Description
Perfect restaurant-quality salmon at home in under 30 minutes with a crispy exterior and flaky fish enveloped in a silky lemon butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each, skin-on, about 1 inch thick)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin works best)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Remove salmon fillets from the refrigerator and pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- Season the flesh side of the salmon with sea salt and black pepper. Let the seasoned fillets rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- While the salmon is resting, prepare the lemon butter sauce by mixing softened butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped dill, and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and wait until it’s shimmering hot.
- Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot pan. Press down gently with a spatula for the first 10-15 seconds.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden, and you can see the salmon cooking about 3/4 of the way up the sides.
- Carefully flip the salmon and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 130°F (54°C) for medium.
- Transfer the cooked salmon to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest for 2 minutes.
- Using the same pan, reduce heat to medium-low and add the prepared garlic herb butter mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant but not brown.
- Return the salmon to the pan, spoon the lemon butter sauce over each fillet, and garnish with additional fresh herbs and lemon slices if desired.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh, wild-caught salmon when available.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute ghee or olive oil for butter.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy variation.
- Store leftover salmon in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Gently reheat in a skillet over low heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet with sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 640
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: N/A
- Trans Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 34
- Cholesterol: N/A