Pan-Seared Garlic Butter Salmon with Lemon Zest

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-27 · Updated 2026-05-27

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A simple yet elegant salmon dish featuring tender fish pan-seared to perfection in garlic butter, brightened with fresh lemon zest. This seafood recipe (gluten free), ready in about 22 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, unsalted butter, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 12 min Serves 4 International cuisine 350 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 pieces, 6 oz each salmon fillets
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then place salmon fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the edges are crispy and the fillets are golden.
Step 3: Flip the salmon carefully and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet. Spoon the melted butter and garlic over the salmon continuously for 2-3 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through and garlic is fragrant.
Step 4: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, spooning this mixture over the salmon.
Step 5: Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges if desired.