This garlic butter salmon is pan-seared to perfection in a lemony garlic butter sauce. It's fast and uses simple everyday ingredients.
Love salmon? Try my Garlic Butter Salmon Pasta, this Honey Lemon Salmon, or my Honey Soy Sauce Glazed Salmon.
This lemon garlic butter salmon is made right in your pan/skillet. I love this technique for cooking salmon. It took me a few years to nail it once I first started cooking, but it's my go-to when I am pan frying fish. There is nothing to be intimidated about, and the tips below will ensure you have perfectly cooked salmon every time. 🙂
What could be better than a simple garlic butter sauce for salmon? This recipe is great for busy weeknights, date night, or when you've got company over. It doesn't take much to make salmon taste delicious.
Recipe notes & tips:
- Searing salmon success tips:
- Most salmon fillets (Atlantic salmon in particular) that you buy from the grocery store will be around 1" thick, and the cooking time in the recipe below will work, but in general it's a good idea to watch the color of the salmon change (the light pink color moves up slowly as it cooks) - this will give you an idea of how close it is to being ready. It will still cook for a little bit after you take it off the heat. It's easy to overcook salmon, so keep that in mind.
- Let the fish warm up for 15-20 minutes prior to starting the recipe if you can, and pat it dry before adding the salt & pepper. This helps it not stick to the pan.
- Ensure the pan gets nice and HOT before you add the salmon. Don't crowd the pan. It's better to cook the fish in two batches than stuff all the pieces in at once.
- Resist the urge to move the salmon around the pan. It needs to cook undisturbed to get a nice sear.
- When you go to flip the salmon, if it's sticking, give it a little more time to release naturally.
- I recommend using cooking tongs to quickly and easily flip the salmon (they're also handy for cooking any other kind of fish/meat).
- Leftovers: they'll be good for 2-3 days refrigerated. Reheat on a low heat or enjoy the salmon cold (like in a salad).
What to serve with garlic butter salmon:
Try mashed potatoes (what's better than mashed potatoes with extra butter and garlic?!), rice, or pasta. I recommend also serving the dish with something lighter like a side salad or steamed veggies.
Everything is better with butter...
- Quick and Easy Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Lemon Butter Chicken Scallopini
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Garlic and Herb Spreadable Butter
Questions about this garlic butter pan-seared salmon recipe? Let me know in the comments below.
Garlic Butter Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon cut into 4 pieces
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or more, to taste
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Take the salmon out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before starting the recipe if you can. Cut the salmon into 4 equal pieces and pat it dry with paper towel. Season each piece generously with salt & pepper.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes.
- Cook the salmon (skin-side down) for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and flip the fish over and cook for another 2-4 minutes (should be cooked through). Transfer the salmon to a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the remaining butter to the pan and let it melt. Stir in the garlic and lemon juice. Continue stirring for a minute or so until the garlic is just cooked (do not let it burn or it'll taste bitter). Take the skillet off the heat once it's done.
- Add the salmon back to the skillet and spoon some sauce over top and sprinkle parsley on if using. Serve immediately. I like to add more fresh lemon juice to mine, so you may want to serve it with lemon wedges so everyone can add more as needed. The salmon skin is nice and crispy (and tasty) if you eat it right away, but you can easily peel it off once it's cooked if you prefer.
Notes
- I used Atlantic salmon that was about 1" thick for this recipe. If your salmon is thicker or thinner, you may need to adjust cooking time a bit.
- It's ok if you've got a bit over a pound of salmon, just make sure it's not too much over or the salmon pieces will be crowded in the pan and not cook properly.
- 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.
Lorena says
Very good, easy to make and helps get dinner on the table fast without looking like you did.
Natasha says
Thank you so much!!
AM Boles says
Delicious and easy! My fussy salmon eater ate every morsel!
Natasha says
That's awesome!!!
Elizabeth says
Hi! Lovely recipe. For dietary reasons can’t use this much butter. Is there a tasty alternative you would recommend? Thank you!
Natasha says
Hi Elizabeth! Maybe some olive oil? I'm really hesitant to suggest something without testing since the whole sauce really is based on butter. I often air fry salmon for myself, so that could actually be a great option for you. I don't have a recipe for it on here, but I basically make a little foil "boat" (like with enough of a lip/edge that juices won't spill everywhere but the top is open), spray it with a little olive oil, pop a piece of salmon on it (skin up), spray the fish with olive oil, and then air fry it at 400F until it's done (varies from air fryer to air fryer and depends on the thickness of the fish, but you can experiment a bit). One of my fav healthy ways to enjoy salmon.
Karen says
I bought salmon steaks for this recipe. How do you crisp the skin since the heat is touching the salmon side not the skin. Should I have bought a filet?
Natasha says
Hi! Yes, this recipe was intended for salmon fillets, but you could use the steaks - no problem. I'd probably just grab them with tongs when they're almost cooked through and hold the skin against the pan and rotate as needed to cook it a bit.
Stephanie K says
I just made this tonight. OMG. Delish! The whole family and a friend LOVED it! Nothing left over. 🙂
Natasha says
Perfect!! I'm thrilled to hear that, Stephanie! 😀 Thanks for taking the time to write me a review.
Carla says
This recipe is amazing. So easy and tastes better than a restaurant. I’ve made it several times!
Natasha says
Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that, Carla!
Bobi says
My new favorite salmon recipe! It was crusty on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside. It was also very easy. Thank you!👍
Natasha says
Fantastic!! So pleased you enjoyed it. Thanks for your review! 😀
Melissa says
Hello just wanted to let you know my salmon was almost and I was wondering if it’s 297 calories per piece or per salmon Thank you Melissa
Natasha says
Your salmon was almost what? Yes, it's 297 calories per serving... so 1/4 pound per person.
Kathryn Martin says
This is literally thee best salmon recipe I’ve ever tried. I don’t think I will ever make salmon any other way!
Natasha says
Aww I'm thrilled to hear that!! Thanks so much for letting me know. 😀
Sandy Annable says
Making this tonight! Can’t wait to give it a try! Always looking forward to a little different twist for salmon!
Natasha says
I hope you enjoy it, Sandy!! 🙂
Mary says
Do you leave the skin on the salmon? I want to make it tomorrow!!
Natasha says
Hi Mary! I do... it's all explained in the recipe if you read it through. 🙂 I prefer to keep the skin on since it helps keep it moist while cooking and it's also tasty (but also easy to remove after you've cooked it if you prefer). Hope you enjoy it!
Isabel says
This was extremely easy to make and absolutely delicious! Will be making this again and again. Thanks for an easy and healthy recipe!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Isabel!! Thanks for reviewing it! 😀
Barb says
Hi Natasha, sure wish you would add a "Jump to Recipe" button to your recipes! Thanks!
Natasha says
Hi Barb, the blog posts are full of useful tips that help ensure recipe success. I earn my living through ad revenue, so scrolling for a few seconds if you don't want to read the posts still ensures I get paid for my hard work. 🙂