Smoked Paprika Salmon with Brown Butter and Mashed Potatoes

This dish brings together crispy, smoky salmon fillets with a rich brown butter sauce that’s brightened with lemon and scallions. On the side, you’ll find creamy sour cream mashed potatoes and perfectly roasted broccoli. It’s a balanced, flavorful meal that feels special enough for a weekend dinner but simple enough for a busy weeknight.

The key to this recipe is the brown butter: cooking butter until it turns golden and nutty, then adding scallion whites and lemon juice for a savory, tangy finish. Paired with the smoky paprika rub on the salmon, every bite is packed with depth. Serve it all together for a plate that’s as satisfying as it is beautiful.

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Ingredients

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit BroccoliView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Smoked PaprikaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce SalmonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter lemon.
2. Place potatoes in a medium pot with stock concentrate and enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain and return potatoes to pot. Mash with sour cream and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until smooth, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as needed. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. While potatoes cook, cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes.
4. While broccoli roasts, pat salmon dry with paper towels. Rub each fillet with a drizzle of oil. Season generously all over with salt and pepper, then rub smoked paprika into flesh sides. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin sides down; cook until skin is crispy, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer salmon, skin sides down, to a second lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast on middle rack until cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the same pan used for salmon over medium heat. Add 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings) and scallion whites. Cook, carefully swirling butter, until foamy and flecked with amber brown bits, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and add a big squeeze of lemon juice. Stir in lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide mashed potatoes, salmon and broccoli between plates. Top potatoes and salmon with brown butter and sprinkle with scallion greens. (If brown butter is done before the rest of the meal, reheat over low heat, stirring, for 1 minute.) Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of fish?

Yes, you can substitute barramundi or another firm white fish, but adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I know when the brown butter is ready?

The butter will foam and then turn a golden amber color with a nutty aroma. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

You can use dairy-free butter and omit the sour cream or use a plant-based alternative.