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This simple pan seared Lemon Dill Salmon recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner that whips up in just 10 minutes! Only a couple minutes to prep, simple crisp and golden seared fish in a buttery lemon dill sauce that will pair well your favorite side dishes for a complete meal!
We love a delicious easy salmon recipe and this amazing lemon dill salmon has been on repeat in our house lately. This feels like a fancy dish but it is easy enough even for busy weeknights and everything in between!
Salmon is a staple in our house whether we make it in the air fryer, our Greek salmon rice bowls, or citrus maple glazed–if you are a big salmon lover like we are, you will love this recipe as well!
Why You Will Love This Lemon Dill Salmon:
- A quick and simple way to cook salmon. This lemon dill salmon recipe cooks up in only about 10 minutes. The prep itself takes even less time. Amazing fish can be made quickly!
- So flavorful. Fresh lemon juice, butter, fresh herbs–all key to making the perfect salmon. The flavor in this dish is amazing and so vibrant, it’s crazy to think it’s that easy!
- Pairs well with so many side dishes! The key to a delicious meal is the way everything comes together. This simple salmon recipe has flavors that are balanced well by a variety of side dishes from pasta salads, a simple green salad, roasted veggies and so much more!
Recipe Ingredients:
- salmon: fresh salmon, thawed if bought frozen, and use even sized filets for best results. I use approximately 6 ounce filets that are about 1 inch at the thickest spot. The thickness of your fillets will impact cooking time for sure, so be aware if yours are extra thick. I prefer skin on salmon for the best cooking, you don’t have to eat it by any means though, promise!
- seasoning: basic and classic seasoning is all you need for your salmon: salt, pepper and garlic powder. The lemon garlic butter with the fresh dill is the real flavor enhancer!
- olive oil: the salmon is cooked in both olive oil and butter. The olive oil will season the pan and then the butter also adds flavor and richness.
- butter: Unsalted butter is what we used, but salted butter is ok, just adjust the rest of the salt used as desired.
- garlic cloves: freshly minced for the best flavor
- lemon juice: you will need lemon zest as well in this dish so use fresh lemon juice versus the bottled option for best results
- lemon zest: fresh lemon zest adds a perfect pop of flavor to the garlic butter!
- fresh dill: another key ingredient, don’t use dried dill if you can avoid it as it will not be nearly as delicious!
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Allow the salmon to sit out for about 10 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Season the salmon evenly with the sea salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Heat a large skillet (about 12 inches) to medium high heat. Add the olive oil to the hot pan and allow it to heat up. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and melt, allowing it to really heat up and start to bubble.
- When the butter is HOT, add each salmon fillet, skin side up, and let them cook uninterrupted for about 4-5 minutes. They will easily pull away from the pan when they are ready to be flipped.
- When the salmon filets are golden brown and crispy, flip the salmon, reduce heat to medium and allow to cook another 4-6 minutes or until it is opaque and flakes easily. Salmon’s internal temperature should reach 145°F in the thickest portion of the fillet. Use an instant read meat thermometer for best results.
- In the last few minutes that the salmon cooks, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, chopped dill and the garlic cloves.(**you can alternately remove the salmon once it’s cooked and stir the butter and garlic to melt instead if preferred) Allow the butter to melt completely and swirl it around, spooning over the salmon.
- When the salmon has cooked completely, remove it from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. You can also add in a splash of heavy cream if desired for an even richer sauce!
- Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving, pouring the lemon dill butter sauce over top and garnishing with extra lemon zest and freshly chopped parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Select salmon filets of similar size and thickness. Choosing salmon fillets that are fairly even in size will allow cook time to be uniform and you won’t have a lot of juggling fish that is overcooked or undercooked around.
- Allow salmon to come to room temperature for even cooking. This also will help the cook time to be more consistent and even which will make this easy salmon dinner all the better!
- Make sure the pan is HOT before adding your salmon. For that nice golden brown and crispy topped salmon, you want to make sure the pan is very hot before adding it. Give the pan plenty of time to heat up.
- Cook the salmon completely uninterrupted initially for the perfect golden brown crispy top. Another tip when making pan seared salmon is to NOT TOUCH IT. After placing your salmon in your pan, do not touch it for at least 4 or 5 minutes!
Storage:
Store any leftover salmon in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It can easily be reheated in the air fryer for 34-5 minutes at 350°F or in the microwave by heating in 30 second increments until heated. You can bake it as well if preferred.
If you plan on storing longer than that, wrap the salmon twice or wrap it and then place in a freezer safe container for best results. Freeze for about 2 months.
What To Serve With This Pan Seared Lemon Dill Salmon:
- This lemon salmon pairs well with LOTS of salads, and I find pasta salads like my Pesto Orzo Salad or Tomato Basil Pasta Salad.
- Some veggies are great with this dish such as some Roasted Parmesan Green Beans or herb butter carrots.
- Not everyone loves potatoes with salmon, but if you do then these garlic mashed potatoes or parmesan crusted potatoes are amazing!
- A simple spring green salad or this chickpea arugula salad are also some great ideas!
Other Simple Dinner Recipes:
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Lemon Dill Salmon
This simple pan seared Lemon Dill Salmon recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner that whips up in no time! Only a couple minutes to prep, simple crisp and golden seared fish in a buttery lemon dill sauce that will pair well your favorite side dishes for a complete meal!
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets, approx. 6 oz. each, 1 inch thick
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- 1 T olive oil
- 5 T unsalted butter, divided
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 T lemon zest
- 2-3 T chopped fresh dill
- lemon slices, optional
Instructions
- Allow the salmon to sit out for about 10 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature. Pat dry with a paper towel. Season the salmon evenly with the sea salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Heat a large skillet (about 12 inches) to medium high heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to heat up. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and melt, allowing it to really heat up and start to bubble.
- When the butter is HOT, add the salmon filets, skin side up, and let them cook uninterrupted for about 4-5 minutes. They will easily pull away from the pan when they are ready to be flipped.
- When the salmon filets are golden brown and crispy, flip the salmon, reduce heat to medium and allow to cook another 4-6 minutes or until it is opaque and flakes easily. The internal temperature should reach 145°F.
- In the last few minutes of cooking, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, chopped dill and the garlic cloves**. Allow the butter to melt completely and swirl it around, spooning over the salmon. When the salmon has cooked completely, remove it from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest.
- Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving, pouring the lemon dill butter sauce over top and garnishing with extra lemon zest and freshly chopped parsley. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Notes
**If your pan is on the smaller side, OR if your salmon has cooked through completely, you can remove the salmon from the pan, set aside and stir the butter, garlic and dill together while the salmon is out of the pan. Then remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and add the salmon to the pan and spoon sauce over top.
- Select salmon filets of similar size and thickness. Choosing salmon fillets that are fairly even in size will allow cook time to be uniform and you won’t have a lot of juggling fish that is overcooked or undercooked around.
- Allow salmon to come to room temperature for even cooking. This also will help the cook time to be more consistent and even which will make this easy salmon dinner all the better!
- Make sure the pan is HOT before adding your salmon. For that nice golden brown and crispy topped salmon, you want to make sure the pan is very hot before adding it. Give the pan plenty of time to heat up.
- Cook the salmon completely uninterrupted initially for the perfect golden brown crispy top. Another tip when making pan seared salmon is to NOT TOUCH IT. After placing your salmon in your pan, do not touch it for at least 4 or 5 minutes!
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 131mg, Sodium: 368mg, Potassium: 865mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 523IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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