Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Butter (Printable)

Golden-crisp salmon with a luscious garlic butter glaze, ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll 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

# Steps:

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 Tips:

01 -
  • The garlic butter creates this incredible silky sauce that you will want to spoon over everything on your plate
  • You get restaurant quality crispy skin without any fancy techniques or equipment
02 -
  • Dry salmon fillets are the secret to crispy skin, any moisture will make it steam instead of sear
  • Garlic burns faster than you think, keep the heat at medium once the butter goes in
03 -
  • Take the salmon out of the fridge fifteen minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly
  • Let the final glaze happen off the heat if the garlic starts browning too quickly

Return