Your taste buds will dance as you bite into this flavorful Salmon Tikka Masala. This recipe is surprisingly simple to prepare and I am sharing instructions for both Instant Pot and traditional stovetop methods.
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If you love Indian food you must have already tried my recipes for Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala, Slow Cooker Chicken Masala, and Paneer Makhani.
This Salmon Tikka Masala recipe uses similar ingredients to combine two iconic Indian dishes: makhani and tandoori. It is essentially tandoori-spiced fish in a makhani sauce. And it turns out that making it in the Instant Pot is so much easier and just as tasty as making it on the stove. Salmon holds up to the layers of spice and retains its shape in the sauce. A splash of heavy cream rounds out this sharp and spicy curry.
SO GOOD served with warm naan or Parathas or over Basmati Rice and Crunchy Cabbage Salad. If you are on a low-carb diet, serve it with Cumin Cauliflower Rice or Lemon Cauliflower Rice for a hearty delicious meal.
Origins
This dish incorporates a rich blend of classic Tandoori spices and herbs.
The roots of Tandoori cuisine are thought to be traced back to Persia. The tandoor, a traditional clay oven, plays a pivotal role, allowing meats to be cooked slowly over a fierce charcoal flame. Typical Tandoori marinades often begin with yogurt and a mix of spices such as ginger, garlic, coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala.
Love the warm Tandoori flavors? Try my Tandoori Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken, Tandoori Cauliflower, and Tandoori Fish Recipes.
How to Make Salmon Tikka Masala
Here are my step-by-step instructions with photos to show you each step. All of the steps and the ingredients are in the printable recipe card just a little further down in this post.
- Make the marinade in a stainless-steel bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot.
- Add the salmon to the marinade and turn it evenly so that it is completely coated with the spices. Set this aside.
- Select the high Sauté setting and heat the oil. Add the onion and salt and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Cover the pot with a glass lid (or another nonlocking lid that fits) to speed up the process. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, chile powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Pour in the water and stir it well with a wooden spoon, nudging any browned bits loose.
- Place a tall steam rack in the pot. Make sure all of its legs are resting firmly on the bottom. Place the bowl of salmon on the rack.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to sealing. Select the Pressure Cook or Manual setting and set the cooking time for 4 minutes at high pressure.
- Perform a Quick Release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Open the pot and, wearing heat-resistant mitts, remove the bowl of salmon to a trivet and remove the rack.
- Stir the heavy cream into the curry, then crush the fenugreek leaves with the palms of your hands to release the aromas and stir them in as well. Select the high Sauté setting and carefully add the salmon to the curry, turning it to evenly coat. Cook until the curry comes to a gentle boil and is heated through, or for about 2 to 3 minutes. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Spoon the salmon tikka masala onto plates and serve the rice, naan, and lemon wedges alongside.
Serving
Are you looking for recipes to complete the meal? Serve with colorful and refreshing beet and cucumber raita to compliment the spiciness of this meal.
Everyone loves eating these plain parathas (Indian flatbreads) with recipes that have lots of sauce you can soak up. If you are going to serve rice, make this Instant Pot cumin rice. It has a nutty aroma from the cumin seeds with the mellow spice of cloves and cardamom.
All of the complex flavors of the meal are enhanced and come together perfectly when you serve a fresh cup of chilled pomegranate juice.
Tips
- The best salmon to use is wild Pacific salmon if you can find it.
- The best place to buy salmon is at a fish market. If you don't live near a fish market, buying frozen salmon is a good option, but try to buy wild-caught.
- Pat dry the salmon before marinating to avoid extra liquids.
- Marinate the salmon for at least 20 minutes.
- Use fresh garam masala. Homemade garam masala works the best.
- Deglaze the pot well before adding the rack. Remove any browned bits from the onion and garlic. This will help the Instant Pot come to pressure and also prevent BURN warnings.
FAQ
1. Deglaze the pot well using 1 to 2 tablespoons of water after caramelizing the onions. During deglazing turn off the Instant Pot which will allow the pot to cool down and prevent the liquids from evaporating. After deglazing there should be no browning at the bottom of the pot.
2. Make sure that the sealing ring is secured properly.
3. If all else fails add extra 2 tablespoons of water after sautéing the onions.
You can definitely half the recipe, the pressure cook time will be the same. If you double the recipe, you may end up layering the fish pieces one on top of the other in which case you will need to increase the pressure cook time to 8 minutes.
More Indian Restaurant Fav Dishes
Love the comforting flavors of tikka masala? You might want to try these recipes:
Recipe
Salmon Tikka Masala
Recipe Video
Ingredients
MARINADE
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
CURRY
- 1½ pounds skinless salmon fillet cut into 8 pieces
- 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1½ cups canned tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ⅓ cup water
Garnish
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- To make the marinade: In a stainless-steel bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot, combine the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt and stir to mix. Note: For stovetop method you can marinate in any mixing bowl.
- Pat dry the salmon with paper towels to remove any excess moisture and then add it to the marinade. Turn it a few times to evenly coat it with the spices. Allow the fish to marinate for atleast 20 minutes.
Instant Pot Method
- Select the high Sauté setting and heat the oil. Add the onion and salt and sauté until the onion turns translucent about 5 minutes. Cover the pot with a glass lid (or another nonlocking lid that fits) to speed up the process. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, chile powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Pour in the water and stir well with a wooden spoon, nudging loose any browned bits from the pot bottom.
- Place a tall steam rack in the pot, making sure all of its legs are resting firmly on the bottom. Place the bowl of salmon on the rack.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook or Manual setting and set the cooking time for 4 minutes at high pressure.
- Perform a quick release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Open the pot and, wearing heat-resistant mitts, remove the bowl of salmon to a trivet and remove the rack.
- Stir the heavy cream into the curry, then crush the fenugreek leaves with the palms of your hands to release the aromas and stir them in as well. Select the high Sauté setting and carefully add the salmon to the curry, turning it to evenly coat. Cook until the curry comes to a gentle boil and is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Stove Top Method
- Heat the oil in a medium pot (4 or 5-quart). Add the onion and salt and sauté until the onion turns translucent about 5 minutes. Cover the pot to speed up the process.
- Add the ginger and garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, chile powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Pour in the water and stir well. Cook covered on low heat for 10 minutes. Add more water if the sauce starts to stick to the pan.
- Preheat the oven or air fryer.
- Line the salmon on a baking tray or air fryer lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 F for 8 minutes or Air Fry at 380 F for 8 minutes.
- While the salmon is cooking, stir the heavy cream into the curry, then crush the fenugreek leaves with the palms of your hands to release the aromas and stir them in as well.
- Add the salmon to the curry, turning once it to evenly coat. Cook until the curry comes to a gentle boil and is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Notes
- Use fresh garam masala. Homemade garam masala works the best.
- Deglaze the pot really well before adding the rack. Remove any browned bits from the onion and garlic. This will help the Instant Pot come to pressure and also prevent BURN warnings.
Deepali patni says
Can you use coconut milk instead of heavy cream? Trying to make non dairy
Archana says
Keep the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for 2 hours. When you open the can the cream will be at the top. You can scoop it out and add instead of heavy cream.
Neha says
The salmon was delicious and even my picky teens approved! Definitely a keeper!
Zoey says
Can this work with other fish?
Archana says
Yes you can use any fish fillet as long as they are not very thin
Radss says
New favorite in our home!! We are avid salmon eaters and this recipe is great addition to our meal plans. Best available salmon “curry” I would say. Must try , absolutely delicious!!!
Mitu says
This is a week night staple for us. So easy to make, heathy and so yummy!!
Dimple says
Hi, what is the other alternative to cook salmon??
I have philips multicooker and I don’t have steam rack??
Thanks
Archana says
You can bake it in the oven!
Bin says
Hi if I don’t have an instant pot, but have a regular pressure how would I make this? Or should I just cook it on the stove (both the curry and the salmon)?
Archana says
Cook the curry on the stovetop and bake or broil the marinated salmon in the oven.
Georgia Austin says
This was amazing !! So easy & delish. Reminded me of tikka masala sauce I’ve had at my favorite Indian restaurants . Thank you for this recipe!
Penny Benson says
Flavor was great but I got the dreaded BURN notice! I salvaged most of the curry and put it directly on top of the marinade and salmon. I then cleaned the inner pot thoroughly and filled it about 1/3 with water and cooked at pressure as directed. The salmon was a tad overcooked but the sauce really took care of it.
Archana says
So sorry you got the BURN. Remember to cancel out of the saute option as you deglaze the pot. This prevents from all of the water from the sauce from being evaporated.
Martha Sandidge says
What amazing flavors! Since my sockeye salmon was not skinned, and since the skin will stick to a ungreased pan, I roasted it in a hot oven with the ginger garlic marinade paste on top. Then the fillet just lifted up, leaving the skin behind. I still pressure cooked the sauce to concentrate the flavors. Served the salmon over basmati rice with sauce ladled over. DELICIOUS! Thank you for another winner!
Archana says
Thank you for the detailed feedback. I am glad that you enjoyed the flavors.
Poo says
Great recipe. Is there an alternative to heavy cream?
Which brand of heavy cream do you use?
Thank you!
Archana says
Heavy cream from land o lakes, Horizon or even trader Joes or whole foods brand works. Cashew cream is another option. Soak cashews in warm water and blend until smooth.
Dian says
When I did this, the salmon was not cooked after 4 mins. Should I pressure cook it more or it's ok because it'll be cooked in the sauce anyways afterwards? I pressure cooked it more, but now looking back, maybe I didn't need to?
It's delicious, by the way!
Archana says
Yes! Since the salmon will be added to hot curry, it will be cooked well.
Kirstie says
I made my own tomato purée from all the ripe tomatoes in my garden, just roasted and blended with a little salt & olive oil. Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. Added frozen peas. Fabulous!
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you and I love the addition of roasted tomatoes in Tikka Masala!