Salmon is a quick and healthy meal that takes minimal effort to cook. I often find myself making seafood recipes such as marinated salmon, salmon foil packets and this fabulously delicious pan seared salmon. Sprinkle on some homemade salmon seasoning to make this dish even more delicious! When I’m looking for a flavor filled simple meal that I know everyone will love, I turn to pan seared salmon. It takes just minutes to sear salmon, and the sauce for this dish only contains 5 ingredients! The outside is crispy and brown and the inside is perfectly tender and flaky. It doesn’t get much easier than this.
Pan Seared Salmon Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need salmon fillets, olive oil, butter, garlic, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper and parsley.
How Do You Make Pan Seared Salmon?
Pat your salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a large skillet, and season your salmon with salt and pepper. Place the salmon, skin side up in the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until a golden brown crisp crust forms. Flip the salmon and continue to cook it until it’s done. Take the salmon out of the pan, then add the butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the salmon back into the pan, then spoon the sauce over the top. Add a garnish of parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For Pan Seared Salmon
To get the crust on your fish, you’ll want to make sure your pan is very hot and that the salmon fillets are dry before you add them to the pan. Use a paper towel to pat the fish dry. Let your salmon cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes for the best results. Be sure not to overcook your fish! Salmon is ready to eat when it’s opaque and easily flakes. This typically takes about 5 minutes per side for an average sized salmon fillet. Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 days. Serve your salmon over rice pilaf, angel hair pasta or mashed red potatoes to soak up all that delicious butter sauce. I also add a green vegetable on the side such as sauteed asparagus, roasted broccoli, cucumber salad or zucchini cassserole. I typically use a stainless steel or non stick pan for this recipe, but a well seasoned cast iron skillet will also work.
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, red onions, 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 fresh herbs like chives or dill. You can also add a sprinkling of feta cheese or cooked crumbled bacon.
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!
