Pan-fried salmon fillets are delicious when cooked in butter and sage. Who needs fast food, when this homemade dish is ready in just ten minutes?
This easy salmon recipe is so simple and so good. Look at the list of ingredients! It’s simplicity itself. Salmon, butter, and a few spices. It’s a very easy recipe to make and it tastes great.
The only drawback, as far as I’m concerned, is that my kids are not fans of this fish. But while I normally try to make dishes that everyone will agree to eat, this recipe is good enough that I make it just for my husband and myself.
An easy and delicious salmon recipe
I love salmon. It seems like people tend to either love strong-tasting fish such as tuna and salmon, or delicate white fish such as cod. Me? I belong to the first group. I adore salmon. Especially thick, fatty salmon steaks.
Although I usually make baked salmon, or grilled salmon in the summer, I have to say that pan-fried salmon is so delicious, especially when cooked in butter. Although olive oil is good too.
And the bonus: pan-fried salmon is a very easy meal to prepare, making it very suitable for a quick weeknight dinner.
The ingredients you’ll need
I love how short the list of ingredients is for this tasty salmon recipe. The exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll need:
Salmon fillets: I prefer to use skin-on fillets – the skin is just so delicious. If at all possible, try to get sustainable salmon.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Spices: Garlic powder and dried sage. Make sure they are fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Unsalted butter: European butter such as Kerrygold is wonderful, but any butter will be great.
How to pan-fry salmon
It’s as easy as can be. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Melt some butter in a nonstick frying pan.
Add the seasoned salmon fillets.
Then cook them until done, about 3 minutes per side. That’s it!
How to make it crispy
To make sure the skin is nice and crispy, cook the salmon skin side down for about 3 minutes. Turn it to the other side only after you can see (when lifting the edge) that the skin is browned.
It’s also important to add enough fat to the frying pan. Butter works well, as does olive oil.
How do you pan-fry salmon without skin?
Personally, I love salmon skin. Especially when fried and crispy. But if you prefer to cook it without the skin, simply follow the same instructions, cooking it for about 3 minutes per side.
How to serve this dish?
It’s such a versatile dish, it goes with anything, really. I often serve it with one of the following sides:
What to do with leftovers?
You can keep the leftovers for 3 days in the fridge, in an airtight container. But they won’t be as good as when freshly made.
I prefer to avoid reheating the leftovers because reheating can dry them out. Instead, I crumble them cold over a salad. Sometimes I chop them up and mix them with some cream cheese and have that for my lunch the next day. It’s really good!
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Pan-Fried Salmon
INGREDIENTS
- 2 (6 oz) salmon fillets, 1-inch thick, bones removed, skin on
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage or rosemary
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
- Dry the salmon fillets with paper towels. Sprinkle them with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and sage.
- Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes.
- Add the salmon fillets, skin side down. Cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Use a spatula to carefully turn the fillets. Cook until browned on the second side and cooked through, 2-3 more minutes. Transfer the salmon to plates and pour the butter from the skillet on top. Serve immediately.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.