Instant Pot Vietnamese Caramel Salmon- Cooking salmon in Vietnamese Caramel Sauce ( a combo of soy sauce, ginger and brown sugar) in the Instant Pot insures the most flavorful, delicate, flaky melt in your mouth perfect salmon. Quick & Easy! Only 1 minutes cook time! (plus 5 mins. pressure release).
Today’s recipe for Instant Pot Vietnamese Caramel Salmon is coming to you from the Dinner in an Instant (affiliate link) cookbook by Melissa Clark
When I saw this recipe I immediately knew I was going to have to try it! I’m a huge fan of anything with Vietnamese caramel sauce. The combo of soy, ginger and brown sugar is just off the charts crazy good, so the idea of cooking flaky salmon in Vietnamese caramel sauce and in the Instant Pot…ummm yaaaa…no brainer!
How to cook Instant Pot Vietnamese Caramel Salmon
1). Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and add olive oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest and black pepper. Mix ingredients together and bring to a simmer. When the mixture starts to simmer, turn off the sauté function ( by selecting CANCEL).
2.) Add the salmon, skin-side up. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. Set Instant Pot to Manual and cook on low pressure for 1 minute. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes; then quick release any remaining pressure/steam. If necessary (if filets are extra thick) you can cook an additional minute or so using the sauté function if you prefer your filets a bit more well-done.
3.) Lift the salmon (carefully with a spatula) onto a serving platter, flipping so that the skin side is down and the browned, caramelized side is facing up. Set Instant Pot to sauté function, allowing the remaining sauce in the pot to reduce and become thick and syrupy (about2- 3 minutes). Spoon the sauce over salmon and garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions. Squeeze some additional lime juice over salmon if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Don’t skip the Asian Fish Sauce
If you’ve ever had Pad Thai at your favorite Thai restaurant then you’ve probably already experienced Asian fish sauce. It is a key ingredient to the savory flavors of Pad Thai just like it is a key ingredient to the flavors of this Instant Pot Vietnamese Caramel Salmon.
Asian fish sauce adds a depth and savoriness without tasting “fishy”. Making this recipe without the Asian fish sauce would be a noticeable difference in the flavors. You should be able to find Asian fish sauce in the International section or your grocers or at Asian food markets (or online at Amazon).
Select Salmon with the skin on
You can use a larger (approx 1 1/2lb) filet of salmon or several smaller filets for this recipe. Select filet/s with the skin still attached. It makes for a more tender, flaky melt-in-you-mouth salmon . Discard the skin before eating salmon.
Looking for more Healthy Instant Pot Seafood recipes? You might also like:
Quick + Easy Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi
Lemon Pepper + Dill Instant Pot Salmon
Instant Pot Vietnamese Caramel Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp Asian fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 ½ Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp lime zest
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 salmon fillets approx. 6 oz. each
- Fresh cilantro and sliced green onions for garnish
- Extra limes for squeezing over cooked salmon (optional)
Instructions
- Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and add olive oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest and black pepper. Mix ingredients together and bring to a simmer. When the mixture starts to simmer, turn off the sauté function.
- Add the salmon, skin-side up. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. Set Instant Pot to Manual and cook on low pressure for 1 minute. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes; then quick release any remaining pressure/steam. If necessary (if filets are extra thick) you can cook an additional minute or so using the sauté function if you prefer your filets a bit more well-done.
- Lift the salmon (carefully with a spatula) onto a serving platter, flipping so that the skin side is down and the browned, caramelized side is facing up. Set Instant Pot to sauté function, allowing the remaining sauce in the pot to reduce and become thick and syrupy (about2- 3 minutes). Spoon the sauce over salmon and garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions. Squeeze some additional lime juice over salmon if desired.
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