Description
Whip up this creamy garlic butter salmon in minutes for a restaurant-quality dinner that’ll impress your family and friends. Tender fish nestled in a rich, silky sauce brings gourmet flavor straight to your weeknight table.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon:
- 4 salmon fillets
Cooking Fats:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
Sauce Components:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Thoroughly dry 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each) using paper towels, then generously sprinkle salt and pepper across both surfaces.
- Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat (375°F), then gently melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the pan.
- Sauté 4 minced garlic cloves until their aromatic essence releases, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Slide salmon fillets into the skillet, positioning skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown.
- Carefully flip salmon and cook opposite side for an additional 4-5 minutes, ensuring internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Transfer salmon to a separate plate, maintaining its warmth.
- Pour 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon dried parsley into the same skillet.
- Whisk sauce ingredients together, allowing mixture to simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Gently return salmon to skillet, coating each fillet generously with the creamy sauce.
- Plate immediately, optionally garnishing with fresh parsley for added color and flavor.
Notes
- Patting the salmon dry ensures a crispy exterior and helps the seasonings stick better to the fish.
- Cooking salmon skin-side down first creates a deliciously crisp skin and helps prevent the fish from sticking to the pan.
- For a lighter version, replace heavy cream with half-and-half or milk, though the sauce won’t be as rich and creamy.
- Salmon cooks quickly, so watch carefully to avoid overcooking and keep the fish tender and moist.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 559 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 173 mg
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 146 mg