In case you’re wondering, yes, we do eat fish and seafood often. As in twice a week, Lent or not.
My meal plan for the week always includes a fish filet like salmon or cod, plus some shellfish like shrimp, scallops or clams. This Buffalo Salmon with Roasted Red Onions is my latest obsession, and we’ve been enjoying it a couple times a month.
This gluten-free dish is simple to throw together, and the flavor profile is superb, if you like Buffalo sauce. (I really do, so I had to figure out a way to make it happen with salmon.) You simply whisk a bit of mayo with hot sauce, spread that onto the fish in a thin layer, then sprinkle chopped red onions on top. You bake it for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, and meanwhile melt a bit of butter into some more hot sauce so that you can spoon it over the salmon when it’s done.
Add some lemon wedges for squeezing, and you’ve got yourself an awesome meal that works well with corn or boiled redskin potatoes on the side (the Buffalo sauce works well on them too.)
The salmon is tender, juicy, and has some nice heat that can be adjusted according to how much sauce you use on each serving.
And the crispy red onions provide the best accent. (Here’s where I have to tell my kids for the 1,000th time that I love red onions.)
Seriously, though, you’ve got a flavor powerhouse going on here.
Before I go, I just want to talk hot sauce for a minute. By now, you probably know that I read the labels on everything and try to stick to products that are minimally processed.
I have no affiliation with Frank’s RedHot Original, but it’s always been my favorite (and was used in the original Buffalo wing sauce). I was happy to discover that its ingredients are simply: aged cayenne peppers, distilled vinegar, water, salt and garlic powder.
It’s a beautiful thing.
You can use whichever hot sauce you prefer, but this dish needs something on the milder side that won’t make steam come out of your ears.
Enjoy!
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
- 2 pounds salmon (four pieces)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use low-fat)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 4 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1 cup hot sauce (I like Frank's RedHot Original)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- half a lemon (cut into wedges for serving; squeeze some juice on the salmon)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil to make cleanup easier. If your salmon has skin on the bottom, you don't need to grease the foil. If it's skinless, you can lightly grease the foil with some oil to prevent sticking.
- Rinse the salmon under cold water and feel for any bones to remove. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and place the fish on the baking sheet, skin side down. (You can leave the skin on until after the salmon is cooked.) Wash your hands.
- In a tiny bowl, whisk the mayo and one tablespoon of hot sauce until the mixture is blended and smooth. Spread some of the mixture in a thin layer on each piece of salmon.
- Peel and chop some red onion until you have about 4 tablespoons of it. Sprinkle a tablespoon of onions on top of each piece of salmon. Bake the fish for 20-25 minutes, until it can be flaked with a fork.
- While the salmon is roasting, cut up your lemon into wedges and set them aside. About 10 minutes before the salmon is done, add the butter and a cup of hot sauce to a small sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. Whisk a bit to melt the butter and blend it in. When the sauce is heated through, it is ready to serve. Turn off the heat.
- To serve, remove any skin by using a spatula to gently lift the salmon away from the skin. Plate the salmon and spoon some Buffalo sauce onto each serving. Add a lemon wedge on the side so each person can squeeze on some lemon juice. Store leftover salmon in the refrigerator for up to three days.
If you want, you can cut the sauce recipe in half, if you think you won't use that much. I make the larger amount so that we can spoon it on our potatoes, corn, and have some left over to use on chicken, etc.
Tekesha says
Frank’s is my jam, too! I really resisted flipping around the bottle and looking at the ingredients because I knew that no matter what was in there, I could never give up my Frank’s. So I’m just as excited as you to see real ingredients! This looks fantastic!
Mamma C says
Haha, Tekesha! The best part of Frank’s label is that the calories say “0.” Yes! The sodium though, is 190 mg per teaspoon. That’s why I didn’t add salt to this recipe.
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I’ve never had those flavors with salmon before, but they look and sound delicious! Ben has been on a sriracha kick for the past….5 years…but I like Frank’s RedHot 😉
Mamma C says
Yeah, I’m not a big fan of sriracha, especially on its own. It has to be mixed with something like mayo, and then I don’t mind it. But give me Frank’s RedHot, and I’m a happy camper. Salmon actually works really well with these flavors, so it’s a nice way to enjoy them in a meatless meal.