Pan-Seared Salmon with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa
Quick-cooked salmon topped with a refreshing, creamy salsa made from ripe avocados and cucumbers. This Pacific Northwest-inspired Whole30 recipe, ready in about 18 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, avocado, cucumber for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 1, so it slots cleanly into a Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 6 oz salmon fillets
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/4 cup cucumber
- 1 tbsp red onion
- 1/2 lime
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- pinch black pepper
The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide
Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →
Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1/4 tsp sea salt and pinch black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Place salmon skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until skin is crisp.
- Step 3: Flip salmon and cook 3-4 minutes more until just opaque in the center. Remove from heat and let rest 2 minutes.
- Step 4: While salmon cooks, dice avocado and cucumber into 1/4-inch cubes. Finely mince 1 tbsp red onion and combine with avocado, cucumber, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, and juice from 1/2 lime in a small bowl.
- Step 5: Top rested salmon with the cucumber-avocado salsa and serve immediately.
