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Crispy Pan Seared Salmon with a Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce is a deliciously easy salmon recipe that can be ready in minutes!
The best thing about pan seared salmon is that it’s super crispy on the outside, while soft, tender and flakey on the inside, finished with a silky, buttery sauce. Our family favourite low carb salmon recipe is now yours!
SALMON
Even after pumping out bangers like our Creamy Garlic Butter Salmon and our Honey Mustard Salmon, this simple pan seared salmon recipe has to be one of my family’s favourites. Searing salmon in a hot pan is one of our favourite ways to eat salmon. Not only because it’s delicious, but salmon is also a fantastic source of nutrients, such as omega-3 and vitamin B.
If you’re watching your calories, this pan seared salmon recipe will tick all of your boxes. High in protein and full of healthy fats, every bite of our tangy, garlicky salmon will leave you feeling fuller for longer.
This pan seared salmon uses minimal ingredients but has maximum taste, allowing the flavour of salmon to shine through. You really can’t go wrong with this recipe. Much less fuss than our Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon recipe, it comes together fast, making it perfect for any night of the week.
HOW TO COOK PAN SEARED SALMON
Grab all of your ingredients first as this recipe cooks fast!
- Skinless salmon fillets
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- Parsley
HOW TO PAN SEAR SALMON
Dry room temperature salmon filets with paper towel.
Season all over with salt and pepper.
Squeeze lemon juice over each fillet.
Heat oil in a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
Sear salmon flesh side down, pressing them lightly so the entire surface of the flesh comes into contact with the pan, until crispy and golden.
Flip and sear the other side until the outside is crispy.
Add in the butter, garlic, parsley and lemon juice, stirring the melting butter around each fillet. (The butter will begin to brown slightly.)
SOME TIPS:
- A good quality non stick pan will prevent the salmon from sticking to the pan and causing unnecessary stress.
- You can substitute the butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil if you’re hesitant to use butter
- Add in a splash of white wine also for a gourmet feel! (I usually add in 3-4 tablespoons)
- Fresh parsley is the only way to go with this! I don’t really recommend cooking or garnishing with dried parsley
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PAN SEARED SALMON
Throw some greenery on your plate and pair your pan seared salmon with some Grilled Asparagus, Buttery Sautéed Green Beans or some Creamy Mashed Potato.
This pan seared salmon recipe is restaurant quality, ready in under 15 minutes! Perfectly cooked, crispy and flaky salmon with a silky, buttery lemon garlic sauce.
De-LICIOUS!
Love Salmon? Try these recipes!
Creamy Tuscan Salmon
Easy Salmon Piccata
Easy Honey Garlic Salmon
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Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 28 ounces skinless salmon filets
- 1/4 teaspoon salt to season
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper to season
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 4 tablespoons Italian parsley fresh, chopped, divided
- 1/2 lemon sliced
Instructions
- Pat dry room temperature salmon filets with paper towel. Season all over with salt, pepper. Squeeze 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice over each filet, and rub all the flavour in.
- Heat the olive in a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place salmon filets flesh side down, pressing them lightly so the entire surface of the flesh comes into contact with the pan. Sear, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Flip and sear the other side of each filet for TWO minutes. Add in the butter, chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons of parsley, remaining lemon juice and lemon slices. Stir the butter and garlic around each filet.
- Continue to cook the salmon for a further 1-2 minutes, or until salmon reaches desired doneness. (The butter will begin to brown slightly.) Taste test and season with salt and pepper to your tastes, and add more lemon juice if desired.
- Garnish with the remaining parsley and drizzle the butter over each filet. Serve immediately.
Notes
- A good quality non stick pan will prevent the salmon from sticking to the pan and causing unnecessary stress.
- You can substitute the butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil if you're hesitant to use butter
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this for dinner tonight. It was truly fantastic. Thank you for sharing it.
This is a fabulous and easy recipe that is full of flavor. At times, I add capers and saute the lemon slices to give them a bit of a char.
this recipe is great. I do not usually follow recipes. I learn the technique and riff from there. I followed the recipe (minus the parsley). My wife and mother-in-law were thrilled.
This recipe was so GOOD!!!! On the plus side, it was super quick just like the recipe says. I’ve baked salmon in the oven for several years, but I’m going to be using this recipe regularly now. I will say, the parsley didn’t add much for me. As I don’t normally cook with parsley, I’m not going to go out of my way to buy it for this recipe again. But overall, this recipe was extremely good. (I made the mistake of adding the lemon slices at the very beginning when I put the salmon in, but I was happy I did because there was a strong lemon flavor, which I like. I’d highly recommend adding the lemon in the beginning if that’s a flavor you really like.)
Hi Karina:
I tried this recipe tonight and it came out so delicious. thank you so much for sharing this recipe-I will be using this recipe often.
Probably the best Stove-Top salmon recipes I have had. The sear is the key. All other steps explained very well!!
I used this recipe to make salmon for the first time in my life. I absolutely loved it. I didn’t use exact measurements. Just measured with my heart on the butter and garlic. I didn’t have any white wine but I added in white wine vinegar and it was absolutely amazing. This is definitely gonna be my favorite way to make salmon. The flavors infused so well. If you’ve never had salmon and you want to try it. I recommend trying this recipe!
Just made this for my mother-in-law for her birthday tonight. She said it was 5 star! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Every one of the recipes I’ve tried from cafedelites has turned out great. This was no exception. The whole family loved this salmon recipe. Thank you.
The perfect balance of crispy outside and flakey inside. I’m always a bit underwhelmed when I make salmon at home, but not this time! Will totally make it this way again.