Today’s Instant Pot salmon and potatoes recipe features boneless, skin-on salmon filets doused in a tangy, spicy sauce and served with tender steamed vegetables.
Is Instant Pot Salmon and Potatoes Healthy?
Yes, our Instant Pot salmon and potatoes recipe is healthy. Here are a few reasons why:
Salmon is a fatty fish that is frequently classified according to its ocean of origin. You've probably heard that salmon is one of the healthiest types of seafood, but just how healthy is it?
To begin with, salmon is an extremely protein-dense food. A 100-gram portion of raw salmon contains 22 grams of protein.
This amount of protein is comparable to that found in a boneless skinless chicken breast (22.5 g). As a result, salmon is an excellent choice for anyone looking to increase their protein intake and muscle growth.
Another reason we enjoy salmon is its relatively low calorie content. Salmon contains 131 calories per 100 g in its raw state, slightly more than chicken (120 calories).
In addition, salmon is also high in omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat is regarded as an essential part of a healthy diet and has been shown to provide a variety of health benefits.
If you’re looking for more ideas to cook a healthy fish dinner, check out these recipes:
- Poached Salmon Recipe: We have to admit poached salmon doesn’t look much visually appealing, but once you’ve had a taste, it might be your favorite salmon recipe yet.
- Lemon Butter Salmon Recipe: This foolproof recipe will show you how to bake juicy, tender salmon in the oven in just 30 minutes!
Main Ingredients for Instant Pot Salmon and Potatoes
Here is what we used for today’s Instant Pot salmon and potatoes recipe:
- Salmon: We used boneless, skin-on sockeye salmon for this recipe. We bought a large filet and portioned it ourselves but you can ask a fishmonger to help you when you shop.
- Vegetables: Potatoes, baby carrots and peas were steamed (instead of sautéed) to limit the use of oil as much as possible.
- Seasonings: We made a dry rub to marinate the salmon using salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and Cajun seasoning.
- Sauce: The sauce contains sriracha, parsley, and minced garlic so it’s a little herby, tangy, sweet, and spicy. This helps to elevate the flavor of the fish and vegetables.
- Herbs: A light sprinkle of fresh cilantro and parsley is an excellent choice for garnish. They add a subtle hint of herbiness but can be left out if preferred.
How to Cook Salmon in an Instant Pot
Before you start, we recommend preparing the salmon filets.
First, check if there are any bones left in your cut of salmon and remove them with a pair of fish bone tweezers. Most of the time the fishmongers do a great job at removing the bones but it never hurts to double check.
It's also a good idea to check for scales and remove them. Unlike bones which can be easily picked out, it’s a bit more messy to remove scales.
After all that, give the salmon filets a good rinse under running water, pat them dry with paper towels, and set them aside. Wash your hands with soap so that you can move on to measuring the spices and prepping the veggies.
Once your salmon and all the other ingredients are ready, you can proceed with making this Instant Pot salmon recipe:
Step 1: Make the sauce.
Step 2: Season the salmon.
Step 3: Steam the carrots and potatoes.
Step 4: Steam the snow peas.
Step 5: Replace the steamer basket.
Step 6: Line the rack with aluminum foil.
Step 7: Cook the fish.
Step 8: Garnish and serve.
Tips for Cooking Salmon in the Instant Pot
Cooking salmon is a simple task, but there are a few tips you should know to make your cooking process even easier. The main one being to cook with room temperature filets.
Cold salmon filets straight from the refrigerator are not ideal for this recipe as you will need to marinate them before cooking. The seasonings will have a harder time being absorbed into the fish.
The same goes for frozen fish filets, so if you have frozen salmon, it would be best to leave it in the fridge to thaw for a few hours. Take it out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to cooking and allow it to come to room temperature.
If you cook with cold or frozen fish filets, you may need to adjust the cooking time to ensure they are not undercooked.
How Long Should You Cook Salmon in an Instant Pot?
Our Instant Pot salmon took 10 minutes to steam. Depending on the size of your filets, they may not need to cook as long.
Salmon Dishes Cooked Without Oil
That doesn’t sound interesting, but we tried to make them so by adding our own twists.
First off, we’d like you to try poached salmon. Each piece of filet is simmered with herbs before hitting that rich lemon butter sauce, with all goodness and juiciness well-preserved. You don’t need an Instant Pot to make this, and it still feels pretty healthy.
Our air-fried salmon and vegetables also require little to no oil, and the result is still satisfying. It’s served with a deep red sauce we whip up from scratch, and trust us, everything won’t be as laborious as it seems.
If you need more Instant Pot salmon recipes, see them all here.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Cooked Salmon
It’s always better to store your food in airtight containers as they minimize the exposure to air, allowing your food to stay fresh and last longer.
We recommend keeping the fish and veggies in separate airtight containers to help keep them both fresh and tasty. Doing so can extend their shelf life for about 5 days.
To reheat the salmon, simply microwave it for about 2 minutes and it’ll be ready for you to enjoy.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Salmon and Potatoes
We suggest serving today’s Instant Pot salmon and potatoes with a small side of watermelon arugula salad.
As the name suggests, this salad features fresh, juicy watermelon and crispy arugula mixed with a tangy dressing. The combination creates a contrast in texture and flavor that will pair very nicely with our main course of the day.
Once you’ve finished your meal, we recommend enjoying a glass of cucumber and lemon juice to cleanse your palate instead of going for dessert.
Here is a summary of the combined nutrition facts for this meal:
Instant Pot Salmon and Potatoes Recipe
This Instant Pot salmon and potatoes recipe offers you an easy, healthy dinner recipe that can be made effortlessly with the help of your trusty pressure cooker.
- cook TIME 18 mins
- prep TIME 12 mins
- total TIME 30 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 479 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 28 ozboneless salmon (scales removed)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 tsplime juice
- 1 tbspwater
- 2 tbspcilantro (finely chopped, divided)
- 1 tspsmoked paprika (divided)
- 2 tbspsriracha
- 1.5 tbspolive oil
- 0.3 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 0.5 tspCajun seasoning
- 8 ozbaby carrots (cut in half lengthwise)
- 18 ozpotatoes (peeled and cut into quarters)
- 4 ozsnow peas (trim the ends and remove the strings)
- 1.5 tbspunsalted butter (divided)
- 2 tbspparsley (finely chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp lime juice, 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp sriracha, and 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Mix well and set aside.
Season the salmon: Put the salmon on a large plate, skin side down. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning. Rub the seasoning evenly on the fish and set aside.
Steam the carrots and potatoes: Place a steamer basket in your Instant Pot. Add water to the pot so that it’s just below the basket. Put 8 oz baby carrots and 18 oz potatoes into the basket. Cover with the lid, turn the steam valve to “sealing position”, and cook for 7 minutes on the “Steam” program.
Steam the snow peas: Carefully turn the valve to “venting position” and allow the pot to fully release steam. Open the lid and add 4 oz snow peas into the pot. Cover, seal the steam valve, set the timer and steam for another 1 minute. Once the timer rings, release the steam and remove all the vegetables from the pot.
Put in the rack and create a foil bowl: Using a pair of tongs, remove the steamer basket from the Instant Pot and put the steamer rack inside. There should be water left inside the pot. If there isn’t, refill until it’s just below the rack. Take a large piece of aluminum foil and shape it into a bowl that fits your pot. Carefully place it inside the pot and brush it with 3/4 tbsp unsalted butter.
Cook the fish: Place the fish on the foil, skin side down. Place the remaining 3/4 tbsp unsalted butter in small knobs over the fish filets. Cover the lid and seal the steam valve. Cook for 10 minutes on the “Steam” program. Once the time is up, release the steam, open the lid, and remove the fish from the Instant Pot.
Garnish and serve: Arrange the fish and vegetables on a plate. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and pour the sauce over the food. Serve immediately.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Emily Rogers, MPH, RDN
Nutrition Reviewer