Seafood
Garlic Butter Salmon
Pan-seared salmon finished with a bright lemon-garlic butter sauce.
A fast salmon dinner that tastes far more indulgent than it is. The secret is basting the fillets in lemon-garlic butter right at the end.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Method
- 1
Pat the salmon completely dry and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon skin-side down if using skin-on fillets. Cook for 4–5 minutes without moving it. Flip and cook another 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness.
- 3
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and zest.
- 4
Tilt the skillet slightly and repeatedly spoon the garlic-lemon butter over the salmon for 1–2 minutes.
- 5
Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
- 6
Flavor Table Tip: Don't constantly move the salmon. Leaving it alone in the hot skillet is what creates that beautiful golden crust.