Crispy Salmon Skin Tacos

Crispy Salmon Skin Tacos
🌮 🐟 🌮
Cabbage, Red Onion, Avocado
Salsa Verde

Raw salmon dishes—such as salmon crudo, sashimi, or aguachile—are prepared without the skin, but don’t discard this flavorful and nutritious part of the fish. Crisp it until golden, tuck it into warm tortillas, and let the skin steal the show. The savory salmon skin is especially good against the cool cabbage, creamy avocado, and lively salsa verde, with every bite offering a delicious contrast of flavors and textures.

When removing the skin from the salmon for these raw preparations, leave some of the flesh attached. In the oven, the flesh browns as the skin turns crisp, creating substantial pieces that are especially good in these tacos.

And September is a wonderful time to catch the last of the season’s fresh corn. Serve the tacos with simply prepared corn on the cob while it is still sweet and plentiful.

Salmon Skin Tacos Recipe

Ingredients

Crispy Salmon Skin

Skin removed from raw salmon fillets, with some salmon flesh attached
Olive oil
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Tacos

Corn tortillas
Finely shredded cabbage
Thinly sliced red onion
Sliced avocado
Crispy salmon skin
Salsa verde
Lime wedges

Method

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Pat the salmon skin pieces dry. Lightly brush both sides of each piece with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Arrange the salmon skin pieces in a single layer without overlapping. Place another sheet of parchment directly over the pieces, then set a second small sheet pan on top.

Roast for 15–20 minutes. Smaller or thinner pieces may be ready first, while thicker pieces with more flesh attached may need the full cooking time. The pieces should be browned and crisp but not overly dark or dried out.

Char the tortillas and layer each one with shredded cabbage, red onion, and avocado. Top with pieces of crispy salmon skin. Serve with salsa verde and lime wedges on the side.

Important Note About Parchment Paper

Some websites recommend crisping salmon skin on parchment paper under the broiler. However, parchment paper manufacturers advise that their products should never be used under a broiler. The intense direct heat, especially on the high setting, can cause exposed parchment to scorch or ignite. This recipe uses the regular Bake setting, with the parchment safely enclosed between two sheet pans.