Garlic Butter Salmon Fillets (Printable)
Pan-seared salmon fillets in a rich garlic butter sauce with lemon and fresh parsley. Ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
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 - Extra chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter, allowing it to melt until slightly foamy.
03 - Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin turns crispy and the flesh is nearly cooked through.
04 - Carefully flip each fillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes, continuously spooning the melted garlic butter over the fillets.
05 - Pour in the lemon juice and sprinkle the lemon zest over the fillets. Swirl the pan gently to combine all the flavors. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
06 - Transfer the salmon to warm plates and serve immediately alongside lemon wedges and additional parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce practically makes itself while the fish cooks, so you feel like a genius with almost zero effort.
- It looks fancy enough for guests but honest enough for a solo dinner in sweatpants.
02 -
- If the salmon is wet when it hits the pan, it will steam instead of sear and you will lose that crispy skin entirely.
- Garlic burns fast in hot butter, so add it only after flipping when the heat has dipped slightly.
03 -
- A splash of dry white wine added with the lemon juice turns the pan drippings into something suspiciously close to a restaurant sauce.
- Take the salmon off heat just before it looks fully done, because carryover cooking will finish the job perfectly.