Description
This Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce is a simple, flavorful seafood dish perfect for a quick and elegant dinner. Juicy, skinless salmon fillets are pan-seared to golden perfection and drizzled with a rich garlic lemon butter sauce, enhanced by fresh parsley and optional lemon slices for garnish. With minimal ingredients and a quick cooking time, this recipe delivers a restaurant-quality meal that’s easy to prepare at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon
- 4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets (about 1-inch thick)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
- Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rest the Salmon: Remove salmon fillets from refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 1 teaspoon of butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until it turns lightly golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, to release its flavor without burning.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and fresh lemon juice. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce by half (to roughly 3 tablespoons), which takes about 3 minutes. This concentrates the flavors.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of diced butter and honey. Whisk everything until smooth and combined. Set the sauce aside off the heat to keep warm.
- Season Salmon: Pat both sides of the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides to enhance flavor and help achieve a nice crust.
- Heat Pan: Heat the olive oil in a heavy 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, indicating it’s hot enough for searing.
- Cook Salmon: Place the salmon fillets in the hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes without moving them, until the bottom is golden brown and the fish starts to cook through.
- Flip and Finish: Carefully flip the salmon fillets and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until fully cooked through but still moist and tender.
- Serve: Transfer the salmon to plates, leaving the oil in the pan. Generously drizzle the warm garlic lemon butter sauce over each fillet, sprinkle with minced fresh parsley, and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- This Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce is one of the easiest and tastiest dinners you can whip up with minimal ingredients and in under 20 minutes.
- Allowing the salmon to rest at room temperature before cooking helps it cook evenly and prevents overcooking the exterior while the inside remains raw.
- Be careful not to burn the garlic when making the sauce; a gentle sauté until lightly golden is perfect for flavor without bitterness.
- Use a heavy non-stick skillet to prevent the delicate fillets from sticking and breaking apart during cooking.
- Lemon slices garnish is optional but adds a fresh, bright presentation and flavor complement.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1 salmon fillet with sauce)
- Calories: 347 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 81 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
