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This week I needed to make a quick and easy meal in the Instant Pot, and thought I'd give the Food Network's "Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens"a try. And I am so glad that I did! It was scrumptious. Not to mention that cooking both dishes in the same pot made for easy cleanup!
One thing that I learned from preparing this dish is that the Instant Pot does such a beautiful job of cooking perfectly moist salmon. Guest-worthy salmon. Not the I-dried-the-fish-out-again-salmon.
One change that I've made to this dish for today's blog post is that I've added this creamy, dreamy dill sauce as a condiment for the fish - because in my house we're all about sauces. I also used dried parsley instead of paprika to season the salmon, smashed the potatoes to the point of creating more of a mashed potato texture, and stuck with spinach as my source of greens. But feel free to experiment with different herbs, the texture of your potatoes, and the types of greens that you use!
As I've shared in the past, my husband, Colin, who also happens to be my tell-it-like-it-is-taste-tester, is typically NOT a salmon fan. The only other salmon dish that he likes is Baked Salmon Topped with Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion, and Herbs. But after taking the first bite of this meal, he was really surprised by how delicious it was.
If you're not crazy about mashed potatoes, you can just cook the salmon in the Instant Pot - making sure that you still add the cup of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. I think that fresh corn on the cob would be a great side dish for this meal as well (Spoken like a true Hoosier). But if you do like mashed potatoes, the minced garlic and the spinach add a punch of flavor to this potato-y goodness.
One last thing. When I prepared the salmon in my Instant Pot, it was easier for me to fit narrowly cut fillets that were 5-6 ounces each onto the pot's steam rack - versus wider/thinner fillets. You'll want to experiment with the thickness of your fish and see what works best for you. My salmon fillets varied from 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches in thickness. 3 minutes was the perfect cooking time in my Instant Pot for this dish. Happy cooking and eating!
Yield: 3-4 servings (Allow yourself to listen to your hunger/fullness cues)
Ingredients:
Potatoes, Salmon, and Greens:
1 1/4 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3-4 (5-6 ounce) skin-on salmon fillets (I used narrow, 3/4 to 1 1/4 inch thick fillets)
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus wedges for serving
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups packed baby spinach (About 3 1/2 ounces)
Dill Sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup Fage Total 2% Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 1/2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
4 tablespoons white onion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (Adjust to taste)
Directions:
1. Make the dill sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, yogurt, dried dill, scallions, onion, parsley, and lemon juice. Refrigerate until needed (Can be made the day before serving).
2. Line the bottom of the Instant Pot with the quartered potatoes. Next, pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot, followed by adding 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt to the mixture. Then insert the metal steam rack that came with the Instant Pot on top of the potatoes.
3. Next, place the salmon fillets on the metal steam rack - skin-side down. Season the salmon with dried parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Then place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to the sealed position. Next, use the MANUAL button to set the timer for 3 minutes, and cook at high pressure. Once the Instant Pot has reached the desired amount of pressure, it will begin to cook the fish. When the food is done cooking, use a long spoon or tongs to gently move the steam valve to the venting option (Quick Pressure Release). Let the pressure fully release.
4. Once the pressure has fully released, carefully remove the lid of your Instant Pot. Next, gently remove the metal steam rack containing the salmon (Trying to pick up the cooked salmon fillets directly from the pot may cause them to fall apart, so removing the metal steam rack containing the salmon is helpful). Set aside.
5. Next, turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting - using normal heat. Since I prefer more of a mashed potato consistency, I do not remove the water that's sitting at the bottom of the inner pot (But if you prefer chunky potatoes instead, you might want to remove some or all of the water that's sitting in the inner pot at this point). Stir the potatoes for around 30 seconds and start smashing the potatoes for about 1 minute (A long wooden spoon or fork works well for creating a mashed potatoes effect). Then add a tablespoon of butter and the minced garlic, stirring the mixture a few times. Continue to smash the potatoes until you're satisfied with the texture. Adjust to taste.
6. Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the spinach to the potatoes and stir constantly for about a minute - or until the greens have wilted.
7. Place a salmon fillet and the mashed potatoes containing the greens onto each plate - along with a fresh lemon wedge and other sides that you might enjoy. Serve immediately. Happy eating!
Note: The Instant Pot salmon recipe has been adapted from the Food Network's Instant Pot with Garlic Potatoes and Greens recipe, and the dill sauce has been adapted from Holly Clegg's Trim & Terrific Freezer Friendly Meals book.