Garlic Butter Salmon with Golden Crust and Fresh Lemon
By Liam Carter
For weeknight dinner or a small company meal, this garlic butter salmon serves four in 25 minutes. Boneless, skinless fillets are coated in seasoned flour, pan-fried until golden, then spooned with a buttery garlic, vegetable stock, and parsley sauce; lemon wedges sharpen each bite.
Seasoned flour does more than coat the fish: garlic powder, salt, and black pepper help form the golden crust, while the flour later helps the sauce cling and thicken. Fresh garlic is used instead of jarred garlic, and unsalted butter gives more control over the final seasoning. Vegetable stock turns the butter into a spoonable sauce rather than leaving it greasy.
Watch for a golden crust on both sides before worrying about cooking the salmon all the way through, since it returns to the pan later. The fish should flake easily and change from deep pink to light pink in the center. Keep the garlic moving until it takes on only a little color; burnt garlic turns bitter, and an aggressive simmer can split the sauce.
Serve each fillet with extra sauce and its own lemon wedge so everyone can season at the table. The article suggests Parmesan smashed potatoes and asparagus, or crusty bread with a simple side salad. Mashed or baked potatoes with green beans also suit the rich sauce.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Weeknight cooks can put dinner on the table in 25 minutes because the salmon and sauce cook in one large non-stick pan.
- It suits beginner cooks because the fillets finish gently in the sauce, leaving room to remove them before they overcook.
- Company dinners feel considered without extra fuss, since golden salmon, parsley-speckled sauce, and individual lemon wedges plate neatly for four people.
- Families can tailor the finish at the table because each person squeezes their own lemon wedge over the rich butter sauce.
- The seasoned flour earns its place by building a crisp-looking crust and helping the thinner stock-and-butter sauce cling to each fillet.
- Leftover sauce can be spooned over the salmon when serving again, since the flour-coated exterior naturally thickens it as the fish warms.
Ingredients
- •1 tsp garlic powder
- •1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- •0.5 tsp black pepper (plus more to taste)
- •0.25 cup plain or all-purpose flour (40g)
- •4 boneless skinless salmon fillets (take out of the fridge 15-30 minutes before needed; approximately 4-5 oz / 120-150g each)
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •6 tbsp unsalted butter (90g, divided into tablespoon chunks)
- •2 cloves fresh garlic (finely diced)
- •0.5 cup vegetable stock (120ml)
- •1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely diced)
- •1 lemon (divided into 4 wedges, to serve)
Instructions
- 1
In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- 2
Coat each salmon fillet in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess, and set aside.
- 3
Add the olive oil to a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- 4
Once hot, add the salmon fillets and fry for around 3 minutes, or until a golden crust forms on the bottom.
- 5
Carefully flip the fillets and fry for another 2 minutes, or until golden on the other side.
- 6
Add 1 tablespoon of butter and baste the fillets for 1 minute, or until they are just about cooked through.
- 7
Remove the salmon from the pan and lower the heat to medium.
- 8
Add the garlic and fry until it just begins to take on color, taking care not to burn it.
- 9
Pour in the vegetable stock and scrape any flavor from the pan.
- 10
Add the remaining butter and whisk until it binds with the stock and turns cloudy.
- 11
Add the parsley and a pinch of salt and black pepper if desired.
- 12
Simmer for a few minutes, stirring, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- 13
Turn the heat to low, return the salmon to the pan, and baste it in the sauce to warm through.
- 14
Serve with extra sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
343
Protein
25.51g
Fat
24.33g
Carbs
4.79g
Reviews
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