Creamy Dill Salmon

This creamy dill salmon recipe is quick, simple, and elegant! Pan-fried salmon is coated in the most delicious lemon dill cream sauce. 

Salmon and dill just go together. I remember when I was a kid, my mom would make a creamy dill sauce for salmon (and I think other fish too), so it's something I grew up eating. This version is not my mom's, but it's still super yummy. 🙂 I did make a lemon dill salmon pasta back in 2019, which is similar but definitely geared towards serving over pasta.

I enjoyed my lunch after taking those photos, I can tell you that!

I tend to go through phases where I eat/make a lot of salmon. I think I'm about to go through another one. This recipe has me pretty excited for more salmon recipes to come!

How to make salmon with a creamy dill sauce

1. Cut your salmon into roughly four equal pieces. Sprinkle each piece with garlic powder and salt & pepper, then coat them in flour;
2. Sear the fish for 3-4 minutes/side in a skillet and then take it out of the pan;
3. Make the sauce by adding the chicken broth (or use white wine!), lemon juice, and Dijon mustard (it's one of my favorite ingredients to add a little extra something to sauces) to the pan, followed by the cream and fresh dill;
4. Add the salmon back to the pan and continue cooking it until the fish is done and the sauce has reduced to your liking.

Easy peasy... and so perfect for a weeknight dinner or even if you're having company. I just love getting new 30 minute dinners on the blog like this Creamy Garlic Salmon since I know that they're appreciated!

(Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions)

Recipe notes & tips:

• You can use salmon with or without the skin. If you do happen to buy skin-on salmon, but don’t want to eat the skin, you can just peel it right off once the fish is cooked.
• I just buy whatever salmon looks good at the store. Sometimes it's farmed and sometimes it's wild.
• Can't find fresh dill? You can use dried. I'd start with 1 teaspoon and then add more if needed since it is more concentrated. 
• You could throw in any fresh herbs you happen to have on hand as well. 
• Salmon thickness varies, so if your salmon is a bit thicker and not done after the suggested cooking time, just add another few minutes (you may want to reduce the heat so the sauce doesn't thicken too much). Watch the fish change color (it moves up through the fish as it cooks) so you'll have an idea when it's getting close to being done.
• I always get asked on recipes like this if you can sub the heavy cream for something else. In this recipe I'd caution against doing that since the acid in the lemon is pretty likely to curdle the sauce if you use something like milk or half-and-half. As I always say, I choose my ingredients for a reason, and you simply can't beat the taste/texture of real cream. Yes, it's more calories... but everything in moderation. 😉

What to serve with dill salmon:

Try Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Easy Roasted Potatoes and Carrots, or pasta. For a tasty vegetable side dish, try broccolini/broccoli or Easy Roasted Green Beans. You could also make a salad with a light dressing to balance out the richness of the cream sauce.

More tasty salmon recipes to try:

• Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe
• Honey Garlic Salmon Recipe
• 20 Minute Creamy Salmon Piccata Recipe
• Creamy Lemon Salmon
• Salmon Pasta with a Creamy Garlic Sauce

I hope you'll give this lemon dill salmon a try! Made this easy salmon recipe? Questions? Leave me a comment/review below! If you liked this recipe, I would love if you shared the link with a friend. 🙂

Creamy Dill Salmon

This creamy dill salmon recipe is quick, simple, and elegant! Pan-fried salmon is coated in the most delicious lemon dill cream sauce. 

4.98 from 40 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 425 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1 pound fresh salmon cut into 4 pieces
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ Salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ Flour for dredging
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped finely

Instructions

 

• Cut your salmon into 4 pieces. Sprinkle each piece with the garlic powder and season with salt & pepper. Coat each piece in flour on all sides.
  
• Add the olive oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the fish. Cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes/side or until it's nicely browned. Don't overcook - the salmon shouldn't be cooked fully yet. Remove fish to a plate and set it aside.
• Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard to the skillet. Stir until mustard has been incorporated, and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the cream to the pan, along with the dill.
• Add in the salmon and let it cook for another 5 minutes or so until the sauce has thickened a bit and the fish has cooked through. Season with extra salt & pepper if needed. I like to serve it with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice over the fish.

Notes

• If you want to use dried dill, I'd start with 1 teaspoon and work your way up from there. 
• Salmon thickness varies, so if you've got a thicker piece of fish, you may need to cook it a little bit longer than I suggest.
• I don't recommend subbing the cream for half-and-half or milk since the lemon may curdle the sauce.
• 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

Calories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 24gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 212mgPotassium: 624mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1007IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mg

Keyword creamy dill salmon, creamy dill sauce for salmon

Author Natasha Bull