Description
This Lemon-Brown Butter Salmon recipe transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary meal with minimal effort. The combination of perfectly cooked salmon with the nutty, aromatic brown butter and bright lemon creates a dish that’s impressive enough for special occasions yet simple enough for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
- 4 (6-oz.) skin-on salmon fillets
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or dill
Instructions
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt.
- Zest the lemon and set aside both the zest and the lemon.
- Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Press down gently with a spatula for the first 15 seconds to prevent curling.
- Cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip the fillets and cook for another 2-3 minutes for medium doneness.
- Transfer the salmon to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cubed butter to the skillet. Cook until the butter turns amber with little brown bits forming at the bottom.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Remove from heat, squeeze in the juice from half of your lemon, and add most of the lemon zest. Stir in the chopped herbs.
- Place the salmon fillets on plates and spoon the warm lemon-brown butter sauce over each fillet.
- Garnish with the reserved lemon zest and herbs, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with ghee or olive oil.
- Wild-caught salmon is preferable for its richer flavor and higher omega-3 content.
- If fresh herbs aren’t available, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs instead.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: N/A
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 0
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 34
- Cholesterol: 0