Name: The Best Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: • Salmon Fillets: 1 to 2 pounds, cut into 2-4 pieces. Skin-on or off, based on preference.; • Butter: 4-6 tablespoons, unsalted or salted, divided.; • Garlic: 4-6 cloves, minced or finely chopped.; • Lemon/Lemon Juice: 1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced and/or sliced for garnish.; • Olive Oil: 1-2 tablespoons, for searing.; • Salt: To taste, kosher or sea salt.; • Black Pepper: To taste, freshly ground.; • Fresh Parsley: 1-2 tablespoons, chopped, for garnish and freshness.; • Garlic Powder: 1/2 – 1 teaspoon, optional, for seasoning salmon.; • Paprika: 1/4 teaspoon, optional.; • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: 1/4 teaspoon, optional, for a touch of heat.; • Dried Oregano: 1/4 teaspoon, optional.; • Brown Sugar or Honey: 1 tablespoon brown sugar or 2-3 tablespoons honey, optional, for sweetness in baked versions.

Description

• Details

• Prep Time: 10 minutes [+ Time()]

• Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 25 minutes

• Yield: 4 servings

• Category: Dinner

• Method: Pan-Seared; Baked

• Cuisine: American

• Diet: N/A, Diabetic, Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

• Keywords: garlic butter salmon, easy salmon dinner, pan seared salmon, baked salmon

•

• Rich, juicy Garlic Butter Salmon made with fresh fillets seared or baked in a lemon-garlic butter sauce for an easy, restaurant-quality dinner.

Ingredients

• Salmon Fillets: 1 to 2 pounds, cut into 2-4 pieces. Skin-on or off, based on preference.

• Butter: 4-6 tablespoons, unsalted or salted, divided.

• Garlic: 4-6 cloves, minced or finely chopped.

• Lemon/Lemon Juice: 1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced and/or sliced for garnish.

• Olive Oil: 1-2 tablespoons, for searing.

• Salt: To taste, kosher or sea salt.

• Black Pepper: To taste, freshly ground.

• Fresh Parsley: 1-2 tablespoons, chopped, for garnish and freshness.

• Garlic Powder: 1/2 – 1 teaspoon, optional, for seasoning salmon.

• Paprika: 1/4 teaspoon, optional.

• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: 1/4 teaspoon, optional, for a touch of heat.

• Dried Oregano: 1/4 teaspoon, optional.

• Brown Sugar or Honey: 1 tablespoon brown sugar or 2-3 tablespoons honey, optional, for sweetness in baked versions.

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Instructions

• Bring Salmon to Room Temperature: For more even cooking, remove salmon fillets from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before you plan to cook them.

• Pat Dry: Thoroughly pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels so they sear well and do not stick.

• Season Salmon: Generously season both sides of your salmon with salt, black pepper, and optionally, garlic powder or paprika.

• Prepare Garlic Butter Sauce for Pan-Seared: Melt butter in a small bowl or later in the pan, add minced garlic, and cook until fragrant, then stir in fresh lemon juice.

• Prepare Garlic Butter Sauce for Baked/Foil: Melt butter and whisk in minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and optional honey, oregano, or red pepper flakes.

• Pan-Seared – Heat Skillet: Heat olive oil and optionally 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

• Pan-Seared – Sear Salmon: Place salmon fillets in the hot skillet, usually skin-side down first if applicable, and cook undisturbed for 3-5 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms and they release naturally.

• Pan-Seared – Flip and Cook: Flip the salmon and cook another 1-4 minutes, depending on thickness, until almost cooked through.

• Pan-Seared – Make Garlic Butter in Pan: Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining butter, let it melt, then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.

• Pan-Seared – Baste and Finish: Stir in lemon juice, tilt the pan, and spoon the bubbling garlic butter over the salmon for 1-2 minutes to infuse flavor.

• Pan-Seared – Rest and Serve: Remove the salmon from the pan and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

• Baked – Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F – 400°F (190°C – 200°C) and line a baking sheet with foil, folding up the edges.

• Baked – Arrange Salmon: Place salmon fillets on the foil-lined sheet and nestle lemon slices underneath or on top.

• Baked – Pour Garlic Butter: Evenly pour the prepared garlic butter mixture over the salmon fillets.

• Baked – Seal for Foil Packets: For extra moist salmon, fold the foil over and seal completely to form packets.

• Baked – Bake: Bake 12-17 minutes for foil packets or 10-15 minutes open, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches 125-140°F (52-60°C).

• Baked – Optional Broil: Open the foil or uncover and broil 2-3 minutes for a golden top, watching carefully.

• Serve: Drizzle with any remaining sauce and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices.

Notes

• Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 fillet (about 4–6 oz)

• Calories: 460

• Sugar: 1 g

• Sodium: 260 mg

• Fat: 32 g

• Saturated Fat: 10 g

• Unsaturated Fat: 20 g

• Trans Fat: 0 g

• Carbohydrates: 2 g

• Fiber: 0 g

• Protein: 36 g

• Cholesterol: 130 mg

•

• Tips for Success:

• Don’t Overcook: Cook salmon to an internal temperature of about 125-130°F (52-54°C) for medium-rare to medium, as it will continue to cook slightly after removal from heat.

• Fresh Garlic: Finely chop fresh garlic with a knife so it cooks evenly and is less likely to burn.

• Basting is Key: Continuous basting with hot garlic butter helps the salmon stay incredibly moist and packed with flavor.