Description
Marry Me Salmon Garlic Butter is a rich, flavorful, and easy-to-make dish featuring tender salmon fillets glazed in a luscious garlic butter sauce infused with fresh herbs and lemon. This healthy, family-friendly recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal ingredients and prep time, perfect for any occasion from cozy dinners to elegant date nights.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon
- 4 salmon fillets (fresh, skin-on or skinless)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- 3 garlic cloves, freshly minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (thyme or parsley), chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Salmon: Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. This helps create a flavorful crust during cooking.
- Cook the Salmon: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter or substitute with olive oil. Place the salmon skin-side down in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden. Carefully flip the fillets and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining butter and freshly minced garlic to the pan. Stir continuously to prevent the garlic from burning and to infuse the butter with its aroma. Once the garlic is fragrant, add lemon juice and fresh herbs, stirring to combine and brighten the sauce.
- Combine and Serve: Spoon the warm garlic butter sauce generously over the salmon fillets right in the pan or transfer everything to a serving plate. Garnish with extra fresh herbs or lemon slices for an inviting presentation.
Notes
- Choose fresh salmon for tender, flaky results and avoid a fishy aftertaste.
- Don’t overcook the salmon; it continues to cook slightly after removal from heat.
- Use fresh garlic to achieve the most vibrant flavor in the butter sauce.
- Melt the butter slowly over low heat to avoid burning the garlic.
- Let the cooked salmon rest for a few minutes before serving to retain its juices.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-searing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon fillet with sauce
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
Keywords: Marry Me Salmon, garlic butter salmon, easy salmon recipe, pan-seared salmon, healthy salmon recipe, omega-3 salmon, garlic butter sauce