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20 Minute Creamy Salmon Piccata Recipe

Published / Updated / 19 Comments

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This creamy salmon piccata recipe is fast and totally delicious! All you need is 20 minutes to make this tender salmon in a lemon caper cream sauce.

salmon in a creamy piccata sauce in a metal skillet

If you're looking for an easy and elegant meal, here it is. This lemon salmon piccata is excellent for a weeknight dinner but also good enough for company.

I find that people really love salmon in creamy sauces. My creamy garlic salmon pasta is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. I will keep the creamy salmon pasta recipes coming as long as there's demand for them. 🙂

creamy salmon piccata over pasta on a white plate beside two lemon slices and a fork

What is piccata sauce?

It's typically meat or fish that's sautéed in a sauce that has lemon, butter and spices. You will usually see capers in Italian-American versions e.g. chicken piccata. Most piccata sauces either use chicken broth/stock or white wine. Garlic also usually makes an appearance. I made a shrimp piccata recipe a while back if you're interested.

Using flour to coat the salmon helps thicken the sauce up quickly without overcooking the fish.

close-up of a piece of salmon smothered with a creamy caper piccata sauce

How to make creamy salmon piccata

Season the salmon and dredge each piece in flour on all sides. Sauté the salmon in butter and oil for 3-4 min./side then take it out of the pan.

Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth or white wine, lemon juice + zest, and capers. Cook for a minute or two.

Stir in the cream and let it thicken, then add the fish back to the pan and cook until salmon is ready. Season as needed. This creamy lemon butter sauce for salmon is delectable!

creamy salmon piccata in a metal skillet with a white tea towel and two lemon wedges

What to serve with salmon piccata

Pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes work very well. I love serving corn with creamy sauces as well. I also like to serve a simple salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette dressing with creamy dishes - it brightens the whole meal.

If you want this to be a true 20 minute complete meal, I suggest making it with pasta. Start boiling the water for the pasta before you start making the fish, and everything will be ready around the same time.

You may also like my creamy Tuscan salmon recipe or my creamy lemon salmon.

close-up of creamy lemon salmon piccata in a skillet

Will you make this salmon piccata with a creamy lemon sauce?

Questions? Ask me in the comments below.

This creamy lemon salmon piccata is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. You can either use white wine or chicken broth in the lemon butter garlic caper sauce. Perfect served with pasta!
4.75 from 4 votes
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Creamy Salmon Piccata

This creamy salmon piccata recipe is fast and totally delicious! All you need is 20 minutes to make this tender salmon in a lemon caper cream sauce.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian American
Keyword salmon piccata
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 458 kcal
Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh salmon cut into 4 pieces
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Flour for dredging
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon (or more) brined capers drained
  • 1  cup heavy/whipping cream 

Instructions

  1. Cut your salmon into 4 pieces. Sprinkle it with the garlic powder and season it generously with salt & pepper. Dredge each piece in flour on all sides.
  2. Add the butter and oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the fish. Cook it for 3-4 minutes/side or until it's browned. Be sure not to overcook the fish; it shouldn't be cooked fully yet. Remove salmon to a plate and set aside.
  3. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice/zest, and capers. Let it simmer for a minute or two.
  4. Add the cream to the skillet. Let it bubble for 2 minutes or so to thicken the sauce up a bit.
  5. And the salmon back into the pan. Cook for a few more minutes (you may want to turn the heat down) until it's cooked through and it flakes easily with a fork. 
  6. Season with extra salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately. 

Recipe Notes

  • This is the lemon zester I use and recommend for this recipe. 
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Salmon Piccata
Amount Per Serving
Calories 458 Calories from Fat 351
% Daily Value*
Fat 39g60%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Cholesterol 159mg53%
Sodium 286mg12%
Potassium 624mg18%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 1095IU22%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 52mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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  1. Anjelica says

    4 stars
    Flavors - a strong 4 stars! Tasty and I added asparagus and spaghetti to round out the dish. Directions - 3 stars, my cream curdled and I was confused do I cook the salmon and make the sauce in the same pan? Would be helpful for a little more clarity when making so others can avoid my newbie mistakes!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! Yes, always assume it’s the same pan if it doesn’t specify otherwise. Occasionally, a recipe will advise you to wipe out the pan (eg if there’s a lot of excess oil). I think as you cook more, you’ll see how other recipes are worded similarly/use similar techniques as mine does. The delicious brown bits from cooking the salmon (or any protein) adds flavors to any sauce (you’ll see the word “deglaze” a lot and that just is a fancy way of saying what I did in step 3). 😊 Not sure if you’ll see my reply but if you do, did you use heavy cream? If you used something like half and half, then I’d expect it to curdle, but I use heavy cream because it is very good at resisting curdling even cooked at a high heat and with the added citrus (that can easily curdle something with a lower fat percentage). ♥️

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! Just added it for you. Please keep in mind that it's only an estimate (I just plug data into a nutrition program), and ingredients vary. Unless you actually weigh out what you're eating, chances are it'll be way off.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hmmm I wouldn't. It'll taste a lot different and give a different texture. It's definitely not a one for one sub. Sour cream and salmon is a good combo, so you could try if you wish, but it won't be the same recipe at all.

      Reply

  4. Andrea McCarthy says

    5 stars
    Just made this...it was very good! The hubby doesn’t like salmon so I made him chicken and I had the salmon. I just added a bit more salt to taste. Will make again.

    Reply