Garlic Butter Salmon Fillet (Printable Version)
Pan-seared salmon in a luscious garlic butter sauce with lemon and parsley, ready in 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 garlic cloves, 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. 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. Cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes, spooning the melted garlic butter over the salmon repeatedly.
05 - Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the fillets and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Remove from heat when the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges and extra parsley if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The entire dish comes together in under thirty minutes, which makes it perfect for those evenings when you are tempted to order takeout.
- Basting the salmon in garlic butter creates a golden crust that tastes like something from a restaurant.
02 -
- Drying the salmon thoroughly before searing is the single most important step because even slightly wet fillets will steam instead of developing that beautiful golden crust.
- Adding a splash of dry white wine right after the garlic goes in completely transforms the sauce into something silky and complex.
03 -
- Start checking for doneness at the four minute mark after flipping because overcooked salmon dries out fast and there is no rescuing it once that happens.
- Press the fillet gently with your finger instead of cutting into it, since firm but slightly springy means perfectly cooked and hard means you went too far.