Pan Seared Salmon Garlic Butter (Printable)

Crispy-skinned salmon fillets in a luscious garlic butter sauce, ready in just 22 minutes.

# What You Need:

01 - 4 (6 oz) skin-on salmon fillets

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

03 - Salt, to taste

04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

07 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

09 - Lemon wedges, for garnish

01 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

03 - Once oil is hot, add salmon fillets skin-side down. Cook for 4–5 minutes, pressing gently to ensure even searing.

04 - Flip the fillets and cook for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until cooked through and golden. Transfer salmon to a plate and tent with foil.

05 - Lower heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring often.

06 - Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Remove from heat.

07 - Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the seared salmon. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

01 -

The skin gets impossibly crispy while the inside stays perfectly tender and flaky
That garlic butter sauce transforms simple salmon into something that feels completely luxurious
From start to finish, you are looking at 22 minutes max, including prep

02 -

Cold salmon straight from the fridge actually sears better than room temperature, so do not bother letting it sit out
That press-down technique when you first add the fish is what prevents the skin from curling up
If your pan is not nonstick, you might need a touch more oil to prevent sticking

03 -

Watch your garlic closely in the butter, as it can go from golden to burnt in seconds
A fish spatula with a thin, flexible blade makes flipping much easier and more precise