Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill Caper Sauce
Tender pan-seared salmon fillets served with a bright lemon-dill sauce studded with capers, perfect for a light yet flavorful seafood dinner. This Mediterranean-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, olive oil, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 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) salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp, drained capers
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
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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 dry 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place salmon fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through and golden.
- Step 3: Remove salmon from skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp capers, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 cup heavy cream, simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Step 5: Remove from heat and fold in 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill. Spoon the lemon-dill caper sauce over the salmon fillets before serving.







