Garlic Butter Salmon Fillets (Printable View)
Pan-seared salmon in a luscious garlic butter and lemon sauce, ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on, pin bones removed
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - Lemon wedges, for serving
10 - Extra chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and allow it to melt until slightly foamy.
03 - Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin turns crispy and the fish is nearly cooked through.
04 - Carefully flip the salmon fillets. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the minced garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes, continuously spooning the melted garlic butter over the fillets.
05 - Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to the skillet and swirl gently to combine with the pan juices. Remove from heat and sprinkle generously with chopped fresh parsley.
06 - Transfer the salmon to serving plates and spoon the garlic butter sauce from the pan over each fillet. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and additional parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The entire dish comes together in under thirty minutes, which makes it a genuine lifesaver on busy evenings.
- That garlic butter sauce spooned over the top is rich enough to feel indulgent but lets the salmon stay the star.
- It is naturally gluten free and low carb, so you can serve it to almost anyone without a second thought.
02 -
- If you flip the salmon too early the skin will tear and stick to the pan, so wait until it releases on its own.
- A splash of white wine added with the lemon juice transforms the butter into a silky pan sauce worth the extra pour.
03 -
- Take the salmon out of the fridge fifteen minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature and cooks more evenly throughout.
- Basting with the garlic butter using a large spoon during the last two minutes is the single step that makes this taste like a restaurant dish.