Description

This Garlic Butter Salmon recipe features tender boneless, skinless salmon fillets coated in a light seasoned flour crust, pan-fried to golden perfection, and finished with a luscious garlic butter sauce enriched with vegetable stock and fresh parsley. Ideal for a quick yet elegant dinner, this dish balances rich buttery flavors with a bright squeeze of lemon, perfect served alongside potatoes or asparagus to soak up the delicious sauce.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Salmon and Coating

4 boneless skinless salmon fillets (120-150g / 4-5oz each), brought to room temperature
40g / 1/4 cup plain flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

Cooking Ingredients

1/2 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp / 90g / 3.2oz unsalted butter, divided into tablespoons
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
120ml / 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp finely diced fresh parsley
1 lemon, divided into 4 wedges (to serve)

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Instructions

Prepare the Flour Coating: In a large shallow dish, combine plain flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Coat each salmon fillet thoroughly in the seasoned flour, then give them a gentle shake to remove excess flour. Set aside.
Pan-Fry the Salmon: Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, place the salmon fillets in the pan. Fry for about 3 minutes until the bottom forms a golden crust. Carefully flip and fry for another 2 minutes on the other side until golden. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and spoon the melted butter over the fillets to baste them for about a minute, or until just cooked through. Remove salmon from the pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
Cook the Garlic: Add the finely diced garlic to the pan and sauté briefly until it just starts to take on color, being careful not to let it burn or become bitter.
Create the Sauce: Pour in the vegetable stock, scraping any browned bits off the pan base to incorporate the flavor. Add the remaining butter and whisk continuously until the butter is emulsified with the stock and the sauce turns cloudy. Stir in fresh parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
Simmer and Thicken: Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently until it begins to thicken slightly. Then reduce the heat to low.
Reintroduce the Salmon and Serve: Return the salmon fillets to the pan and baste them with the sauce to warm through. The sauce will thicken further as you baste. Serve the salmon with plenty of sauce and a wedge of lemon on the side for squeezing to taste.

Notes

Garlic: Always use fresh garlic rather than jarred or pickled to avoid off flavors; watch carefully while frying to avoid burning.
Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred for better salt control; if using salted butter, reduce added salt and consider low-sodium stock.
Salmon Size: Adjust cooking times slightly for larger fillets, ensuring salmon is just cooked through with a light pink center.
Sauce Consistency: Initially thin, the sauce thickens due to the floured salmon; if it becomes too thick or separates, add 1 tablespoon stock and whisk to re-emulsify.
Lemon: Serve lemon wedges separately to balance richness; avoid adding lemon juice directly to the pan to prevent sauce breaking.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with Parmesan smashed potatoes and asparagus, roasted baby potatoes, mashed potatoes, or rice to soak up the sauce.
Calories Estimate: Nutrition info is based on 4 servings using 120g salmon fillets and half the flour coating.