Lemon Butter Salmon
April 1, 2026 · Plateful of Joy · 9 min read
Dinner
Lemon Butter Salmon
Pan-seared salmon with a zesty lemon butter sauce that comes together in under 20 minutes. Rich in omega-3s and protein, this elegant weeknight dinner feels restaurant-quality without the fuss.
🥗 Nutrition per serving
🛒 Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets (approx 180g each)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- Fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Asparagus or greens to serve
👩🍳 Instructions
Pat salmon fillets completely dry with kitchen paper. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Heat a stainless or cast iron pan over medium-high heat until hot. Place salmon skin-side up and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes.
Flip salmon. Add butter and garlic to the pan. As butter melts, continuously spoon it over the salmon to baste.
Add lemon juice and zest. Cook 3 more minutes until salmon flakes easily. Serve with asparagus and fresh herbs.
💡 Pro Tips
The key to perfect salmon is a DRY fillet and a HOT pan — this gives you that gorgeous golden crust. Don’t move the salmon once it’s in the pan. Check doneness by pressing the thickest part — it should flake but still be slightly pink inside.