Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon

This quick and easy weeknight meal of salmon gently poached in a Thai-inspired red curry is made in the microwave and can be made in under 30 minutes.

By
Liz Mervosh
Liz Mervosh
Elizabeth "Liz" Mervosh is a recipe tester and developer for the Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama and tests and develops recipes for brands including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, Health, and Simply Recipes.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo's recipes, writing, and food styling can be found on King Arthur Baking, Food Network, Delish, Food52, and more. She collaborated on the cookbook Delish Vegan Dinners and trained at Gramercy Tavern and Untitled at the Whitney Museum.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published February 21, 2023
Bowl of Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon with Rice and Garnished with Cilantro and Lime Wedge, and in the Surroundings, a Kitchen Towel, a Bowl with More Curry, and a Bowl with a Halved Lime and Cilantro

Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar

We love easy weeknight dinner recipes that pack a lot of flavor with little effort. For this recipe, we lean on the microwave to poach salmon filets in a highly aromatic coconut red curry. The trick to getting the most flavor into the coconut milk is to sizzle aromatics in a little oil (more on that below) and you can do that in the microwave too. 

We would eat this tasty meal over a generous scoop of jasmine rice, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice on top.

Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon Topped with Cilantro and Lime Wedges in a Microwavable Glass Bowl

Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar

Make a Flavor Bomb of Aromatics

We blitz aromatics—cilantro, ginger, lemongrass, and jalapeños—until finely chopped and microwave them with a little oil. This infuses the oil with their flavors, really upping their intensity, and making sure the coconut milk is flavorful too.

If you don’t have a mini food processor to blitz the aromatics, that’s okay! You can use a sharp chef’s knife to finely chop them first and then stir in the oil. It’ll be more paste-like if chopped in the food processor and chunkier done by hand, but it’ll still work incredibly well hand-chopped because the aromatics soften and cook down in the microwave anyway.

Cook Time Depends on a Few Factors

The salmon is gently cooked in the red curry coconut milk. There are a few factors that determine their doneness. Here are some things to consider: 

  • We developed and tested the recipe in a 1,000 and 1,250-watt microwave. You may need to cook the salmon for less time or longer, in 1-minute intervals, depending on the power of your microwave and how you like your salmon cooked.
  • If your salmon filets are on the thinner side (ours were about an inch thick), you can cook them for less time, about a minute less. 
  • Do you like your salmon well-done? Place your filets along the edges of the pie plate, where it tends to be hotter. For medium-rare filets, place them in the center of the pie plate, where it doesn't get as hot.
  • If your salmon is ice cold straight out of the fridge, it may take a little longer for them to cook through. It’s always best to gently poke a fork through the thickest part and check for doneness. 
Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon Topped with Cilantro and Lime Wedges in a Microwavable Glass Bowl

Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar

Weeknight Salmon Recipes 

Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 14 mins
Total Time 24 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 small shallot, roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish

  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds removed

  • 1 small stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped

  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger

  • 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, well-shaken

  • 1 tablespoon red curry paste

  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

  • 4 (4-ounce) skinless salmon filets

  • Cooked rice, for serving

Method

  1. Make the aromatic oil: 

    Process the oil, shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, lemongrass, and ginger in a mini food processor until very finely chopped, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. 

    Don’t have a mini food processor? Very finely chop the shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, lemongrass, and ginger, and then stir in the oil. (You can do this directly in the pie plate—more on that below.)

    Shallots, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Peppers and Cilantro in a Food Processor for Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
    Aromatics Blended Together in a Food Processor for Microwave Red Curry Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
  2. Cook the mixture: 

    Spoon the mixture into a 9 1/2-inch microwave-safe glass pie plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high until it sizzles and is fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

    Aromatic Oil in a Bowl After Cooking in the Microwave for Red Curry in the Microwave Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
  3. Add the coconut milk and curry paste: 

    Stir in the coconut milk, curry paste, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until combined. Microwave, uncovered, on high until the coconut milk mixture is simmering and the flavors meld, 3 to 4 minutes.

    Coconut milk, Curry paste, and Brown Sugar Added to Bowl of Aromatic Oil for Microwave Red Curry Salmon Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
    Red Curry Ingredients Whisked Together in a Bowl for Microwave Red Curry Salmon

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
  4. Cook the salmon: 

    Stir in the lime juice and place the salmon filets, evenly spaced apart, in coconut milk mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt on the salmon. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on medium (50% power) until the salmon is cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes. 

    We developed and tested the recipe in a 1,000 and 1,250-watt microwave. You may need to cook the salmon for longer, in 1-minute intervals, depending on the power of your microwave and how you like your salmon cooked.

    Garnish with cilantro and serve scooped over cooked rice. 

    Did you love the recipe? Leave us a comment below!

    Salmon Filets Added to Bowl of Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon Ingredients

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
    Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon After Cooked in the Microwave

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
    Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon Garnished with Cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
    Bowl of Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon with Rice and Garnished with Cilantro and Lime Wedge, and in the Surroundings, a Kitchen Towel, a Bowl with More Curry, and a Bowl with a Halved Lime and Cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
524 Calories
42g Fat
11g Carbs
28g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 524
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 410mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 15mg 75%
Calcium 54mg 4%
Iron 4mg 25%
Potassium 807mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.