I have a confession to make: I don’t like salmon. I’m was born with this weird tastebud quirk where I love salmon sushi (raw salmon) but can’t stand the taste of cooked salmon. I think what it comes down to is that I don’t like “fishy” tasting salmon. The good news for me and any other people out there like me is that this Skillet Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce is definitely not “fishy” tasting. The secret is the lemon butter sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice- these flavors neutralize the salmon in the best way possible.
What kind of salmon should I buy?
- The two main kinds of salmon that you can buy are farm raised and wild caught. I always try to buy wild salmon because I feel it will be more natural.
- If you can’t find wild salmon in your grocery store, farm raised will be fine. This is a very healthy dish so it’s better not to get frustrated and end up eating something bad for you.
How should I cook my salmon?
- The best way to cook this salmon is to heat up the pan, add your oil, and once hot, put in the salmon skin side down. The goal here is to get a really nice crispy skin that holds in all of the
flavor of the salmon. After a few minutes flip the salmon over and cook it face down for another few minutes. I like to put the lid on the pan towards the end to help the inside of the salmon cook through. - The way you know that your salmon is done cooking is to see if the skin is starting to turn flakey. Once you see the flakiness form you know it is done. As with anything it takes practice to get the feel right so cook this dish a few times and you will become a salmon expert.
What types of side dishes go well with salmon?
- My favorite side dish with this salmon is asparagus. If you don’t like asparagus, broccoli, green beans, and sautéed spinach go great with this dish. You can also add a side of white or brown rice.
Recipe Video
Skillet Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
This Skillet Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce tastes amazing. The secret is the lemon butter sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice- these flavors neutralize the salmon in the best way possible. Enjoy!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 103kcal
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz skinless salmon fillets (about 1-inch thick)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp grapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Remove salmon fillets from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature 10 minutes.
- To prepare garlic lemon butter sauce, melt 1 tsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add in garlic and saute until lightly golden brown (about 1 – 2 minutes). Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice.
- Let the sauce simmer until it reduces by half (to about 3 Tbsp), approx. 3 minutes. Stir in butter and honey and whisk until combined and set sauce aside.
- Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper.
- Heat grapeseed oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add salmon and cook about 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown on bottom then flip and cook salmon on opposite side until salmon has cooked through, about 2 – 3 minutes longer. Optional to flip and cook sides of salmon as well.
- To serve, pour butter sauce over salmon filets and sprinkle with parsley.