Easy Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe

If you're looking for a healthy, beautiful 10-minute dinner that looks like it came from a fancy restaurant, garlic butter salmon is it! Flaky salmon with crispy skin in a rich garlic butter sauce laced with fresh lemon. This recipe makes two servings so it's perfect for date night or Valentine's Day dinner, but it's easy to make a double batch to feed your family!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Garlic Butter Salmon, Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe, Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon, Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 8

Servings servings

Calories 230kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

Salmon:

2 6 ounce salmon fillets with or without skin is fine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Garlic Butter:

3 tablespoons salted butter
2 large cloves garlic crushed
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Optional Garnishes:

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
4 lemon wedges

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the salmon. Season the salmon fillets on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil, and then the salmon. (TIP: if your fillets have skin, add them skin-side-up at first.) Let the salmon cook until golden, about 2 to 4 minutes on the first side, and then flip and cook until golden on the second side, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Transfer the salmon to a plate and tent with foil. (TIP: Make sure to tent with foil; this helps keep the salmon warm and also helps steam the salmon to make sure it’s cooked in the middle.)
Make the garlic butter sauce. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the butter to the skillet you cooked the salmon in. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the lemon juice.
Finish cooking the fish. Add the salmon back to the skillet and spoon the butter on top. Cook until the salmon is fully cooked (TIP: when it's done, it will be opaque and should flake easily with a fork; see Notes), which should only take about 1 minute.
Enjoy. Sprinkle the fresh parsley on top and serve with the lemon wedges to squeeze onto the salmon.

Notes

Net Carbs: 4 grams per serving
Cooking Tip: If you have the time, let the salmon fillets sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking (they will sear faster and more evenly this way).
How to Tell if Salmon is Cooked: Salmon is cooked when it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork. You can also use a food thermometer to test salmon for doneness. According to the FDA, salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145F in the thickest part. However, if you’re looking for a more medium-cooked salmon that retains some of its moisture, people generally aim for an internal temperature of 125 to 135F.

Nutrition