Recipe

Pan-Seared Salmon with Garlic and Onion Mojo

Name: Pan-Seared Salmon with Garlic and Onion Mojo
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets, 160 g each (640 g total), boneless and skin-on; 1 medium onion (160 g), sliced into thin strips; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 60 ml sour orange juice; 45 ml olive oil, divided (25 ml for the onion and the mojo, 20 ml for the salmon); ½ teaspoon ground cumin; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; 5 g chopped parsley (optional)

Salmon fillets with golden, crispy skin served with a hot mojo of sour orange, garlic, onion and cumin. Ready in about 35 minutes.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation15 min
Cooking20 min
Total time35 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy

This contemporary dish brings Cuban mojo to salmon. Sour orange, garlic, onion and cumin accompany pan-cooked fillets with beautifully golden skin.

Make the mojo first and pour it hot around the fish just before serving, so the skin keeps its crispy texture.

Ingredients

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4 salmon fillets, 160 g each (640 g total), boneless and skin-on
1 medium onion (160 g), sliced into thin strips
4 garlic cloves, chopped
60 ml sour orange juice
45 ml olive oil, divided (25 ml for the onion and the mojo, 20 ml for the salmon)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
5 g chopped parsley (optional)

Method

Pat the salmon fillets dry on both sides with paper towels, especially the skin. Season them with salt and pepper and leave them on a plate while you make the mojo.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Slice the onion into thin strips and chop the garlic cloves, if you haven't already.
Heat 25 ml of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, just until fragrant. Don't let it burn, because it turns bitter.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Pour in the sour orange juice and add the cumin. Heat for 1 minute, taste for salt and transfer the mojo to a bowl. Set aside.
Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels to remove any bits of garlic, which would burn over high heat. Place it over medium-high heat with the remaining 20 ml of oil.
Place the fillets skin side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes without moving them, until the skin is golden and crispy and the opaque color climbs up the sides. If they don't fit comfortably, cook in two batches.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Flip them with a spatula and finish cooking for 2 to 4 more minutes, depending on thickness, lowering the heat slightly if needed. Check with a thermometer that the center reaches 63 °C (145 °F); the timing is only approximate.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
If the mojo has cooled, warm it for a few seconds. Serve the salmon skin side up and pour the hot mojo with the onion over or around it, without soaking the skin. Sprinkle with parsley if using.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Tips and variations

If you can't find sour orange, replace the 60 ml with 40 ml of sweet orange juice and 20 ml of lime or lemon juice.

Doneness of the salmon: the timing is approximate and depends on the thickness of the fillet. The safest approach is to check with a thermometer that the center reaches 63 °C (145 °F).

If your skillet isn't large, cook the salmon in two batches so the fillets don't crowd the pan and the skin browns instead of steaming. Use half the oil in each batch and keep the first fillets warm on a plate.

To serve alongside, it goes well with white rice and a fresh salad, prepared separately.

Storage: it is best eaten freshly made. If there are leftovers, store the salmon and the mojo separately in covered containers in the refrigerator and eat within 1 or 2 days; reheat gently so it doesn't dry out.