Garlic Butter Salmon (Printable)
Pan-seared salmon in a rich garlic butter sauce with fresh lemon and parsley, 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 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnish
08 - Lemon wedges
09 - Additional fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until melted and foamy.
03 - Place the salmon fillets in the skillet, skin-side down if using skin-on. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom develops a golden crust and the flesh becomes mostly opaque.
04 - Flip the fillets and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, minced garlic, and lemon zest to the pan. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the salmon repeatedly with the melted garlic butter.
05 - Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the fillets and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Remove from heat once the salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.
06 - Transfer the salmon to plates and serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges and extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter pools into a sauce you will want to drag every last bit of bread through.
- It goes from fridge to plate in under thirty minutes, which is faster than deciding what to order for takeout.
02 -
- Do not crowd the pan because the fish will steam instead of sear, so use a large skillet or work in batches if needed.
- The residual heat keeps cooking the salmon after you pull it from the stove, so take it off just before you think it is fully done.
03 -
- Start with salmon that is close to room temperature rather than ice cold, because cold fish straight from the fridge cooks unevenly every time.
- Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the garlic butter over the salmon repeatedly, because that one habit turns a good fillet into an unforgettable one.