Pan-Seared Salmon with Savannah Herb Butter
Delicately pan-seared salmon topped with a fragrant herb butter inspired by Southern coastal flavors, perfect for a light seafood dinner. This Southern-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs salmon fillets, unsalted butter, fresh parsley 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 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
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp, finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp, finely chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cloves, minced garlic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp 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 dry 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each) and season evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper on both sides.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Step 3: Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until edges turn golden and skin is crispy.
- Step 4: Flip salmon carefully and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Step 5: Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 6: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Remove from heat.
- Step 7: Plate the salmon fillets and spoon the herb butter generously over each piece while hot to enhance the coastal flavors.
- Step 8: Serve immediately with your choice of sides, enjoying the rich and fresh herbaceous notes.








