🍋 Lemon Butter Salmon
Lemon Butter Salmon is a quick, elegant dish featuring tender salmon fillets cooked in a rich garlic-lemon butter sauce. It’s light, flavorful, and ready in about 20 minutes — perfect for weeknights but impressive enough for guests.
🐟 Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
- Salt & black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices (for garnish)
Optional:
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp white wine or chicken broth
👩🍳 Instructions (Stovetop Method)
1️⃣ Pat salmon dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2️⃣ Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3️⃣ Place salmon skin-side down; cook 4–5 minutes.
4️⃣ Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
5️⃣ Lower heat to medium. Add butter to the same pan.
6️⃣ Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds (don’t brown).
7️⃣ Add lemon juice, zest, and optional wine/broth. Simmer 1–2 minutes.
8️⃣ Return salmon to pan and spoon sauce over top.
9️⃣ Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon slices.
🔥 Oven-Baked Option
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place salmon in a baking dish.
- Pour melted butter, garlic, and lemon over top.
- Bake 12–15 minutes (depending on thickness).
- Broil 1–2 minutes for golden edges if desired.
🌿 What to Serve With It
- Roasted asparagus or green beans
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Rice pilaf
- Light side salad
- Steamed broccoli
💡 Tips for Perfect Salmon
- Cook to 125–130°F for medium (it continues cooking after removing from heat).
- Don’t overcook — salmon dries out quickly.
- Use fresh lemon for best flavor.
- Wild-caught salmon has deeper flavor; farm-raised is milder and richer.
If you’d like, I can also share:
- Creamy lemon butter salmon
- Honey lemon garlic salmon
- Air fryer version
- Mediterranean-style version
Just tell me your preference! 🍋
