• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
LindySez | Recipes
  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About/Contact
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Techniques
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon

    Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon

    Published: Mar 17, 2021 · Modified: Jan 19, 2023 by Linda Baker · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The combination of flavors in this easy-to-prepare recipe for Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon is out of this world. Bacon, orange, earthy lentils along with the fattiness of the salmon…what more could you ask for?

    Earthy lentils sit under a nicely cook piece of crispy skinned salmon.

    How to Make Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon

    Are you always a little intimidated to cook fish at home?

    Afraid it will be overcooked, smelly, not as delicious as you get in a restaurant?

    Well, with this recipe for Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon, I'm going to change your mind. Definitely, fine restaurant-quality with delectable crunchy skin on the fish, which is cooked to perfection, and served on a world-class earthy-tasting plate of lentils with fresh herbs and smokey bacon AND it's so easy to prepare and impressive to serve. 

    Jump to:
    • How to Make Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon
    • Ingredients and Substitutions
    • Tips for Cooking Crispy Skin Salmon to Perfection
    • FAQ
    • Wine Recommendation
    • Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Salmon filets - Skin on Salmon Filets to be precise. I'll talk about options later, but overall, for it to be crispy skin, you need the skin. Most salmon is sold with the scales already removed, if not ask your fishmonger to do it for you. Don't have a fishmonger? Then here's how to do it yourself. 
    • Lentils - Raw, dry. I love French lentils in this preparation for their smaller size and earthy flavor. Although you could use these varieties, green, brown, (these will most likely be just labeled "lentils), or black beluga as they all cook pretty much the same. Black Beluga lentils look lovely in the dish but are a bit more expensive than French lentils. I would not recommend yellow or red. 
    • Onion - 1 medium should cover you. I use yellow onions when I cook for the most part. Not a sweet onion. About ¾ cup diced.
    • Carrot - Any color. Peel and finely chop. About ½ cup diced. When chopping carrots, take care as the roundness will make them roll. I cut a thin layer off one side, lay the carrot on my cutting board flat side down, I then slice lengthwise and dice. 
    • Orange Peel - 4 2-inch lengths of orange peel. The peel only, with little or no white pith. I know many recipes say NO white pith, but I have found that a little bit doesn't really matter. You don't want a thick about of pith, but if you get a bit of white on your orange peel, don't spend a lot of time trying to remove it. It won't make much if any,  difference. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
    • Thick Applewood Bacon - Applewood smoke provides great flavor, thick bacon adds great texture. I dice my bacon before I cook it so all my pieces are uniform, or at least more so than if you fry slices and then chop. But either way works.
    • Heavy Cream - Also known as "whipping" cream. But keep it unwhipped. The scant ¼ cup of cream rounds out the flavor of the dish. 
    • Fresh Parsley - Use either curly-leaf or flat-leaf parsley. While some claim that flat-leaf, also known as Italian Parsley has more flavor, I find in most instances them to be closely related in flavor. Texture also plays a role when deciding which parsley to use, but when chopped, as it is in this recipe, I find it really doesn't make much difference. 
    • Chives or Green Onion Tops - Chives actually have a deeper, more herbaceous flavor than do green onions (also called Spring Onion or Scallion). They are also much thinner, so look great in the presentation. For best results, use scissors when cutting chives. If using green onion, slice very thinly. 
    • Tarragon - Preferably fresh, but dried will work. While I'm not a huge fan of many dried herbs as I find the flavor to be really less than the fresh version, especially parsley and basil, dried tarragon will still add good flavor. If you don't have tarragon, fresh fennel could be a good substitute. About ¼ cup finely diced and added along with the lentils, onions, carrot, and orange peel. The flavor of tarragon adds so much to the flavor of this recipe, so please, don't omit it.
    Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon in a white bowl with a bag of lentils behind it.

    Tips for Cooking Crispy Skin Salmon to Perfection

    1. I use the hot-pan method. There is an alternative method called cold pan but I have had varying degrees of success with getting my fish cooked correctly without the skin sticking. But then, BB and I enjoy our salmon more on the rare side, so cold pan has a tendency to overcook my fish before my skin is sufficiently crisp.
    2. Use the Proper Pan - This is a time when a good cast-iron frypan comes in handy. A well-seasoned cast-iron pan works very much like a non-stick pan but can handle a higher heat which is needed to get that crisp skin. You can also use a heavy-bottom stainless pan. If you get the pan hot enough, and you need to get the pan hot for the skin to crisp, you shouldn't have any problem with the skin/fish sticking to the pan. While there are many non-stick skillets that do not have coatings, you want to make sure you use one with a heavy bottom for even heat. Do not use a coated non-stick pan such as Teflon® as they are not intended for higher heat. 
    3. Make sure the skin is dry - Just like cooking scallops or browning meat, having your protein dry counts. Dry the skin well with paper towels. Putting the filet in the refrigerator, skin side up helps dry the skin even more. So if time permits, place your filets in the refrigerator for an hour or so. 
    4. Get the pan, and the oil hot - You want a sizzle, not smoking. Don't get the pan TOO hot, just enough so when the salmon hits the oil there is a good sizzle. If the pan is too hot you will end up with burnt skin salmon, not crispy.
    5. Season the skin with salt only - Pepper will burn. We want nothing to burn. You can season the flesh side of the fish with both salt and pepper.
    6. Cook 90% of the fish on the skin side - Once you have the filet in the pan, skin side down, leave them, undisturbed until you see the sides of the filet turn from translucent to opaque. As soon as the thickest part of the fish turns opaque, turn the fish, cook the flesh side, not more than a minute or so as the fish is already mostly done. Do NOT overcook your fish.
    7. Serve skin-side up - To keep that crisp. Served skin-side down will create steam that will soften the skin.

    FAQ

    Do I have to use skin-on salmon?

    No, You don't HAVE to. Only if you want crispy skin salmon. If making this recipe with other than skin-on salmon, you can use any cooking method you choose. Bake, fry, or broil. You can use filets or steaks. 
    For more information about fish and sustainability, click here.

    Can I make the lentils in advance?

    Yes, you can. The lentils can be prepared up to two days ahead. Chill the lentils and keep them separate from the liquid covered in your refrigerator. You can also fry your bacon ahead of time and keep it separate. When ready to serve, bring the lentils to a simmer, adding enough of your liquid to moisten them. Then stir in your fresh herbs and the bacon.

    Crispy Skin Salmon on Lentils done rare.

    This is how BB and I like our Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon

    A plate with a more opaque piece of Crispy Skin Salmon.

    You might like yours a little more done. But do not overcook! Cook until it's just opaque. 

    Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon ready to eat.

    Wine Recommendation

    Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon is the perfect pair for a lean Pinot Noir. The rich fat of the salmon, along with the earthy lentils and smokey bacon is a classic fit. If you are not a big Pinot fan, try a merlot. See how to pair red wine with fish for more information about why this works.

    WANT MORE HEALTHY FISH RECIPES?

    Thai Salmon and Noodle Soup

    Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Orange Mustard Glaze

    Snapper with Shrimp Creole Sauce

    Riesling Poached Trout

    Salmon Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

     

    This recipe is new and improved from Salmon with Lentils and Bacon originally published in February 2012. 

     

    Earthy lentils sit under a nicely cook piece of crispy skinned salmon.

    Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon

    LindySez
    The combination of flavors in this recipe for Crispy Skin Salmon with Lentils and Bacon is out of this world. Bacon, orange, earthy lentils along with the fattiness of the salmon…what more could you ask for?  Oh yeah, crispy skin!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Fish & Seafood
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 423 kcal

    Equipment

    • Wide Bowls for serving
    • Cast Iron Skillet
    • Heavy non-stick skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup lentils rinsed (Preferably French Lentils or Black Beluga)
    • 1 medium yellow onion minced (about ¾ cup)
    • 1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
    • 4 2-inch long orange peel strips (orange part only, no white pith)
    • 2 ½ cups water
    • 2 – 3 slices thick applewood bacon
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
    • ¼ cup chopped chives or green onion tops try the chives, they really are different than green onion tops
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried
    • 4 6-ounce skin-on Salmon fillets ( use wild-caught salmon if at all possible; it’s got better taste, better texture, it’s good for YOU and it’s good for the environment)
    • Olive oil as needed

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the lentils, onion, carrot, orange peel, and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally for about 25 minutes. Drain, reserving ¾ cup cooking liquid; discard the orange peel. Return the lentils to the pan; season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared day ahead. Cover and chill the lentils and reserved cooking liquid separately.)
    • While the lentils cook fry the bacon until crisp. Remove, drain, and chop into pieces. (Hint I like to have uniform pieces of bacon in my dish, so I slice the bacon first into uniform pieces and then fry them.)
    • Place a frying pan over medium heat. (Hint - I use the same skillet I use to cook my bacon, excess fat drained for an even smokier bacony flavor). Add a small amount of oil; heat until shimmering but not smoking hot. Season the fish with salt on the skin side, and a bit of salt and pepper on the flesh side. Place in the filet, skin-side down, into the hot frying pan. Cook until just opaque, then turn and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
    • While your fish is cooking, add enough reserved cooking liquid to the lentils to moisten them; mix in the cream, parsley, chives, and tarragon; bring to a simmer. Add the bacon. Spoon lentils onto warmed plates; top with the salmon, skin side up, and serve.

    Notes

    I like to mix ¾ of my bacon into the lentils, reserving the rest to sprinkle on the top.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingSodium: 135mgFiber: 16gCholesterol: 102mgCalories: 423kcalPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gFat: 10gProtein: 49gCarbohydrates: 34g
    Keyword crispy skin, fish fillets, gluten-free, salmon, salmon lentil recipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Related

    « Easy Basic Pizza Dough Recipe
    Easy Low-Fat Baked Eggplant Parmesan »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. BB

      March 22, 2021 at 8:32 am

      The crispy skin and opaque cook to the fish makes this spectacular!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lindy.

    I am a home-trained chef who loves to cook and eat delicious food. As I like to say, "Life is too short to eat mediocre food". And I find too much food out there is mediocre. I don't think good food needs to be fussy, or difficult to prepare. Most of my recipes are fresh, quick, easy, and tasty while keeping both calories and fats in check. 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • The Best Hormel Chili No Beans Copycat Recipe
    • Slow Cooked Oven Baked Spaghetti Sauce
    • A Quick No Knead Crusty Rye Bread
    • Recipe for the Best Original Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce
    • Easy Sweet Tart Homemade Applesauce
    • Just the Beginnings Chicken Soup
    • Hasenpfeffer (German Style Wine Braised Rabbit)
    • Red Wine Rosemary Risotto
    • Sauerbraten My Way
    • Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2020 Lindy Sez