Pan seared salmon is my absolute favorite way to enjoy salmon – this salmon is simply seasoned, seared to perfection, and served over a yummy tomato and kale couscous.

This easy weeknight dinner is inspired by a culinary school dish I fell in love with, a Sicilian Seafood couscous. However, since that dish is made with a sofrito (concentrated & cooked down tomato, onion, hot pepper, and fennel mixture). I wanted to take its similar flavors and turn it into something you can easily whip up on a weeknight.
You may have had many versions of pan seared salmon, but I think you’ll love it with this tomato and kale couscous. This pearled couscous is a homey, comforting, and comes together in one pot. While the couscous cooks directly in the pot, you can make the seared salmon. Everything should finish cooking in 30 minutes, and you’ll have an easy gourmet weeknight meal.
Private Chef Tips – for the Pan Seared Salmon:
- Make sure your pan is very hot. Salmon likes to stick to the pan when it’s not hot enough, or not cooked enough to “release” from the pan. After adding the salmon to the pan, let the salmon cook for 2 minutes before trying to flip.
- Season generously with salt. The most common mistake beginner chefs make is under seasoning food. Be sure to sprinkle salt on BOTH sides of the salmon. If you’re worried about oversalting, taste a bite once it’s cooked and adjust with more salt before serving.
For the Tomato and Kale Couscous:
- Use broth for additional flavor. Water works, but adding a seafood or vegetable broth brings this dish a lot more depth and flavor.
- Add aromatics like shallot and garlic to the tomatoes. Toast the aromatics in oil before adding the broth to bring out the most of its flavor.
FAQ – Pan Seared Salmon with Tomato Kale Pearled Couscous
Q: What is pearled couscous?
A: Pearled couscous is a type of pasta, made with wheat flour and formed into a pearl-sized ball. It’s much smaller than Moroccan couscous, a bit more chewy (like pasta), and is delicious! In this recipe, I’m cooking the couscous directly with the sauteed tomatoes, seafood broth, and kale.
Q: What can I substitute for kale?
A: Any dark leafy green can be used here. I’ve used chard or spinach for this recipe. If using spinach, I’d wait until after the couscous has cooked for 5 minutes before adding in the spinach (it cooks much faster than kale or chard).
Q: How to cook pearled couscous?
A: You can either boil the couscous in salted water and drain (like pasta), or you can cook the couscous in broth. For this recipe, I’m using 1 cup of uncooked couscous, which needs 1.5 cups of water or broth.
Q: How to store leftovers of this dish?
A: You can store the cooked pearled couscous on the bottom of a tupperware container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. The salmon can be nestled on top of the couscous, or placed in a separate tupperware.
Step by Step Instructions:
For the dish:
1. Start by making the tomato kale couscous.
2. While the tomato kale couscous is cooking, prepare the salmon.
3. Serve the seared salmon over a bed of the couscous, and enjoy.
For the Pan Seared Salmon:
1. Portion the salmon into 4 – 6 even sized pieces.
2. Season each side of the salmon with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil, then add the seasoned salmon once the pan is hot (you will be able to feel the heat radiating).
4. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness and desired cook of the salmon.
5. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.



For the Tomato Kale Couscous
1. In a medium pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat on medium high heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
2. While the cherry tomatoes are cooking, prep the vegetables – mince the garlic, chop the shallots, and cut the kale into bite sized pieces.
3. Check on the cherry tomatoes, and begin to burst them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the chopped shallot and garlic to the tomatoes, and give everything a stir.



4. To the pan, add the couscous, kosher salt, red pepper flake, and broth. Give everything a stir and let this come up to a boil. Add the chopped kale, cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, give everything a stir, taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and cook for an additional minute if the couscous is too al dente to your liking.
6. Serve immediately, or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.



VIDEO TUTORIAL:

Pan Seared Salmon with Tomato Kale Pearled Couscous
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Pan seared salmon is my absolute favorite way to enjoy salmon – this salmon is simply seasoned, seared to perfection, and served over a yummy tomato and kale couscous.
Ingredients
For the Pan Seared Salmon:
- 1 lb salmon
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
For the Pearled Couscous:
- 1 cup of pearled couscous
- 2 cups of cherry tomatoes
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flake
- 1 bunch of dino kale, de stemmed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1.5 cups vegetable or seafood broth
Instructions
For the dish:
- Start making the tomato kale couscous.
- While the tomato kale couscous is cooking, prepare the salmon.
- Serve the seared salmon over a bed of the couscous, and enjoy.
For the Pan Seared Salmon:
- Portion the salmon into 4 – 6 even sized pieces.
- Season each side of the salmon with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil, then add the seasoned salmon once the pan is hot (you will be able to feel the heat radiating).
- Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness and desired cook of the salmon.
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately.
For the Tomato Kale Couscous:
- In a medium pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat on medium high heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- While the cherry tomatoes are cooking, prep the vegetables – mince the garlic, chop the shallots, and cut the kale into bite sized pieces.
- Check on the cherry tomatoes, and begin to burst them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the chopped shallot and garlic to the tomatoes, and give everything a stir.
- To the pan, add the couscous, kosher salt, red pepper flake, and broth. Give everything a stir and let this come up to a boil. Add the chopped kale, cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, give everything a stir, taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and cook for an additional minute if the couscous is too al dente to your liking.
- Serve immediately, or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Equipment
Notes
For storage, you can store both the pan seared salmon and the tomato kale couscous in a tupperware container (combined is ok). They will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Quick and Easy, Easy Gourmet
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
If you liked this Pan Seared Salmon with Tomato Kale Pearled Couscous:


Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
Shared pantry items:
- Kosher salt, black pepper, neutral oil, red pepper flake – $1
For the Pan Seared Salmon
- 1 lb salmon – $19.99
For the Pearled Couscous
- 1 cup of pearled couscous – $1.50
- 2 cups of cherry tomatoes – $2
- 1 clove of garlic, minced – $.10
- 1 shallot, diced – $.25
- 1 bunch of dino kale, de stemmed and chopped – $1.99
- 1.5 cups vegetable or seafood broth – $2
Total – $27.83
Leave a Reply