Garlic Butter Salmon Fillets (Printable version)
Pan-seared salmon in rich garlic butter with lemon and 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)
# Directions:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
03 - Once the butter has melted and becomes slightly foamy, place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy and the fish is nearly cooked through.
04 - Carefully flip the salmon fillets and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the minced garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, continuously spooning the melted garlic butter over the fillets.
05 - Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to the skillet, swirling gently to combine. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
06 - Serve immediately alongside lemon wedges and additional parsley if desired. Pairs well with steamed vegetables, rice, or roasted potatoes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The entire thing comes together in under thirty minutes, which makes it a genuine weeknight hero.
- That garlic butter sauce essentially creates itself in the pan, so you get a luxurious meal with almost zero extra effort.
02 -
- If the salmon is wet when it hits the pan it will steam instead of sear, so patting it dry is the single most important step.
- Adding the garlic too early causes it to burn and turn bitter, which is why it goes in during the flip, not before.
03 -
- A fish spatula, with its thin flexible blade, makes flipping delicate fillets dramatically easier and reduces the risk of breaking them.
- Letting the salmon rest for one minute off the heat before serving allows the butter sauce to settle and the fish to finish cooking gently from residual heat.