Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn

Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn is what I make when I want dinner with some heat and some sweetness, and I want it done in 25 minutes. The salmon gets a spicy seared crust, then cooks in a glossy honey butter sauce. Charred corn in the same pan soaks up what’s left, so it all comes out of one skillet with no oven.

Why Make This Recipe

There’s already a Sheet Pan Cajun Honey Salmon on this site, and I still make it. This one is a different kind of dinner. It all happens on the stovetop, and the butter turns the honey into a real sauce that you spoon over the fish while it cooks.

The corn matters more than you’d think. Plain sweet corn tastes even sweeter next to the Cajun spices, and the blistered bits add a smoky edge. Bagged frozen corn works fine.

You also get a lot of flavor from very few ingredients. Cajun seasoning, butter, honey, garlic and a lemon do most of the work. If you want to know where that spice blend comes from, the background on Cajun cuisine is a good read.

How to Make Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes. Total: 25 minutes. Serves 4. You’ll need a 12-inch skillet. Cast iron or stainless steel both work, and nonstick is fine if that’s what you have.

Ingredients:

• 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin on or off
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (cut this in half if your Cajun blend is salty)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
• 3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Take the salmon out of the fridge about 10 minutes before cooking. Pat it very dry with paper towels, then rub 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning and the salt over the tops and sides.
2. If you’re using thawed frozen corn, spread it on a towel and blot it dry. Wet corn steams and won’t char.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn in an even layer and leave it alone for 3 minutes. You should hear steady popping and see brown spots underneath.
4. Stir in the bell pepper and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, then move the corn to a bowl and wipe out any loose kernels.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet and keep the heat at medium-high. When the oil shimmers, lay the salmon in seasoned side down (skin side up if it has skin). Cook 4 minutes without moving it. It will release from the pan on its own once the crust forms.
6. Flip the fillets and cook 2 minutes.
7. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the garlic, and swirl for about 30 seconds, until the garlic smells fragrant but hasn’t browned.
8. Stir the honey, lemon juice and red pepper flakes into the butter. Let it bubble gently for 1 to 2 minutes, tilting the pan and spooning the sauce over the salmon the whole time.
9. Check the thickest fillet. It should flake at the edges and still look a little glossy in the center. The USDA recommends 145°F for fish. Many cooks pull salmon around 130°F and let carryover heat finish it.
10. Slide the corn back into the open spaces of the skillet and toss it through the sauce. Top with green onions and parsley and serve right away with lemon wedges.

How to Serve Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn

Rice is my default. A scoop of plain white or jasmine rice catches the honey butter sauce, and it keeps the spice from feeling like too much.

For something lighter, put the salmon and corn over chopped romaine with sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime. The warm sauce works as the dressing. Roasted sweet potatoes or a simple green salad also go well.

Spoon the extra sauce from the pan over everything. Don’t leave it in the skillet.

How to Store Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn

Let leftovers cool, then refrigerate them in an airtight container within two hours. They’ll keep 3 to 4 days, which lines up with the USDA’s guidance on leftovers.

To reheat, put the salmon and corn in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water for 4 to 5 minutes. The microwave works, but use 50% power in short bursts or the edges get tough. Cold leftover salmon flaked into a wrap with the corn makes a good lunch too.

I don’t freeze the finished dish. The butter sauce separates and the salmon turns dry and a bit mealy.

Tips to Make Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn

• Dry fish sears and wet fish steams. Pat the salmon until the paper towel comes away almost dry.
• Lower the heat before the honey goes in. Honey burns fast over high heat and turns bitter. This is the mistake I see most often.
• Check the salt in your Cajun seasoning. Some store-bought blends are mostly salt. Taste a pinch first and adjust the added salt.
• Don’t flip early. If the salmon sticks when you try to turn it, give it another 30 to 60 seconds. It lets go when the crust is ready.
• Buy fillets that are about the same thickness. Center-cut pieces cook evenly. A thin tail piece will be done well before a thick one.
• Taste the sauce at the end. If it’s too sweet, add a little more lemon. If it’s flat, add a pinch of salt.

Variation

For a smokier version with more heat, swap half the Cajun seasoning for smoked paprika and stir 1 teaspoon of hot sauce into the honey butter. You can make this with shrimp too: sear 1 1/2 pounds of large peeled shrimp for about 90 seconds per side, then make the sauce the same way. For more vegetables, chopped zucchini goes in with the corn and cooks in about the same time. If you like the spicy-sweet combo with pasta, my Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta uses a similar spice base.

Cajun Honey Butter Salmon with Skillet Corn

Salmon gets a spicy seared Cajun crust and then finishes in a glossy honey butter sauce. Charred corn cooked in the same skillet soaks up the rest, all in 25 minutes with no oven.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Cajun

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each, skin on or off
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt cut this in half if your Cajun blend is salty
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil divided
• 3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen and thawed
• 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 2 green onions thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, optional

Method

 

1. Take the salmon out of the fridge about 10 minutes before cooking. Pat it very dry with paper towels, then rub 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning and the salt over the tops and sides.
2. If you're using thawed frozen corn, spread it on a towel and blot it dry. Wet corn steams and won't char.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn in an even layer and leave it alone for 3 minutes. You should hear steady popping and see brown spots underneath.
4. Stir in the bell pepper and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, then move the corn to a bowl and wipe out any loose kernels.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet and keep the heat at medium-high. When the oil shimmers, lay the salmon in seasoned side down (skin side up if it has skin). Cook 4 minutes without moving it. It will release from the pan on its own once the crust forms.
6. Flip the fillets and cook 2 minutes.
7. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the garlic, and swirl for about 30 seconds, until the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
8. Stir the honey, lemon juice and red pepper flakes into the butter. Let it bubble gently for 1 to 2 minutes, tilting the pan and spooning the sauce over the salmon the whole time.
9. Check the thickest fillet. It should flake at the edges and still look a little glossy in the center. The USDA recommends 145°F for fish. Many cooks pull salmon around 130°F and let carryover heat finish it.
10. Slide the corn back into the open spaces of the skillet and toss it through the sauce. Top with green onions and parsley and serve right away with lemon wedges.

Notes

Use a 12-inch cast iron, stainless steel or nonstick skillet. Pat the salmon very dry so it sears instead of steaming. Turn the heat down before adding the honey, because it burns fast and turns bitter. Some store-bought Cajun blends are mostly salt, so taste a pinch first and adjust the added salt. If the salmon sticks when you try to flip it, give it another 30 to 60 seconds. Buy center-cut fillets of about the same thickness so they cook evenly. If the sauce is too sweet, add more lemon; if it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt. For a milder dish, use 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning on the fish and skip the red pepper flakes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within two hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water for 4 to 5 minutes, or in the microwave at 50% power in short bursts. Don't freeze the finished dish. Variation: for shrimp, sear 1 1/2 pounds of large peeled shrimp for about 90 seconds per side, then make the sauce the same way.

FAQs

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, or seal it in a zip-top bag and set it in cold water for about an hour. Pat it very dry afterward, because thawed fish releases a lot of moisture.

Is this salmon very spicy?

It’s medium with the amounts listed, and the honey and butter take the edge off. For a milder version, use 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning on the fish and skip the red pepper flakes.

Should I leave the skin on?

Either works. Skin-on fillets hold together a little better in the pan, and the skin peels off easily once cooked if you don’t want to eat it. I buy whatever looks freshest.

Conclusion

This goes into my regular rotation because it uses ingredients I usually have and still tastes like more effort than it took. Once you’ve made it, try the sweet-and-smoky Brown Sugar Chili Salmon Dinner or the bite-sized Crispy Lemon Pepper Salmon Bites for different takes on a weeknight salmon dinner.