Description
This Garlic Herb Butter Salmon features perfectly pan-seared salmon fillets topped with a luxurious garlic herb butter sauce. Restaurant-quality flavor in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each, skin-on, about 1-inch thick)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Extra fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the salmon: Remove salmon from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature. Pat fillets completely dry with paper towels – this is crucial for getting a good sear. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the pan: Place your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil. Let the butter melt and begin to shimmer, swirling to coat the pan evenly.
- Sear the salmon: Carefully place salmon fillets in the pan, skin-side up. Don’t move them! Let them cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom. The salmon should release easily from the pan when it’s ready to flip.
- Flip carefully: Using a fish spatula, gently flip each fillet. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on the skin side until the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness. For medium (my favorite), aim for an internal temperature of 125-130°F.
- Make the garlic herb butter: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add herbs and lemon: Remove pan from heat. Stir in the fresh parsley, dill, thyme, and lemon juice. The butter will sizzle and become wonderfully aromatic.
- Baste and serve: Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to continuously baste the salmon with the garlic herb butter for 30 seconds. This infuses incredible flavor into every bite.
- Plate and garnish: Transfer salmon to serving plates, spooning the garlic herb butter sauce generously over each fillet. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Doneness temperatures: Rare (110°F), Medium-rare (120°F), Medium (130°F), Well-done (145°F – USDA recommendation)
- For crispier skin, make sure the skin is completely dry before cooking and press down gently with your spatula during the first minute of cooking
- If your fillets have varying thickness, cook thicker pieces for an extra minute or two
- Don’t overcrowd the pan – cook in batches if necessary to maintain proper temperature
- The residual heat will continue cooking the salmon slightly after removing from heat, so pull it just before your target temperature
- Use clarified butter if you want to cook at higher heat without risk of burning
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American / French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet with butter sauce
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 125mg