you serve with Instant Pot Salmon to make a healthy meal? Why not cook veggies right with the fish you ask me? It’s a nice touch for convenience, but here’s the thing: the veggies come out with a fishy flavor. It’s not the most appetizing! They also lose a lot of their texture, which isn’t the tastiest.

So, here are some of our recommendations! You can cook these veggies on the stovetop while the Instant Pot works its magic. Or if you want to use Instant Pot, you can make them before or after the fish.

This Instant Pot salmon recipe is…

Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescetarian.

More Instant Pot Recipes

At A Couple Cooks, we love our Instant Pot! Here are our favorite instant pot recipes: