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Skillet_Lemon_Garlic_Butter_Salmon

Skillet Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon

This skillet lemon garlic butter salmon features golden seared salmon finished with a warm sauce of butter, fresh garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Ready in just 20 minutes, it makes a simple seafood dinner with bright, rich flavor.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 persons
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • Fish spatula or turner
  • Spoon For basting the salmon
  • Paper towels For drying the salmon

Method
 

  1. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper. Keeping the salmon dry helps it develop a beautiful golden exterior.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon skin side down if using skin-on fillets. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and the salmon releases easily from the skillet.
  3. Carefully turn the salmon and continue cooking the second side, keeping the heat steady so the center stays tender and juicy.
  4. Add the butter, minced garlic, and lemon juice to the skillet. As the garlic butter melts and foams, spoon it repeatedly over the salmon. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily.
  5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the lemon zest and fresh parsley over the salmon, then spoon plenty of warm lemon garlic butter from the skillet over each fillet before serving.

Notes

Pat the salmon fillets dry before seasoning so they develop a better golden exterior.
If using skin-on salmon, start cooking skin side down.
Wait until the salmon releases easily from the skillet before flipping.
Keep the heat steady so the salmon cooks through while staying tender and juicy.
Spoon the foaming lemon garlic butter over the salmon as it finishes cooking.
Add the lemon zest and parsley after removing the skillet from the heat for the freshest flavor.