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You are here: Home / Recipes / Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon

By Karina 19 Comments Filed Under: Dinner

Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon

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How To Cook Salmon In A Mouthwatering Garlic Butter Cream Sauce!

Deliciously seasoned, pan seared salmon filets — juicy and tender on the inside with perfect crisp edges. Smothered in a gorgeous garlic butter sauce with a hint of white wine and lemon juice, you won’t believe how easy, fast and simple it is to cook salmon this way!

How to Cook Salmon | cafedelites.com

Fresh salmon is full of healthy nutrients and takes only minutes to cook, making it the perfect weeknight meal. The entire family loves this — the sauce alone is to die for!

HOW TO COOK SALMON

A good salmon recipe should be easy to make, using ingredients that compliment and enhance the natural flavours of fresh salmon. When buying salmon, look for filets with a bright colour and fresh sea smell. Fresh salmon should be firm to touch with a shiny appearance.

For this recipe, the best way to cook salmon:

  • You can use either skin on or skinless fillets.
  • Remove salmon from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking to bring them close to room temperature.
  • Pat dry with paper towel to allow the edges to crisp evenly while cooking.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet before adding your fillets and make sure your pan is nice and hot.
  • Season just before cooking to prevent drawing out moisture and drying out your fish.
  • Sear your fillets flesh-side down first (skin-side up) for 4-5 minutes each side, depending on thickness.

How to Cook Salmon | cafedelites.com

HOW LONG TO COOK SALMON

When cooking salmon, notice the colour along the sides of the fillets slowly begin to change to a paler colour, from the bottom where the fish is touching the pan up to the centre.

Once the colour has moved up to the centre, it’s time to flip! What you’ll get is a tender, juicy and crispy fillet.

How to Cook Salmon | cafedelites.com

HOW TO COOK GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE FOR SALMON

Leave the juices in the pan after searing your fillets…that’s where all of the flavour is! Melt the butter, cook your garlic until fragrant — about one minute to prevent burning while allowing the garlic to release flavour.

If using wine, use a dry white wine to cook with. Something like a Pinot Gris or Sauv Blanc or Sémillon. Simmer it down slightly while scraping any bits off of the bottom of the pan.

For a non-wine version, substitute with a low sodium, good quality chicken broth (or stock).

How to Cook Salmon | cafedelites.com

Once the wine (or stock) has been reduced to half, reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally.

After adding your parmesan cheese, taste test and season with salt and pepper, if needed. We use fresh chopped parsley to garnish our fish, but you can also use dill, tarragon, oregano or cilantro.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SALMON

Pasta, rice or mashed potatoes are some favourite sides. Don’t forget a slice of Garlic bread to mop up that creamy sauce!

To keep it low in carbs (or Keto), serve with buttery cauliflower mash, steamed or roasted veggies, zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.

Adapted from our Creamy Garlic Shrimp.

MORE SALMON RECIPES

Firecracker Salmon Recipe
Creamy Salmon Piccata
Seared Salmon with Avocado Tomato Salsa
Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon
Creamed Spinach Stuffed Salmon

How to Cook Salmon | cafedelites.com

How To Cook Salmon with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Creamy Garlic Salmon is a deliciously easy Salmon Recipe! Coated in a rustic and buttery sauce ready in less than 10 minutes, people will think there is a hidden chef in your kitchen! Transform ingredients you most likely already have in your refrigerator into an incredible dinner.
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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 21 oz (600 g) salmon filets skin on or off
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine* or chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups reduced fat cream**
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Instructions

  • Heat oil a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season salmon with salt, pepper and garlic powder all over. Sear in the hot pan, flesh-side down first, for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Once cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Melt the butter in the same skillet. Sauté garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Pour in the white wine or broth; allow to reduce to half while scraping any bits off of the bottom of the pan.
  • Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
  • Add the parmesan cheese and allow sauce to gently simmer for a further minute or so until the cheese melts and sauce thickens.
  • Add the salmon back into the pan, sprinkle with parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste test sauce and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Serve over pasta, rice or steamed veg.

Notes

*Use a good quality dry white wine such as a pinot griot or chardonnay.
White wine can also be substituted for chicken broth or left out completely. The flavour in the sauce will be altered.
**I use reduced fat cream (or light cream) for this recipe. Substitute with half and half if you wish, being careful not to bring the sauce to a boil or it may curdle. You can also use evaporated milk as a low calorie substitution.
Heavy or thickened cream may also be used and will not require thickening with cornstarch. Allow cream to reduce in a gentle simmer until thickened to your liking.

Nutrition

Calories: 688kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 871mg | Vitamin A: 1825IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 1.6mg
« One Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Asparagus
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Andra says

    November 01, 2020 at 11:49 am

    Fabulous sauce!! We even dressed our salad with it! Thanks!!

    Reply
  2. Robin F says

    August 05, 2020 at 3:55 am

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I think you could even add some lump crab to it.

    Reply
  3. Jenny says

    June 07, 2020 at 4:46 am

    5 stars
    Lovely recipe husband wanted more. What else can you say!!

    Reply
  4. Evelynmaria Arriaza says

    June 05, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    Hola Karina!
    Hope you’re staying safe during these crazy times. Your recipes are defiantly keeping my family together, so that’s why when my mom found a pack of frozen tilapia in the fridge I came straight here for some good ideas. You don’t have specific tilapia recipe, you mainly use salmon which the rest of my family loves but my mom finds too fishy, so I was wondering if there was any sauces/recipes on your blog that would pair well with the tilapia. I bet anything would be yummy and but I thought I would ask a pro!
    Oh and by the way, your chocolate cake is TO DIE FOR, new favorite in our home!!
    Thank You
    Much Love and Virtual Hugs

    Reply
  5. Vickie Arney says

    May 06, 2020 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    This is delicious. I just made it again because we loved it so much. It’s fairly easy but the taste is divine. My husband said it’s one of the best dishes I’ve ever made and better than anything he’s ever eaten in a restaurant. It’s definitely a keeper and one I will surely make again.

    Reply
  6. Alex Voucher says

    December 21, 2019 at 8:18 pm

    I do like how easy dinner is with these. Just put your veggies of choice and chicken in a pan and pour over top! In 50 minutes everything was done and I only had one pan to wash. I do love garlic sauces but this one is not a favorite of mine.

    Reply
    • Michele D says

      February 06, 2020 at 9:59 am

      I am a college student so I am working here with minimal ingredients. I subbed out the wine with veggie broth (didn’t have any chicken broth). I also had no heavy cream so I used milk and used the (1cup milk to 2tbs cornstarch). I also added spinach for my depleted iron. Had this with steamed veggies. With what I had to make it with, really really good dinner!

      Reply
  7. Mallory says

    September 29, 2019 at 4:01 pm

    Is the nutritional facts for one serving?

    Reply
    • Karina says

      September 30, 2019 at 8:09 am

      Yes, those are per serving.

      Reply
  8. Cristina says

    September 04, 2019 at 10:33 pm

    I made this recipe tonight and I was only able to taste the sauce because the kids finished everything! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe ^-^

    Reply
  9. Lola Pablo says

    July 02, 2019 at 4:06 am

    Love salmon with creamy butter sauce!

    Reply
  10. Tracey says

    April 11, 2019 at 8:21 pm

    5 stars
    Really enjoyed this sauce with the salmon, will definitely make this on a regular basis. Used the chicken stock version as I had no white wine.

    Reply
  11. Hasnain says

    March 15, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    5 stars
    It simply looks delicious, I am a big fan of sea food and I would love to taste that salmon..

    Reply
  12. Lo says

    March 12, 2019 at 7:20 am

    5 stars
    I love , love, love this recipe! The first time I made this recipe the garlic burned when I tried making the sauce in the same pan that I cooked the salmon in. But the second time I made this recipe, I cooked the sauce in a separate saucepan and it was incredible! So flavorful and rich.

    Reply
  13. Jane Caldwell says

    March 11, 2019 at 12:32 pm

    Katrina!! I just made the Creamy Butter Garlic Salmon and it was AMAZING!! So simple and quick to make but you feel like an expert chef when you serve it! I love your recipes….thanks again for another great recipe that did not disappoint!

    Reply
  14. Marjorie says

    March 07, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    Fabulous

    Reply
  15. Haydee says

    March 05, 2019 at 1:04 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this and O-M-G! Amazing!!!! Switched out a couple of things like white wine for chicken broth but still so so good! Big thumbs up! Will def be making again.

    Reply
  16. Mark K says

    March 01, 2019 at 1:15 am

    5 stars
    This recipe sounds and looks great, can’t wait to make it. But I noticed in your comments you said white wine and lemon juice. Where’s the lemon juice in the recipe?

    Reply
    • Alicia says

      December 05, 2019 at 11:17 pm

      You garnish with your parsley and lemon after the salmon is added to your cream sauce

      Reply

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Welcome! My name is Karina and this is my internet kitchen hang-out. A self-confessed balanced foodie sharing some waistline friendly recipes that are full of flavour. Life is too short for bland and boring. …

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