Salmon With Lemon Cream Sauce (Printable)
Tender pan-seared salmon with a rich, tangy lemon cream sauce ready in 30 minutes
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5 to 6 oz each), skinless or skin-on
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Lemon Cream Sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
11 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-to Steps:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the salmon fillets skin side down if using skin-on, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
04 - Stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
05 - Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue simmering for 2 more minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in the freshly chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and adjust the lemon juice, salt, and pepper as needed.
07 - Return the salmon fillets to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to gently reheat the fish. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lemon cream sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get maximum flavor with almost zero extra cleanup.
- It feels fancy enough for guests but simple enough that you can pull it off on a tired Tuesday without stress.
02 -
- Drying the salmon completely before searing is the difference between a crispy golden crust and a steamed mess.
- Keep the cream at a gentle simmer and never a rolling boil or it can break and become grainy.
03 -
- Take the salmon out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it sears evenly instead of shocking the pan with cold fish.
- Use a microplane for the lemon zest because finer zest melts into the sauce and distributes flavor more evenly.