Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon Butter and Herb Sauce
Salmon fillets pan-seared to a crisp golden skin, finished with a bright lemon butter herb sauce that complements the rich fish perfectly. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 22 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, olive oil, unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 370 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 pieces (6 oz each), skin on salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp, freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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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 salmon fillets dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the skillet and cook without moving for 5-6 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Flip carefully and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 125°F.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 minced garlic cloves to the pan. Spoon the melted butter and garlic over the salmon for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 4: Remove skillet from heat and stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped dill, and 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Spoon the lemon butter herb sauce over the salmon fillets and serve immediately.







