Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon (Print Version)
Pan-seared salmon with a rich garlic butter and lemon sauce, ready in 25 minutes for an elegant weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on or skinless
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
05 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Garnishes
09 - Lemon wedges
10 - Extra chopped parsley
# Directions:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Once the butter is foaming, add the salmon fillets skin-side down. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, then carefully flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the fish is almost cooked through. Transfer salmon to a plate and keep warm.
04 - Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Simmer for 30 seconds to blend the flavors.
06 - Return the salmon to the skillet, spoon the garlic butter sauce over the fillets, and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes until heated through and fully coated.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce comes together in the same pan, so every caramelized bit gets folded back into the finish.
- It looks like something you would order at a restaurant, but the entire thing is done before your rice finishes cooking.
02 -
- If the salmon is wet when it hits the pan it will steam instead of sear, so do not skip the paper towel step no matter how impatient you feel.
- Garlic can go from fragrant to bitter in seconds, so pull the pan off the heat the moment you smell that sweet roasted aroma.
03 -
- Let the salmon rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking so it sears evenly instead of cooling down the pan.
- The secret to a restaurant-quality finish is basting, tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to flood the top of each fillet with the bubbling butter over and over.