Lemon Butter Pan Seared Salmon
Published 2/26/2024 • Updated 8/28/2024
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Make this Lemon Butter Pan Seared Salmon in 30 minutes or less. Cook the salmon skin-side-up for 4 over medium/high heat and then flip and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.
If you love this pan friend salmon recipe, check out some of our other delicious and salmon recipes: Dill Salmon and Eggs Scramble, Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon, and my favorite, Lemon Dill Salmon Burgers.
Featured Comment
“I love that there was none of the ugly white “curd” when I cooked salmon this way. This recipe is a keeper!.” – Debra
Salmon has been on the menu in the Fit Foodie kitchen left and right. First, it was our amazing baked salmon in foil, then leftover salmon patties, then salmon burgers, then grilled salmon, and now… pan seared salmon!
We love eating this salmon topped with our dill pickle sauce or eating it as a protein on top of a veggie-packed salad. It’s flavored with lemon, garlic, and dill making it a versatile protein. And – it makes for excellent leftovers (looking at you salmon scramble!).
Why make this pan seared salmon recipe?
- 30-minute meal: dinner is ready in less than 30 minutes!
- Healthy: salmon is high-protein, packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and low-carb making it an excellent healthy meal.
- Perfectly flakey: pan seared salmon slightly crisps up the outsides of your salmon fillets, while leaving the insides super tender.
What You Need for this Seared Salmon Recipe
- Salmon fillets: the star of the show here is beautiful, fresh salmon fillets. We used 4 1/3-lb. fillets right from the butcher.
- Salt and Pepper: salt and pepper may seem basic, but don’t skip this part!
- Butter: butter is the fat used to pan sear salmon. If butter isn’t your jam, you can also try olive oil.
- Minced Garlic: we are garlic people. It’s such a fragrant addition to this recipe. Feel free to use minced garlic or to mince your own.
- Lemon: a little bit of citrus will brighten up this buttery pan seared salmon!
- Fresh Dill: fresh dill is like the cherry on top. It pulls all of these wonderful flavors together.
Can I use a large salmon fillet for this?
If you’re having a hard time finding salmon fillets, feel free to buy one large fillet that is around 1.33 lbs. Cut it into 4 equal fillets using a very sharp knife.
Can you make pan fried salmon with frozen salmon?
We always keep frozen salmon in our freezer, but just make sure you thaw it first before you pan sear it. We recommend thawing it overnight in the fridge.
Try Surrender Salmon!
Our all-time favorite salmon is Surrender Salmon. They catch wild-Alaskan salmon off of Bristol Bay in Alaska. The salmon is bright orange, so flakey and delicious, and truly the best.
Surrender Salmon is a family-run company based here in Minneapolis and they are good friends of ours! Support a local business if you can.
How long to cook salmon on stove?
Depending on the thickness of your salmon, it should take around 7-10 minutes to cook salmon on stove top.
How to Pan Sear Salmon (a quick rundown!)
- Heat: Heat a large, nonstick skillet or cast iron pan (we used a cast iron pan and highly recommend using one) over medium-high heat. Add butter and garlic.
- Sear: Once the butter is fragrant and bubbling, place the salmon skin-side up and sear for 4ish minutes. If you have a thick piece of salmon, sear for an extra minute or two.
- Flip: Flip salmon and sear for 3-4 minutes or until it’s no longer bright pink in the middle and a meat thermometer reads 145ºF.
- Let rest: Remove salmon from the pan and squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Let it rest for 5 minutes before eating. Serve with fresh dill.
Salmon internal temperature
When making pan seared salmon, always have a meat thermometer on hand so that you can measure the internal temperature of your salmon. It should read no less than 145ºF to be considered safe to consume (USDA).
FAQ
We recommend searing the salmon skin-side up first and then flipping it over and searing the skin.
The best way to know if your salmon is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should read at least 145ºF. The look and feel of your salmon should be firm to the touch, light pink in color, and easy to flake.
Neither is better than the other, but we prefer pan seared salmon because it cooks faster and we just love the crispy edges.
Great Jones
Cast Iron Pan
The Great Jones King Sear is our favorite cast iron pan. It’s definitely worth the splurge to add to your kitchen collection!
What to do with Leftover Salmon
Got leftover pan seared salmon? Here are some ideas to use up that extra flakey fish!
How long does cooked salmon last in the frige?
If you have leftover pan seared salmon, let it cool completely. Then, transfer it into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
What to Serve with Pan Seared Salmon Fillets
- Greek Yogurt Dill Pickle Sauce: This healthy dill pickle dip doubles as a sauce and is a favorite in our house. Eat it with chips or serve it on top of a salmon filet.
- Roasted Red Potatoes: Make these crispy roasted red potatoes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! They are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are ready in under an hour and perfect for meal prep!
- Arugula Salad:This is a simple and delicious arugula salad recipe. It is made with arugula, dried fruit, veggies, and fruit. It is the perfect side dish to any meal!
- Oven Roasted Asparagus: Oven roasted asparagus is the best way to eat asparagus! It’s a healthy side dish recipe that’s cooked to perfection.
Perfect Pan Seared Salmon (with lemon and butter!)
Ingredients
- 1.33 lbs. salmon, 4 1/3-lb. fillets
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3-4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh dill
Instructions
- First, prep salmon by patting it dry with a paper towel to remove moisture. Then, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place 3-4 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon minced garlic into a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium/high heat.
- Place salmon skin-side up in the pan and sear for 4 minutes. Flip salmon and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until barely pink in the middle.
- Once flakey and cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145ºF, remove the salmon fillets from the heat.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of salmon and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh dill.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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You cannot cook anything on high or med high heat in butter for more than a couple of minutes. It will burn 100% of the time. Also, salmon tastes better cooked in a light oil, and add the butter/garlic/lemon at the end.
I love that there was none of the ugly white “curd” when I cooked salmon this way. This recipe is a keeper!
For the serving size, is it 1/2 lb of salmon?
1/3 lb! the 1/2 refers to half of the recipe!
This recipe is simple yet delicious. I skipped the capers and used a normal non-stick frying pan. Poured the olive oil into the pan instead of coating the salmon with it. Perfectly accompanied by my favorite salad composed of tomatoes, onions, feta cheese with lemon juice and olive oil. Thanks!
So glad you loved it!!
I love the recipe. Anyways, this one is off-topic, may I know where did you buy your golden fork? It’s beautiful.
West Elm!!
There’s no butter or garlic in the world that can sustain 8 minutes of medium – high heat without burning. Recommend using a resilient oil (avocado or olive) to sear the salmon in and adding the butter/garlic for the last 2-3 minutes of pan time.
I guess Lee H didnt make the recipe yet was to busy to look at the details add ing the garlic and butter at the end saved three other pieces of salmon after the first tasted worse then a can of cat food smells!!!!!
Agree 100%. I cringe every time I see a recipe that calls for cooking a cut of meat for its entirety in the pan in butter. The butter will turn brown and burn before it’s even halfway done.