Best-Kept Secret Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill
A restaurant-quality salmon fillet with a crisp skin and bright herb finish, where the perfect sear makes it truly the best. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 27 minutes, pairs Salmon fillets, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 (6 oz each), skin-on Salmon fillets
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1, thinly sliced Lemon
- 2 tbsp, chopped Fresh dill sprigs
- 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat 4 (6 oz each) salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place salmon skin-side down in the pan and press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds to prevent curling.
- Step 3: Cook skin-side down for 10-12 minutes without moving, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the salmon releases easily from the pan.
- Step 4: Flip salmon and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 thinly sliced lemon to the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter over the salmon for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Immediately sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill.







