Description
This Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce is a quick and delicious dinner option featuring perfectly cooked salmon fillets topped with a zesty and buttery garlic lemon sauce. With minimal ingredients and straightforward steps, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavors in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon
- 4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
- Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rest Salmon: Remove the salmon fillets from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Make Sauce Base: In a small saucepan, melt 1 tsp of unsalted butter over medium heat.
- Sauté Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and sauté until it turns lightly golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, releasing its aroma.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and fresh lemon juice into the pan with the garlic butter, stirring to combine.
- Simmer and Reduce: Let the sauce simmer until reduced by half, which should take about 3 minutes, concentrating the flavors and thickening slightly.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in the remaining butter (3 Tbsp) and honey, whisking the sauce until smooth and combined; then set aside.
- Prepare Salmon: Pat both sides of the salmon dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat Skillet: Heat the olive oil in a heavy 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, indicating it is hot enough.
- Cook Salmon: Place the salmon fillets skinless side down in the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown. Flip the fillets and cook on the other side for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until salmon is cooked through but still moist.
- Serve: Transfer the salmon to plates, leaving the oil in the pan. Drizzle each serving generously with the garlic lemon butter sauce, sprinkle with minced fresh parsley, and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe is one of the easiest and tastiest salmon dinners requiring minimal ingredients.
- The garlic lemon butter sauce can be prepared ahead of time and warmed before serving.
- Using skinless salmon shortens cooking time and prevents sticking, but skin-on can be used if preferred — adjust cooking times accordingly.
- For a deeper flavor, allow the chicken broth and lemon juice mixture to reduce fully to intensify the sauce.
- Make sure not to overcook the salmon to keep it moist and tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet (6 oz)
- Calories: 347 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 81 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
