Pan Seared Salmon Garlic Butter (Printable Version)
Crispy salmon fillets with rich garlic butter, lemon, and fresh herbs
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Garnish (optional)
09 - Lemon wedges
10 - Extra chopped parsley
# How-To:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Place the salmon fillets skin-side down (if skin-on) in the hot skillet. Sear without moving for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the fish releases easily.
04 - Flip the fillets and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until just cooked through and opaque in the center. Transfer salmon to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
05 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
06 - Stir in the lemon juice and zest, then return the salmon to the pan. Spoon the garlic butter over the fillets for 1 minute to glaze.
07 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The crispy skin creates this incredible texture contrast against the tender, flaky fish inside
- That garlic butter sauce somehow makes everything feel fancy even though it takes literally minutes
02 -
- Dry fish equals crispy skin, so do not skip the paper towel step
- Salmon keeps cooking after you pull it, so remove when just barely opaque in the center
03 -
- Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before cooking
- Keep a close eye on the garlic, it goes from fragrant to burnt in seconds