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Home » Dinner » Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Butter

May 27, 2019 By Sara 39 Comments

Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Butter

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This pan seared salmon is tender salmon fillets coated in the most delicious garlic butter sauce. A super easy dinner option that can be on the table in less than 20 minutes!

Salmon is a quick and healthy meal that takes minimal effort to cook. I often find myself making marinated salmon, salmon foil packets and this fabulously delicious pan seared salmon.

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Pan seared salmon fillets in garlic butter sauce.

When I’m looking for a simple meal that I know everyone will love, I turn to pan seared salmon. Salmon takes just minutes to cook, and the sauce for this dish only contains 5 ingredients! It doesn’t get much easier than this.

How do you make pan seared salmon?

This recipe starts with salmon fillets. The salmon fillets get seared to golden brown in a little olive oil until they’re cooked through. The next step is to remove the salmon from the pan and make a sauce of melted butter, garlic and lemon. Add the salmon back to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. The finishing touch is a sprinkling of parsley and then you’ll be ready to eat!

Raw salmon fillets in a pan.

Tips for pan seared salmon

  • To get the best golden brown crust on your fish, you’ll want to make sure your pan is very hot and that the salmon fillets are patted dry before they are added to the pan. Let your salmon cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes for the best results.
  • I like to use wild salmon when possible, as it’s more flavorful and has more nutrients than farmed salmon
  • Be sure not to overcook your fish! Your salmon is done when it’s opaque and easily flakes. This typically takes about 5 minutes per side for an average sized salmon fillet.
  • Serve your salmon over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes to soak up all that delicious butter sauce. I also add a green vegetable on the side such as asparagus, broccoli or zucchini.

Sauteed salmon fillets in a metal skillet.

Pan seared salmon variations

This is a basic recipe for pan seared salmon, but there are so many different ingredients you can add to customize this dish to your tastes!

  • Vegetables: You can cook some vegetables in the garlic butter sauce before you spoon it over the salmon. Some great options include spinach or mushrooms. You can also add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes to the finished dish.
  • Seasonings: Try adding some sun dried tomatoes, olives or minced shallots to the sauce.
  • Finishing Touches: Instead of parsley, try chives or dill. You can also add a sprinkling of feta cheese or cooked crumbled bacon.

A pan of seared salmon in a butter sauce.

IS SALMON HEALTHY?

Salmon is a great choice for a healthy diet. This fish is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Salmon is full of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B12, potassium and selenium. Salmon is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which have numerous health benefits. It’s recommended to eat salmon about once a week if possible.

A pan seared salmon fillet served with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

When I’m looking for a recipe that’s hassle free yet totally satisfying, I turn to this salmon. It just can’t be beat!

More great salmon recipes

  • Honey Mustard Salmon
  • Honey Garlic Salmon
  • Salmon with Avocado Salsa
  • Salmon in Foil
  • Greek Salmon Salad
Pan seared salmon fillets in garlic butter sauce.
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5 from 24 votes

Pan Seared Salmon

This pan seared salmon is tender salmon fillets coated in the most delicious garlic butter sauce. A super easy dinner option that can be on the table in less than 20 minutes!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic butter salmon, pan seared salmon
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 349kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets 4-6 ounces each
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place the salmon fillets, skin side up, in the pan. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, or until a golden brown crust forms.
  • Carefully flip the salmon and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until fish is opaque and easily flakes.
  • Remove the salmon from the pan. Add the butter to the pan and melt.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place the salmon back in the pan. Spoon the sauce over the top.
  • Sprinkle the parsley over the salmon, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 833mg | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Filed Under: Dinner Tagged With: Butter, Garlic, Salmon

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Comments

  1. Charlene says

    January 18, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this salmon recipe! It was delicious! I served sautéed squash, zucchini, red potatoes and onions on the side. My husband thought he was at a 5-star restaurant!

    Reply
  2. Cassie says

    December 2, 2020 at 7:42 am

    What is the best kind of Salmon to use for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 2, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      I prefer to use fresh salmon, wild caught if you can get it, but if not Atlantic will also work!

      Reply
  3. Terry says

    October 5, 2020 at 8:08 pm

    5 stars
    OMG! Yummy!! Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Kim Ray says

    October 5, 2020 at 7:24 am

    5 stars
    I had no idea a salmon filet could be so delicious and easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing your recipe and method for the perfect dish. We enjoyed every bite!

    Reply
  5. AZHills says

    September 22, 2020 at 7:15 pm

    Delicious!! I successfully made salmon for the first time tonight with this recipe. My daughter and I loved it. Any tips on how to store and/or reheat this?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 22, 2020 at 8:35 pm

      You can reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments until it’s just warmed through, you don’t want overcook it!

      Reply
    • Momo says

      October 11, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      I can barely cook, and tried this recipee and it was a success! Im excited to do this again for family and friends. Thank you!

      Reply
  6. Heidi Ho says

    August 27, 2020 at 4:10 am

    5 stars
    Easy to make and adding the butter def elevated the whole dish! Thank you for the recipe.
    PS: I prefer drizzle the lemon juice on the salmon at the last step as I am using non-stick pan 🙂

    Reply
    • dora umansky says

      September 12, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      Wow! I love this recipe. I thought I would never buy salmon fillets but was tempted by a sale. I found your recipe online and must say it is a quick and delicious recipe. Mmmm good.

      Reply
  7. Erin says

    August 23, 2020 at 5:22 pm

    5 stars
    This turned out great! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  8. Christine D. Hsu says

    August 17, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
  9. Gregg says

    August 6, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this. Added shallots. Even ate the crispy salmon skin.

    Reply
  10. Suerra says

    August 5, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    Love this!! Made 4 pieces for myself and my husband. I figured I would eat most of it because he is super picky about his fish but he ate dang near all of it hahaha . It was delicious and I will definitely be making this more often.
    Thank you

    Reply
  11. AJ says

    July 28, 2020 at 2:56 pm

    5 stars
    The Best!! Always bought smoked salmon because I looked for a good recipe.
    Came across yours and I make it weekly!
    Thanks

    Reply
  12. Carolyn says

    June 5, 2020 at 9:28 pm

    I made this tonight. I normally don’t like salmon but had two filets and ran across this receipe, tried it and absolutely loved it. I’ll definately make again.

    Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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