Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce is a quick salmon recipe prepared in one skillet and ready in 20 minutes! Served with an incredible lemon garlic cream sauce, this is one seriously good salmon dinner idea.
Looking for more pan seared salmon recipes? Try this creamy pan seared salmon with tomatoes!
CRISPY PAN SEARED SALMON FILLETS
Crispy salmon fillets swimming in a creamy, lemony, garlicky sauce… can I get an AMEN?!
Okay, a high-five will do. 😀
This is definitely a cross between my Pan-Seared Salmon with Tomatoes and Spinach AND my Creamy Lemon Chicken with Asparagus. YUM!
I have to tell you that this Lemon Cream Sauce Salmon is one recipe that we go back to again and again. To be honest, pan-seared salmon with any type of lemon sauce is possibly our favorite way to enjoy fish. Pan-seared is also my favorite way to cook it, especially when I’m pressed for time.
Easy fish recipes, that come together fast are perfect for a weeknight dinner. This simple salmon recipe has few ingredients, but tastes absolutely delicious!
Searing salmon fillets in a skillet gives the fish a slightly charred exterior and also helps make the skin extra crispy.
HOW TO MAKE THIS PAN SEARED SALMON RECIPE:
-
Season salmon fillets and cook, skin-side down, first; flip and continue to cook until done.
- In the meantime, prepare the sauce by whisking together the half & half, flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and seasonings.
- Remove fillets from skillet; return skillet to heat and add butter; whisk in the prepared sauce and return salmon fillets to the skillet.
- Cook for a couple more minutes, remove from heat, and serve.
This particular pan seared salmon recipe is a restaurant worthy dish, and you can make it at home in just 20-ish minutes. Perfectly cooked fish, moist and flaky with silky, creamy lemon and GARLIC sauce. Need I say more? Just make it for dinner tonight and let me know what you think, m’kay?
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE SALMON RECIPES:
- Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon Recipe
- Creamy Garlic Dijon Salmon
- Panko-Crusted Salmon with Tuscan Tomato Sauce
- Salmon Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa
- Ginger Glazed Salmon with Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts
ENJOY!
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TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE
WATCH HOW TO MAKE PAN SEARED SALMON WITH LEMON GARLIC CREAM SAUCE
Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 (4-ounces each) skin-on salmon fillets, room temperature
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup fat free half & half (you can also use low fat evaporated milk)
- 1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- zest and juice from 1 whole lemon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- lemon slices for garnish
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and transfer to the skillet, skin-side down, cooking 3 fillets at a time.
- Cook for 6 minutes, or until cooked about three quarters of the way through. Do not move the fish around; just let it cook.
- Using a spatula, flip the salmon fillets over and cook for 2 more minutes; remove from skillet and set aside.
- Repeat with the rest of the fillets and set all aside.
- In the meantime, combine half & half, flour, cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dill, thyme, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl; whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
- Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat.
- Add the prepared sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil; lower heat to a simmer.
- Place previously prepared salmon fillets back in the skillet.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until salmon is heated through.
- Remove skillet from heat.
- Spoon sauce over salmon.
- Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
My sauce separated.. I also had trouble with the sauce thickening.
I added capers to mine and used some feta cheese instead of parmesan because that’s what I had. Ate it with some homemade garlic bread: DELICIOUS! Love this recipe
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Has anyone tried this with any other kind of fish? I have some frozen fish, Perch and Mahi-mahi in the freezer and I would like to try it. Does the skin really matter that much? Will Perch fall apart?
used heavy whipping cream because it’s all we had- turned out fine. used 3/4 cup!
This was delicious. We enjoyed it with asparagus and orzo. Yum!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This meal is absolutely delicious! We love salmon and eat it at least once a week but this is our new favorite. I am making it for NYE and I just made it last week. The sauce is a perfect complement to the yummy, moist salmon. I sauteed the filets skin side down first but did remove the skin when I flipped it to the other side. My husband, teenage son and I don’t really enjoy the skin. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly, which is saying something since I tend to “doctor up” most recipes I use. Thank you for sharing!
This was AMAZING and I do not even like salmon!!! Well, I guess I like salmon now thanks to this recipe! I was looking for a recipe because I know that salmon has great health benefits and I needed to give it a chance. I seriously did not expect to like it. Thank you for sharing this recipe and amazing photos.
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
My family loved it. I followed it to a tee. I may add capers next time.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Thank YOU! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! 🙂
This was seriously SO. GOOD. If you like salmon even a little bit – MAKE THIS!
We used dairy free half and half and nutritional yeast in place of grated parm and I will absolutely be making again!
Thank you!
This is delicious! adding it to my best of salmon list. i didn’t send the cooked salmon back into the sauce bc my non fish kid was having chicken; she loved it w the sauce. i didn’t have parmesan so made it without; it was a bit sharp (lemony) without it (my fault). other kid had it on crusty bread w/coleslaw mix & have to say this made a fantastic delicious meal (ate his leftovers). going forward i’m sticking to the recipe, serving it in sandwich form. Thanks so much!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This was sooooo delicious! I try to stricktly follow the recipe so as not to rate my own but hubby and I are not fond of dill or thyme so I subsituted it with oregano and rosemary. I also added about 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg as I do with most cream sauces. This beautiful sauce screamed for something other than a side salad which I would normally would have served. Instead I smothered lobster and crab stuffed ravioli in it. Hubby said it was amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe! Looks like it will be chicken and veggies for the next week to make up for the zillion calories we just ate.
SO great to hear that! I am very glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Could I use mozz cheese in place of grated Parmesan??
This was excellent! So much flavour. Even my husband who doesn’t like creamy white sauces loved it. Because my family isn’t big on fish I made it over chicken and pasta. Fabulous!! Thank you for the recipe.
That’s great! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂