Pan Seared Salmon Garlic Butter (Print version)

Crispy salmon fillets with rich garlic butter sauce, ready in 22 minutes for an impressive yet effortless dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 (6 oz) skin-on salmon fillets

→ For Cooking

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ To Serve

09 - Lemon wedges, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Once oil is hot, add salmon fillets skin-side down. Cook for 4–5 minutes, pressing gently to ensure even searing.
04 - Flip the fillets and cook for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until cooked through and golden. Transfer salmon to a plate and tent with foil.
05 - Lower heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring often.
06 - Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Remove from heat.
07 - Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the seared salmon. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The restaurant-quality crispy skin that shatters beautifully when you bite into it
  • A sauce that comes together in minutes but makes you look like a trained chef
02 -
  • Damp salmon will steam instead of sear, so pat it thoroughly dry before it hits the pan
  • Let the skillet get properly hot before adding the fish, or you'll end up with stuck-on skin
03 -
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before cooking
  • Use a fish spatula for the easiest flipping—its thin edge slides right under delicate fillets

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