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Garlic Butter Salmon

Garlic Butter Salmon
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Garlic Butter Salmon is a restaurant-quality, flavorful dish featuring crispy skin-on salmon fillets cooked to tender perfection in a luscious garlic butter sauce. Quick and easy to prepare with simple ingredients, this recipe balances rich, velvety garlic butter with bright lemon and fresh herbs, making it a healthy, versatile, and delicious meal ideal for weeknights or special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Salmon Fillets

  • 4 skin-on salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)

Garlic Butter Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, freshly minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Seasonings and Cooking

  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Salmon: Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels to ensure crispiness when cooking. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper to bring out the natural flavors.
  2. Sear the Salmon: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the skin-side down salmon fillets in the pan, pressing lightly to prevent curling. Cook for about 4-5 minutes without moving, allowing the skin to become golden and crispy.
  3. Flip and Add Garlic Butter: Carefully flip the salmon and reduce the heat to medium. Add the unsalted butter to the pan along with the minced garlic. Spoon the melted garlic butter over the salmon repeatedly. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
  4. Finish with Lemon and Parsley: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salmon and sprinkle with chopped parsley for freshness. Give the salmon one last basting with the garlic butter in the pan to lock in that rich flavor.

Notes

  • Room Temperature Fish: Let the salmon sit out for 15 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking.
  • Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Give the fillets enough space to crisp up properly without steaming.
  • Use Fresh Garlic: Minced fresh garlic will provide the best aroma and flavor rather than pre-minced or powdered garlic.
  • Butter Timing: Add the butter after flipping to avoid burning it in the hot pan while searing.
  • Skin-On for Texture: Leaving the skin on creates that perfect crispy exterior while keeping the salmon juicy.

Nutrition

Keywords: Garlic Butter Salmon, salmon recipe, easy salmon, garlic butter sauce, healthy dinner, quick salmon, gluten free salmon

Find it online: https://lillysplate.com/garlic-butter-salmon/