Pan-Seared Salmon with North Dakota Wild Rice Pilaf

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

A hearty salmon dish paired with nutty wild rice pilaf inspired by northern U.S. flavors, featuring fresh herbs and toasted nuts. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, wild rice, chicken broth for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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

• 4 pieces (6 oz each) salmon fillets
• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small, finely chopped shallots
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 1 medium, diced carrot
• 1/3 cup, chopped toasted pecans
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp, divided salt
• 1 tsp, divided black pepper
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup wild rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Add the wild rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes until tender and broth is absorbed.
2. Step 2: While rice cooks, heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 finely chopped shallots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 1 diced medium carrot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables soften and edges begin to brown.
3. Step 3: Stir the cooked wild rice into the sautéed vegetables along with 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix well and keep warm.
4. Step 4: Pat dry 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a separate nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Step 5: Place salmon skin-side down in the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes until skin is crisp. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until salmon is opaque and flakes easily.
6. Step 6: Serve the salmon fillets on a bed of wild rice pilaf, garnishing with extra parsley if desired.