Garlic Butter Salmon Fillets (Print)
Pan-seared salmon fillets in a rich garlic butter sauce with lemon and parsley, ready in 25 minutes.
# Ingredient list:
→ Salmon
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 kosher salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - Lemon wedges, for serving
10 - Additional chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. 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 butter and allow it to melt until slightly foamy. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin turns crispy and the fish is nearly cooked through.
03 - Carefully flip the salmon fillets. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic to the pan. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, continuously spooning the melted garlic butter over the fillets as they finish cooking.
04 - Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to the skillet, swirling gently to combine with the pan juices. Remove from heat and sprinkle generously with chopped fresh parsley.
05 - 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 Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce practically makes itself right in the pan, so you get an elegant result with almost zero extra effort.
- It transforms a plain weeknight protein into something that feels like a restaurant dish without requiring any special skills or hard to find ingredients.
02 -
- Overcooking salmon is the most common mistake, so pull it from the heat when the center still has a slight translucency because carryover heat will finish the job.
- Adding the garlic too early causes it to burn and turn bitter, which is why it goes in during the flip, not at the start.
03 -
- Take the salmon out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature, which helps it cook evenly from edge to center.
- The secret to that golden crispy skin is pressing down gently on each fillet with your spatula for the first 30 seconds in the pan to ensure full contact with the surface.