Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (2024)

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Katerina

4.85 from 52 votes

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Creamy Pan Seared Salmon is a quick, crispy salmon recipe prepared in one skillet and ready in 20 minutes! Served with an incredible lemon garlic cream sauce, this is one seriously good salmon dinner idea.

Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (2)

    Creamy Pan Seared Salmon Fillets

    Crispy salmon fillets swimming in a creamy, lemony, garlicky sauce… can I get an AMEN?! This recipe is a cross between my Salmon with Tomatoes and Spinach and my Creamy Lemon Chicken with Asparagus. It is a recipe that we go back to again and again. Salmon with any lemon sauce is our favorite way to enjoy fish. Pan-seared is also my favorite way to cook salmon fillets, especially when pressed for time.

    Easy fish recipes that come together fast are perfect for a weeknight dinner.This simple salmon recipe is made with several ingredients but tastes absolutely delicious!

    Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (3)

    How To Make Crispy Salmon Fillets

    Searing salmon fillets in a skillet gives the fisha slightly charred exterior and also helps make theskin extra crispy.

    The magic of nailing that perfect pan seared salmon lies in picking just the right size fillets, seasoning them well, and showing a little patience—no fiddling with the fillets while they’re sizzling away. Let the salmon do its thing in that hot oil, and you’ll see it transform into a golden, crusty delight that could easily give a fancy restaurant dish a run for its money.

    Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (4)
    1. Season the fillet and cook, skin-side down, first. Then flip and continue to cook until done.
    2. In the meantime, prepare the sauce by whisking the Half & Half with flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and seasonings.
    3. Remove the salmon fillets from the skillet. Return the skillet to the burners and add in the butter.
    4. Whisk in the prepared sauce and return the fish back into the skillet.
    5. Cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
      Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (5)

      Tips For Cooking Creamy Pan Seared Salmon

      • Choosing the Salmon: Opt for wild-caught over farmed for the best taste and texture.
      • Skin-On Fillets: Skin-on salmon fillets are recommended for this recipe. The skin provides a safety layer between the fish and the hot pan, helping the flesh stay tender and moist.
      • Searing: Resist the temptation to move your salmon around in the pan. Leaving it to sear undisturbed achieves a restaurant-worthy golden crust.
      • Sauce: While the salmon is the star, the lemon garlic cream sauce is its perfect pairing. Make sure to taste the sauce before adding the salmon back in, adjusting the seasonings if necessary.
      • Doneness: To check for doneness, gently press down on the top of the fillet. If it flakes easily, it’s done. An internal temperature of 145°F means your salmon is perfectly cooked.

      Serving Suggestions

      • This creamy pan-seared salmon is delicious on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a side of this Skillet Zucchini and Mushrooms, Roasted Mushrooms, Lemon Rice, or this Alfredo Pasta to make it a complete meal. Don’t forget to spoon some extra sauce on top when serving!
      Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (6)

      Our Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce is truly a restaurant-caliber dish that you can prepare in the comfort of your home and in just about 20 minutes! It’s a combination of perfectly cooked, moist, flaky fish coupled with a silky, creamy lemon and garlic sauce. Tempted yet? Give this recipe a shot for dinner tonight and share your feedback, please. 🙏

      Salmon Recipes To Try

      • Brown Sugar GlazedSalmonRecipe
      • Creamy Garlic Dijon Salmon
      • Panko-CrustedSalmonwith Tuscan Tomato Sauce
      • SalmonTacos with Mango Avocado Salsa
      • Ginger GlazedSalmonwith Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts

      ENJOY!

      Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (7)

      Creamy Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

      Katerina | Diethood

      Quick, delicious, bright, and creamy salmon dinner prepared in just one skillet and served with an incredible lemon garlic cream sauce.

      4.85 from 52 votes

      Rate this Recipe!

      Servings : 6 Serves

      Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

      Prep Time 10 minutes mins

      Cook Time 20 minutes mins

      Total Time 30 minutes mins

      Ingredients

      For The Salmon Fillets

      • 2 tablespoons olive oil
      • 6 skin-on salmon fillets, room temperature, each fillet should be about 4 to 5 ounces
      • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

      For The Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

      • 1 tablespoon butter
      • 1 cup Half & Half, you can also use heavy cream or low-fat evaporated milk
      • ½ tablespoon all purpose flour
      • cup grated Parmesan cheese
      • zest and juice from 1 whole lemon
      • 3 cloves garlic, minced
      • 1 teaspoon dried dill
      • ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
      • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
      • lemon slices, for garnish
      • fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

      Instructions

      For The Salmon Fillets

      • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

      • Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and transfer to the skillet, skin-side down, cooking 3 fillets at a time.

      • Cook for 6 minutes, or until cooked about three quarters of the way through. Do not move the fish around; just let it cook.

      • Using a spatula, flip the salmon fillets over and cook for 2 more minutes; remove from skillet and set aside.

      • Repeat with the rest of the fillets and set all aside.

      For The Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

      • In the meantime, combine the Half & Half, flour, cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dill, thyme, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl; whisk until thoroughly incorporated.

      • Add butter to the skillet and melt it over medium heat.

      • Add the prepared sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil; lower heat to a simmer.

      • Place previously prepared salmon fillets back in the skillet.

      • Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until salmon is heated through.

      • Remove skillet from heat.

      • Spoon the sauce over the salmon.

      • Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

      • Serve.

      Video

      Notes

      • Select Quality Salmon: Use fresh, wild-caught salmon for optimal taste and texture. Each fillet should be 4 to 5 ounces.
      • Perfect Sear: Let salmon sear untouched for a beautiful golden crust.
      • Sauce: Adjust seasonings in your lemon garlic cream sauce to taste before adding it to the salmon. You can also use Heavy Whipping Cream or Evaporated Milk instead of Half & Half.
      • Check Doneness: If the fillet flakes easily, it’s done. Alternatively, check for an internal temperature of 145°F.
      • Storing Leftovers: Leftover salmon fillets can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan set over medium heat or microwave until just warmed through.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1 fillet + sauce | Calories: 271 kcal | Carbohydrates: 4 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 74 mg | Sodium: 191 mg | Potassium: 649 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 180 IU | Vitamin C: 0.7 mg | Calcium: 121 mg | Iron: 1.2 mg

      Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

      Course: Dinner

      Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

      Keyword: creamy sauce, pan seared salmon recipe, salmon fillets, salmon recipes, salmon skillet dinner, salmon skillet recipe, skillet dinners

      Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

      Categories:

      • Dinner Recipes
      • One Pot Meals
      • Quick Dinner Ideas
      • Salmon
      • Seafood
      Pan Seared Salmon Recipe with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce (2024)

      FAQs

      Do you sear both sides of salmon? ›

      Place the fillets skin-side down and sear for about 6-8 minutes, depending on how thick the piece of fish is. Flip once you see that the flesh has lightened about 3/4 of the way up the fish. Sear for another 1-2 minutes.

      Is it healthier to bake or pan sear salmon? ›

      Baking salmon in parchment paper is one of the healthiest cooking methods. It's also easy to prep and clean up. However, some people may prefer the texture of pan-fried or grilled salmon over steamed salmon en papillote.

      How do you make salmon skin crispy without overcooking? ›

      Though you want fairly high heat at the start, cooking at that temperature the entire time will lead to the salmon overcooking on its outer layers, which can cause it to turn chalky and leak unsightly white albumen. So, just before adding the fish, lower the heat under the pan to medium-low.

      Should you flip salmon when pan frying? ›

      PAN SEARING

      Add enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Place salmon, skin-side up, into pan and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip salmon and cook for another 3 minutes or until done.

      Do you cook salmon skin side up or down in the pan? ›

      So, you want skin that is super crisp and flavorful, just as you would want with chicken. Starting your salmon skin-side down, and cooking it until it is well rendered, lightly browned, and crisp, and then turning the salmon to finish the cooking, will make for a terrific dining experience.

      Should salmon be room temp before pan searing? ›

      Now let's do this! To start, get your fish to room temperature. This ensures a more even doneness throughout the entire fillet. Heat a skillet until very hot before adding some vegetable oil and salt.

      How do you know when salmon is done pan searing? ›

      The easiest way to see if your salmon has finished cooking is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the flesh of the salmon flakes—meaning, it separates easily along the white lines that run across the fillet (strips of fish fat)—it's finished cooking. Take it off of the heat!

      Is salmon better in the oven or frying pan? ›

      For smaller, crispy, skin-on Salmon; a crispy pan sear is recommended. For bigger fillets, and succulent, skin-off King Salmon; the best method would be cooking in an oven.

      Is it better to cook salmon on glass or metal? ›

      Culinary experts and chefs recommend using large stainless steel or cast iron pan for baking salmon in the oven.

      Do you start salmon in a cold or hot pan? ›

      Seared Salmon is soon easy to make its the perfect quick weeknight meal! The secret is to star out cooking the salmon in a cold pan and then turn on the heat!

      Do you eat salmon skin? ›

      Yes, you can definitely eat the salmon skin. The skin of the salmon has the highest concentration of omega-3s, besides being a great vitamin D and vitamin B supplement,” says Steven Wong, fishmonger and salmon expert at Seafood from Norway.

      Do you eat the skin of pan seared salmon? ›

      YES! When it is delicious and crispy, you can definitely eat that skin. Most people don't think you can or don't want to because many cooking methods can leave skin soggy. But you will get none of that here!

      How do you know when pan seared salmon is done? ›

      Internal temperature: Use an instant-read meat thermometer; the salmon should register 145°F (63°C) at its thickest part. Flakiness: When gently pressed with a fork, the fish should easily flake apart. Avoid overcooking, as it can dry out the salmon. Cook with the skin side down for best results.

      How do you sear salmon without it falling apart? ›

      Use Salmon WITH the Skin On

      Keeping the skin on salmon makes it easier to flip, as the salmon is less likely to fall apart (also recommended for Instant Pot Salmon). Making pan seared salmon with skin insulates it and makes it more difficult to overcook.

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