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Easy Lemon Garlic Salmon

Pan-seared salmon with bright lemon garlic butter sauce, ready in 20 minutes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ​ Fresh salmon fillets, 6-oz each (skin-on or skinless) ​
  • 3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice ​
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon zest ​
  • 4 ​ Garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil ​
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter ​
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  3. Add salmon and cook 4-5 minutes without moving. Flip, cook 3-4 minutes more. Remove and tent with foil.
  4. In same skillet, saute garlic 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and zest, simmer 1-2 minutes. Stir in butter until melted.
  5. Return salmon to pan, spoon sauce over fillets, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Pat the salmon very dry before searing. A dry surface gives you that golden crust. If your fillets are thick, give them an extra minute on the first side. Leftover lemon garlic sauce keeps in the fridge for 2 days and is wonderful over vegetables or pasta.