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Pan seared salmon fillet with crisp skin and lemon butter sauce on a plate

Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Butter

Pan Seared Salmon is a quick, flavorful dish with crisp skin, tender fish, and a bright lemon butter finish. It is an easy choice for a satisfying weeknight meal or a simple special dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salmon
  • 2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 6 ounces / 170 grams each)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon Butter Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium lemon (juice and zest)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
Garnish
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil, allowing it to become shimmering.
  2. Dry the salmon fillets thoroughly with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and black pepper.
  3. Place the salmon in the skillet with the skin side facing down. Hold the fillets gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to help keep the skin flat.
Cooking
  1. Leave the salmon skin-side down for 4–5 minutes without moving it, until the skin is crisp and golden.
  2. Carefully turn the salmon over and cook for another 3–4 minutes until it is nearly cooked through.
  3. During the final minute of cooking, add the butter, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the skillet and let the butter melt.
  4. Angle the skillet and repeatedly spoon the lemon butter sauce over the salmon to baste it.
  5. Take the salmon off the heat when it reaches 145°F / 63°C, then finish with chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

For the best crisp texture, use skin-on salmon and make sure the fillets are patted very dry before searing.