Salmon with Coconut Curry Vegetables

This recipe features salmon with a sweet-savory spice rub roasted with broccoli and spinach in a creamy, aromatic green curry coconut sauce. It’s a complete, nourishing dinner made in one pan that comes together in under 30 minutes—easy, deeply satisfying, and full of flavor.

This is one of those recipes I return to again and again because it’s simple, deeply flavorful, and truly satisfying. The salmon is seasoned with a sweet-savory rub and roasted over vegetables in a rich, creamy coconut curry sauce infused with Thai green curry paste, shallots, ginger, and a touch of fish sauce. A squeeze of lime lifts and balances the richness, creating layers of bold, bright flavor in every bite.

With tender salmon and vibrant greens, it’s an easy meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. Serve it with rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa to soak up every bit of that delicious sauce.

Why This Salmon with Coconut Curry Works So Well

Moist, tender roasted salmon with a sweet-savory spice rub that makes a nice glaze.
Nutrient dense meal full of fiber, minerals, antioxidants from the vegetables and healthy fats and protein from the salmon and sauce.
Silky Texture—coconut milk creates a silky texture that feels indulgent.
Beautifully layered flavors that are herbal, gently spicy, and aromatic without a long list of ingredients.
Broccoli and spinach cooked directly in the sauce make it a complete meal.
Everything cooks in one pan, allowing the flavors to meld while keeping cleanup simple.
Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly, making it a healthy choice for many eating styles.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This recipe has only a handful of easily available ingredients. This is what you need:

Salmon – Use 4 salmon filets for this recipe and take the skin off. You can use any type of salmon, including organic, sockeye, coho, or king salmon.
Spice Rub – This is a simple mix to get a sweet-savory rub; coconut sugar, red chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt and avocado oil. Leave out coconut sugar for low carb. It will be savory but not sweet. The sugar gives it a nice glaze but it tastes good either way.
Broccoli and Spinach – These are the vegetables I use but you can substitute any vegetables you like. Cauliflower instead of broccoli or baby kale instead of spinach are good options.
Coconut Milk – Gives a rich, velvety quality to the sauce. Use full fat for best texture.
Thai Green Curry Paste – I use Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste. It’s mild and tasty with a variety of Thai spices. You can find it in most supermarkets. Red curry paste can be substituted but it will make the sauce light red instead of green.
Lime Juice and Zest – balances the rich flavors with a tangy taste.
Fish Sauce – A pungent salty sauce with a complex and savory taste. It smells ‘fishy’ but tastes amazing. I highly recommend it. Gluten free tamari can but substituted but will have less umami flavor.

How to Make Salmon with Coconut Curry (Step-by-Step)

Prepare the coconut sauce and broccoli. In a medium bowl, mix the ginger, shallot, coconut milk, Thai curry paste, lime juice, zest, and fish sauce together in a bowl. Add the broccoli florets and stir to coat the broccoli. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Put into the oven and roast for 5 minutes.

Make the spice rub for the salmon. While the broccoli is cooking, mix the spices and the oil to make a paste. Rub the paste liberally over the top part of the salmon.

Roast the salmon. Put the salmon on top of the coconut curry broccoli mix. Roast in the oven for 8-12 minutes or until the salmon begins to brown and is almost cooked through.

Add the spinach and mix into the coconut curry sauce. Don’t mix it with the salmon. You can remove the salmon from the pan to mix in the spinach and then return it to the pan. It makes it a little bit easier to mix it in but it’s optional.

Return to the oven and roast another 1-2 minutes until the salmon is cooked and the spinach is wilted. The amount of time will depend on the thickness of your salmon.

How To Tell If Salmon Is Cooked

Salmon is perfectly cooked when the flesh changes from translucent to opaque and just begins to flake with a fork. You can check for an internal temperature of 120° – 125° for medium rare or 135° for medium, but I don’t use a thermometer. If the fish still has a, raw, soft texture and a deep, translucent red hue in the middle, it needs more time.

It should be removed from heat just before it fully cooks, allowing it to finish with residual heat.

Serving Storing and Make Ahead Tips

Serving: Serve warm topped with cilantro. Use a spatula to transfer each piece of salmon with vegetables to a plate. Scoop up additional sauce and serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa to soak up the rich flavor. Garnish individual plates with additional cilantro and lime wedge on the side.

Storage & Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave at low power to keep the salmon moist.

Make-Ahead Tips: For easy prep, you can make the coconut curry sauce and chop the vegetables
1–2 days in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator. When ready to make, follow the recipe and cook fresh for the best texture. While the full dish can be made ahead, salmon is at its best when cooked close to serving time.

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An easy deeply satisfying, nourishing salmon and vegetable dinner made in one pan that comes together in under 30 minutes.

Author: Ingrid DeHart
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Main Dish
Method: Roast
Cuisine: Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Ingredients

Spice Rub

1 1/4 pounds salmon, skin removed, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 Tablespoon coconut sugar*
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2–3 teaspoons avocado oil or any neutral flavor oil

Coconut Curry and Vegetables

1” piece ginger grated
1 shallot minced (about 2 Tablespoons)
1 can coconut milk, (13.5 ounces)
3–4 Tablespoons Thai green curry paste
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 Tablespoon fish sauce or gluten free tamari
4 cups broccoli florets
4 cups spinach or baby kale, roughly chopped

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°.
Make the coconut curry sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the ginger, shallot, coconut milk, Thai curry paste, lime juice, zest, and fish sauce together in a bowl.
Add the broccoli florets and stir to coat the broccoli. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Put into the oven and roast for 5 minutes.
Make the spice rub. While the broccoli is cooking, mix the spices and the oil to make a paste. Rub the paste liberally over the top part of the salmon.
Roast the salmon. Put the salmon on top of the coconut curry broccoli mix. Roast in the oven for 8-12 minutes or until the salmon begins to brown and is almost cooked through.
Add the spinach and mix into the coconut curry mix. Don’t mix it with the salmon. You can remove the salmon from the pan to mix in the spinach and then return it to the pan. It makes it a little bit easier to mix it in but it’s optional.
Return to the oven and roast another 1-2 minutes until the salmon is cooked and the spinach is wilted. The amount of time will depend on the thickness of your salmon and desired doneness. For every inch of thickness, bake for a total of 10-15 minutes. My salmon is usually perfect around 13 minutes.
Serve warm topped with cilantro. Use a spatula to transfer each piece of salmon and some vegetables to a plate. Scoop up additional sauce and serve alone or over rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa to soak up the rich flavor. Garnish individual plates with additional cilantro and lime wedge on the side.