This salmon dish is amazing! It will truly blow you away. The sauce is so good, it will make you want to face plant in it! I mean I love other preparations as well, like a good sheet pan salmon. But this spicy tomato garlic salmon is my all-time favorite recipe for salmon.

Best Weeknight Salmon Recipe!
It is actually a super simple prep too. The ideal weeknight dinner meal! First of all salmon is such a quick cook. But I like to get a light sear on the salmon before dunking into that luscious spicy tomato garlic sauce. One of the best things about this sauce is that it comes together in a blender, so easy! You will be be amazed by how good and easy this dish is!
The amazing flavor of this dish comes from the combination of ingredients for the sauce. Its spicy, sweet, sour and salty all in one bite. Then the salmon adds that meatiness (umami) to give you the complete flavor profile in every bite you take!

Prep the Salmon
- Make sure you buy salmon filets that are pre-prepped for you. If you have a whole salmon filet, just cut it into smaller sections so they can easily be dredged in flour and pan fried.
- Coat the salmon in a flour and salt mixture
- Lightly pan fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Just a slight crust on the outside.
- Set the salmon filets aside until the sauce is ready.

Tomato Garlic Blender Sauce
This spicy tomato garlic sauce perfectly compliments a fish like salmon. Its super flavor packed and yet you can still get the flavor of the salmon through the sauce.
Get your blender ready. Add all of the sauce ingredients into the blender:
- garlic
- cilantro
- chili peppers
- canned San Marzano tomatoes
- smoked paprika
- cumin seeds
- lemon juice
- sugar
- salt and pepper
Add of the sauce to the skillet and heat until you reach a simmer. Add the salmon filets back in and cook for another 10 minutes. And that its!
Serve this spicy tomato garlic salmon with basmati rice, a generous sprinkle of chopped cilantro and squeeze of lemon! So good!!

For more spicy seafood dishes check out: Baked Masala Fish Tacos, Sun-Dried Tomato Crab Spaghetti with Chili Garlic Oil , 15 Minute Shrimp Fajitas with Cilantro Lime Cream Sauce
📖 Recipe
Spicy Tomato Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon filet cut into 4 small filets
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- ¼ fresh cilantro leaves optional, for garnish
Spicy Tomato Garlic Sauce
- 1 12 oz can San Marzano style tomatoes
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 2-3 small green chili peppers
- ¼ fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. In a shallow bowl, mix together flour and salt. Lightly dredge each side of the salmon filets in the flour. Sear the salmon on both sides until lightly browned about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet, onto paper towel lined plate, set aside.
- In a blender, add in all ingredients for the sauce. Blend until smooth.
- Back to the skillet, add cumin seeds and allow to roast for about 1 minute. Add in the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, add the salmon filets and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with basmati rice.
Jere Cassidy
The sauce sounds amazing and honestly have never put a tomato sauce on salmon, can't wait to give this recipe a try.
Jill Patel
Yes the tomato and salmon may seem odd but its such a great pair!
Kristina Tipps
I love salmon but always revert to my 2 go-to marinades. This is a new one that we loved!
Jill Patel
Thanks I hope you like it Kristina!
Kim Guzman
Such a great, quick meal! I love just the hint of spicy heat, so perfect with the San Marzano tomatoes. Salmon is definitely on my agenda for this weekend.
Jill Patel
the san marzano are so good! They taste different than other canned tomatoes!
Addison
You had me at garlic! This salmon is incredibly flavorful!
Jill Patel
It is heavy on the garlic! But it is really great!
Linda
I love salmon and this is a great idea to enjoy it and will add this to my dinner rotation
Jill Patel
Its such a favorite of mine! I have to stop myself from making it too often lol!