Salmon with Lemon Butter Recipe
This Salmon with Lemon Butter recipe is the most elegant and effortless dinner you can make in just 20 minutes. Crispy golden skin. Tender, perfectly cooked pink flesh. A rich and fragrant lemon butter sauce that pools around the fillet and soaks into every bite. Furthermore, this Salmon with Lemon Butter dish requires only one pan and a handful of ingredients. Moreover, the results are genuinely restaurant quality every single time.
Additionally, salmon is one of the most nutritious and flavor packed fish available. For more wonderful seafood recipes, also explore our Grilled Fish Recipe, our vibrant Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta and our full Sea Food collection.
Choosing the Best Salmon for This Recipe
The quality of salmon makes a significant difference to this Salmon with Lemon Butter dish. Therefore, choosing carefully is worth the effort.
Fresh vs Frozen Salmon
Fresh salmon fillets from a good fishmonger or supermarket fish counter produce the best results. Furthermore, fresh salmon has a firmer texture and a more vibrant flavor than frozen. On the other hand, properly thawed frozen salmon also works very well. Consequently, this recipe is accessible regardless of what is available to you.
Skin On vs Skin Off
Always use skin on salmon fillets for this recipe. Furthermore, the skin protects the delicate flesh during searing. It crisps up beautifully in the hot pan. Moreover, crispy salmon skin is genuinely delicious and should not be wasted. Consequently, cooking skin side down first is the key technique in this recipe.
The Lemon Butter Sauce for This Salmon Recipe
The lemon butter sauce is what transforms this Salmon with Lemon Butter dish from simple to spectacular. Furthermore, it is made directly in the same pan used to cook the salmon. Consequently, all the caramelized bits left behind by the salmon are incorporated into the sauce for extraordinary depth of flavor.
Key Sauce Ingredients
- Unsalted butter — The rich and silky base. Moreover, using unsalted allows precise control over the final seasoning of the sauce.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest — Provides bright, vibrant acidity. Furthermore, the zest adds a deeper, more aromatic lemon flavor that juice alone cannot provide.
- Garlic — Two cloves, finely minced. Additionally, garlic cooked gently in butter develops a sweet, mellow flavor rather than a harsh raw one.
- Fresh parsley or dill — Added at the very last moment. Consequently, it provides color, freshness and a herbal brightness that lifts the entire sauce.
- Capers — Optional but highly recommended. Moreover, their salty, briny pop contrasts beautifully with the rich butter and sweet fish.
How to Get Crispy Salmon Skin Every Time
Crispy salmon skin is the signature of a well made Salmon with Lemon Butter dish. Furthermore, achieving it consistently requires a few simple but important techniques.
The Dry Skin Technique
Pat the salmon skin completely dry with paper towels before cooking. Furthermore, any moisture on the skin creates steam in the hot pan. Steam prevents crisping. Consequently, dry skin sears instantly on contact with the hot oil and crisps beautifully within minutes.
The Score Technique
Make two or three shallow cuts through the skin of each fillet. Moreover, this prevents the skin from contracting during cooking. Consequently, the fillet lies flat against the pan and the entire surface of the skin makes contact with the hot oil.
How to Tell When Salmon Is Perfectly Cooked
Overcooked salmon is dry and chalky. Furthermore, undercooked salmon is unpleasant and unsafe. Therefore, knowing exactly when it is perfectly cooked is essential for this Salmon with Lemon Butter recipe.
- The color change — Watch the side of the fillet. The flesh changes from translucent deep pink to opaque lighter pink as it cooks. Cook until opaque two thirds of the way up the side and then flip.
- The press test — Gently press the thickest part with your finger. Furthermore, perfectly cooked salmon feels firm but with a slight give. Overcooked salmon feels rock hard and does not yield at all.
- The flake test — Insert a fork at the thickest point and twist gently. Moreover, perfectly cooked salmon flakes easily into large, moist segments. Undercooked salmon resists flaking and looks translucent in the center.
How to Make This Salmon with Lemon Butter Recipe
The process is beautifully simple. First, season and sear the salmon skin side down. Then flip and cook briefly. Next, remove the salmon and make the lemon butter sauce in the same pan. Finally, return the salmon and spoon the sauce over. The full method is in the recipe card below.
What to Serve with Salmon with Lemon Butter
This Salmon with Lemon Butter dish pairs beautifully with a wide range of sides. Furthermore, the rich lemon butter sauce works as a dressing for everything on the plate.
Best Side Dish Pairings
- Steamed or roasted asparagus — furthermore, the crisp, grassy flavor of asparagus is the most classic and perfect partner for salmon and lemon butter
- Creamy mashed potato — moreover, the potato soaks up the lemon butter sauce and makes every bite deeply satisfying
- Our fresh and vibrant Greek Salad Recipe for a light Mediterranean inspired plate
- Our crisp Classic Caesar Salad alongside for a complete restaurant quality dinner
- Our creamy Pasta Salad Recipe as a cold side for a relaxed summer dinner
Garlic Herb Butter — Add a tablespoon each of fresh thyme and rosemary to the butter. Moreover, the woody herbs add a deeply aromatic and savory depth that pairs superbly with salmon.
Asian Inspired — Replace the lemon juice with lime juice and the parsley with fresh coriander. Additionally, add a teaspoon of soy sauce and a small grating of fresh ginger to the butter sauce.
Dijon Lemon Butter — Whisk 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard into the finished sauce. Consequently, the mustard adds sharpness and body and helps the sauce cling to the salmon fillet.
Baked Version — Place seasoned salmon in a baking dish. Pour the lemon butter sauce over the top. Bake at 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes. Furthermore, the oven version is even more hands off and works perfectly for larger batches.
Make This Salmon with Lemon Butter Recipe Tonight
In conclusion, this Salmon with Lemon Butter recipe is one of the most elegant and impressive dinners you can make in just 20 minutes. Therefore, whether it is a busy weeknight or a special occasion dinner, this recipe always delivers. Browse more of our delicious Sea Food recipes and share your results in the comments below!
Salmon with Lemon Butter Recipe
Crispy skinned pan seared salmon in a rich, silky lemon butter sauce with garlic, capers and fresh herbs. Ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- The Salmon
- 4Salmon fillets, skin on (approx 160g each)Pat the skin completely dry before cooking for the crispiest possible result
- 1 tbspOlive oil for searing
- ½ tspSalt
- ¼ tspBlack pepper, freshly cracked
- The Lemon Butter Sauce
- 60 gUnsalted butter, cold and dicedCold butter emulsifies into the sauce more smoothly than room temperature butter
- 2 clovesGarlic, finely minced
- 3 tbspFresh lemon juice (about 1.5 lemons)
- 1 tspLemon zest
- 2 tbspCapers, drained and roughly chopped (optional)
- 2 tbspFresh flat leaf parsley or dill, finely chopped
- PinchSalt and white pepper
- To Serve
- 1Lemon, sliced into rounds or wedges
- As desiredSteamed asparagus, baby potatoes or green beans
Equipment
Method for This Salmon with Lemon Butter Recipe
- 1 Prepare the salmon: Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels, especially the skin. Score the skin with 2 to 3 shallow cuts using a sharp knife. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Dry skin is essential for crisping. Furthermore, scoring prevents the skin from curling up and lifting away from the pan surface during cooking.
- 2 Sear the salmon skin side down: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat until just beginning to smoke. Place the salmon fillets skin side down. Press each fillet gently with a spatula for the first 10 seconds to keep the skin flat against the pan. Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. The flesh should be opaque two thirds of the way up the side.
- 3 Flip and finish: Flip the fillets carefully. Cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes on the flesh side. The salmon is done when it flakes easily at the thickest point. Remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate. Moreover, tent loosely with foil to keep warm while you make the sauce. Do not cover tightly as steam will soften the crispy skin.
- 4 Make the lemon butter sauce: Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the minced garlic to the same pan. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant and golden but not brown. Add the lemon juice and scrape up all the golden bits from the bottom of the pan. These bits are where most of the flavor lives. Furthermore, add the lemon zest and capers and simmer for 1 minute.
- 5 Finish the sauce: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the cold diced butter one or two pieces at a time, swirling the pan constantly between additions. The cold butter emulsifies into the lemon juice to create a silky, glossy sauce. Moreover, do not let the sauce boil after adding the butter as it will separate. Stir in the chopped parsley or dill and season to taste.
- 6 Plate and serve: Place each salmon fillet on a warm plate, skin side up to keep it crispy. Spoon the lemon butter sauce generously over and around each fillet. Add lemon rounds or wedges alongside. Serve immediately with your chosen sides. Consequently, the sauce continues to coat the salmon beautifully as it rests on the warm plate.
Nutrition (Per Serving — 1 fillet with lemon butter sauce)
* Nutritional values are estimates per fillet with lemon butter sauce. Omitting capers reduces sodium by approximately 80mg. Using half the butter reduces fat by approximately 7g per serving.
Notes
- Always cook salmon skin side down first for the majority of the cooking time. Furthermore, starting skin down renders the fat from the skin which bastes the flesh from below. Consequently, the flesh stays moist and the skin becomes deeply golden and crispy.
- Do not move the salmon while it is cooking skin side down. Moving it too early prevents proper crisping and can cause the skin to tear. Moreover, the salmon will release naturally from the pan when the skin is properly seared and ready to flip.
- Add the butter off the heat. Butter added to a pan that is still on the heat will separate into greasy pools rather than emulsifying into a smooth sauce. Furthermore, swirling rather than stirring helps the emulsification process significantly.
- This recipe serves 4. To serve 2, use 2 fillets and halve all sauce quantities. The cooking method and timing remain identical. Moreover, one pan easily handles 2 fillets without needing to cook in batches.
- Serve immediately after plating. Salmon loses its perfect texture quickly once rested. Furthermore, the lemon butter sauce begins to separate and pool as it cools. Therefore, plate and serve within 2 to 3 minutes of finishing the sauce.
Tips for Perfect Salmon with Lemon Butter Every Time
- Bring the salmon to room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking. Cold salmon straight from the refrigerator cooks unevenly. Furthermore, the outside overcooks before the center reaches the right temperature. Room temperature fish cooks more evenly from edge to center.
- Use a heavy pan for the best sear. Cast iron or stainless steel retains heat better than non stick. Moreover, the superior heat retention produces a more deeply golden and flavorful crust on the salmon skin. Consequently, a proper pan makes a visible difference to the finished dish.
- Do not squeeze lemon directly over the salmon skin before serving. The acidity softens the crispy skin within seconds. Instead, place lemon wedges on the side and let each person add their own just before eating. Furthermore, the skin stays crispy for much longer this way.
- Score the skin before cooking. Two or three shallow cuts through the skin prevent it from contracting and curling during the sear. Moreover, a flat fillet makes full contact with the hot pan and produces even crisping across the entire surface of the skin.
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the lemon to your preference. Lemons vary significantly in acidity. Therefore, start with the stated amount and add more to taste. Additionally, a pinch of sugar can balance an especially tart batch of lemons without changing the character of the sauce.