Garlic Butter Salmon Fillets (Printable)
Pan-seared salmon fillets in a rich garlic butter sauce with lemon and fresh herbs.
# 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 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - Lemon wedges, for serving
10 - Additional chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat salmon fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt until slightly foamy.
03 - Place salmon fillets in the skillet skin-side down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin turns crispy and the fish is nearly cooked through.
04 - Carefully flip the salmon fillets. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and minced garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes, continuously spooning the melted garlic butter over the fillets.
05 - Add lemon juice and lemon zest to the skillet, swirling gently to combine with the pan juices. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
06 - Transfer salmon to warm plates and spoon the garlic butter sauce from the pan over each fillet. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and additional parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The garlic butter pools in the crevices of the flaky fish and every single bite tastes like you spent hours instead of minutes.
- It turns a plain weeknight into something that feels genuinely special without any fuss or expensive ingredients.
02 -
- If you flip the salmon too early the skin will stick and tear, so wait until it releases naturally from the pan.
- Garlic burns quickly in hot butter so add it only after the flip when the heat has dropped slightly.
03 -
- Take the salmon out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly instead of being cold in the center.
- Basting is not optional here, spooning that garlic butter over the top repeatedly is what creates the deeply flavored golden crust.