You know by now I’m a girl who loves gochujang, but this gochujang brown butter salmon is SOMETHING ELSE. It’s quick (under 30 minutes, 20 if you’re speedy!), it’s rich, it’s complex and slightly spicy, and the salmon comes out perfect every time. Did I mention it also fits into the realm of one-pan-meals? How could you not love? This salmon feels like the perfect thing to make on a weeknight or for a dinner party where you might be doing a million other things. Just whip up the sauce, put the salmon directly in the sauce pan, scatter with herbs and serve! Delicious.
Table of contents
First, let’s talk about gochujang
A common question I get is what is gochjang? And it’s something I love to answer.
Gochujang is a Korean red pepper paste that is fermented. A true gem. The fermentation gives it a unique flavor that you can’t replicate with other condiments. Its form of a paste also makes it so easy to cook with, and very versatile for adding into quick soups, stews, and sauces.
It is simultaneously savory, sweet, and spicy. The most common preparation involves gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of rice, which is then cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process.
Gochujang is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with, and I feel like it gives this brown butter salmon a whole new layer of flavor and subtle heat.
The ingredients you’ll need to make the sauce for this gochujang butter salmon
Now that we’ve covered the star ingredient of this recipe, here is what else you’ll need to bring this salmon dinner together:
- 1 & 1/4 lbs salmon
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp gochujang
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped herbs, such as dill, parsley & scallions
- 1/2 lemon, for serving
How to prepare the sauce for this butter salmon
The sauce for this salmon starts with a brown butter and builds from there. The butter adds a nice tenderness to the salmon and a richness to the sauce.
First, brown the butter in your large sauce pan, when it’s browned, turn off the heat but leave the pan on the stove. Throw in the onions and stir to coat.
While the butter is browning, I suggest whisking together the brown sugar, soy sauce, gochujang and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour this into the pan when it’s still warm and stir to create the sauce.
The flavors will continue to build in the sauce as you bake it – but for now, you have a wonderfully delicious sauce in less than 5 minutes!
What does slow-roasting salmon do?
Slow roasting salmon is the best way to get a rich, buttery, soft salmon that is perfectly cooked through. It’s very tempting to cook salmon to medium-rare at a high heat for a low amount of time, but trust me, slow roasting will give you a much better texture overall.
In this recipe, slow-roasting the salmon allows for the sauce to thicken around it, and for the salmon to absorb all the buttery-umami that the sauce has to offer. What results is the most tender, pull-apart salmon you’ve ever had, along with a rich and thick sauce to pour over it.
Ideas for what to serve with this gochujang butter salmon
The beauty of this gochujang butter salmon is that it is versatile – there are so many things you can serve it with! From the humble white rice to a crispy quinoa, there are so many ways to make this protein dinner. Here are a few suggestions:
- Serve with white rice and steamed vegetables of your choice – spoon the sauce and herbs over the top to make it a full meal!
- Eat with sweet potato wedges to scoop up the sauce. Yum.
- Take cooked quinoa, toss it in sesame oil and a bit of salt and roast it at 375°F for 15 minutes – let it get crispy and serve underneath the salmon to soak up the sauce.
- Serve with an herby salad and crusty bread for picking up the rest of the sauce.
- Steam Korean rice cakes on the side, then toss them into the pan when the salmon is out of the oven. Let them soak up the remaining sauce and serve the whole pan as a meal.
FAQ
I love storing the salmon with the sauce. Pile everything into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days!
Unfortunately this gochujang butter salmon does not freeze well. I recommend eating it as close to its preparation date as possible, and I do not recommend freezing it.
Absolutely! Just follow the storage tips above, and mix and match it with your favorite sides throughout the week.
Looking for other fish recipes?
Here are a few that are amazing on the blog!
And that’s everything for this gochujang butter salmon recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Gochjang Butter Salmon
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or sauté pan
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/4 lbs salmon
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp gochujang
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped herbs, such as dill, parsley & scallions
- 1/2 lemon for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- Cut the salmon into four portions and set aside.
- In a large oven-safe pan that can hold all of the salmon pieces plus some, add the butter. Put the pan on medium heat and melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until it starts to fizz slightly and brown.
- Once the butter reaches a golden brown, turn off the heat and add in the onions. Stir to coat the onions in the brown butter. You want them to soften slightly in the heat of the pan, but they don't need to cook all the way, the oven will take care of that later.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, gochujang and vinegar. Pour this into the pan and mix to create a thick and rich sauce.
- Create some space in the pan for the salmon, moving the onions and sauce to the sides. Place the salmon skin-side-down on the pan. Spoon the onions and sauce over each piece of salmon until they are well coated.
- Slow-roast the salmon in the oven for 15-16 minutes at 325°F.
- Remove from the oven, spoon more of the warm sauce over the salmon (you'll have plenty left over, save for drizzling over the rest of your meal, and for rice and vegetables throughout the week!) and flake the salmon away from the skin.
- Serve the salmon on a large plate, scatter with herbs and spoon more sauce over as desired. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and enjoy!
Absolutely fabulous!
So great! Made it with the quinoa this time, next time we’ll try it with the rice cakes. We have salmon at least once a week, this recipe is going into regular rotation. Thanks, Justine!
Beyond delicious. Served with garlic smashed potatoes. Can’t wait to add this to my arsenal of salmon recipes. THANK YOU!