Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon (Printable)
Pan-seared salmon fillets coated in a rich garlic butter and lemon herb 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
# Directions:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is foaming, add the salmon fillets skin-side down. Sear for 4–5 minutes until a golden crust forms, then carefully flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until the fish is almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
03 - 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, being careful not to brown it.
04 - Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Simmer for 30 seconds to allow the flavors to meld together.
05 - Return the salmon to the skillet and spoon the garlic butter sauce over the fillets. Cook for 1–2 more minutes until heated through and fully coated. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get maximum flavor with almost zero cleanup.
- It feels fancy enough for date night but honest enough for a Tuesday when you are too tired to think hard about dinner.
- Fifteen minutes of cooking means you can pull this off even on your most chaotic evenings.
02 -
- Drying the salmon thoroughly before searing is the single step that separates a good result from a great one, so do not rush it.
- Garlic moves from fragrant to bitter very quickly, so pull the pan off the heat the moment you start worrying it has been too long.
03 -
- Take the salmon out of the fridge about fifteen minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature, because cold fish straight from the fridge sears unevenly.
- Taste the sauce before returning the fish to the pan, and adjust with a tiny pinch more salt or a squeeze more lemon until it makes your eyes close.