Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon (Printable)
Pan-seared salmon fillets coated in a rich garlic butter and lemon sauce, ready in just 25 minutes.
# What You'll 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
# How To Make:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter begins foaming, place the salmon fillets skin-side down and sear for 4 to 5 minutes until a golden crust forms.
03 - Carefully flip each fillet and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the salmon is nearly cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate and set aside.
04 - Reduce the 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, stirring to prevent browning.
05 - Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Simmer for 30 seconds to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Return the salmon to the skillet and spoon the garlic butter sauce generously over each fillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and fully coated. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get all that caramelized flavor without a sink full of dishes.
- It looks like something from a fancy restaurant but takes less than thirty minutes from fridge to plate.
02 -
- Overcooking salmon by even two minutes turns it from silky to chalky, so pull it from the pan when the center still has a slight translucence.
- Garlic burns faster than you think in hot butter, so keep the heat at medium and stir constantly once it goes in.
03 -
- Let the salmon sit at room temperature for ten minutes before cooking so it sears evenly instead of chilling the butter when it hits the pan.
- A citrus zester is worth owning for this recipe alone because the fine curls of lemon zest dissolve into the sauce in a way chunks of knife cut peel never will.