Lemon Dill Salmon

Lemon dill seared salmon in skillet with extra chopped dill on top and lemon slices.

5 from 1 vote

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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

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