Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon

Over the past few weeks, I've been making this Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon again and again while testing the recipe, and every single time I serve it, Scott takes a bite and says, "This is SO good!" After hearing that several times, I figured we were definitely onto something.

Then this past week, Lindsay made a video to go with the recipe. When she finished shooting, she already had lunch prepared! A little while later, my phone buzzed with a text from her - there was a picture of her plate and the message, "Yum!!! It's fabulous!"

That sealed the deal. When two of my trusted taste testers give it enthusiastic reviews, I know it's ready to share with all of you!

Why You'll Love This Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon

This easy skillet salmon recipe starts with a simple spice rub, then the salmon is pan-seared until beautifully golden and finished with fragrant garlic herb butter with rosemary, oregano, and sun-dried tomatoes. A few lemon slices cooked briefly in the butter add a bright, fresh finishing touch and create restaurant-quality flavor right at home!

It's quick enough for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough to serve to guests, such a win-win and exactly the kind of recipe we love here at The Café!

Ingredients You'll Need

This recipe starts with fresh salmon fillets, a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients for the rub, and a splash of olive oil for searing.

The salmon finishes cooking in a delicious butter sauce with garlic, fresh rosemary, and sun-dried tomatoes. The sauce is spooned over the fillets, creating incredible flavor in just minutes.

Here's a breakdown of the ingredients:

Salmon fillets
Look for fillets that are about 5-6 ounces each and roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly.

I know farmed salmon often gets a bad reputation, but I actually love good-quality farmed salmon. It's usually less lean than wild salmon, which means it stays wonderfully tender and juicy when cooked, and there's less chance of overcooking.

A few years ago, I discovered that Whole Foods carries delicious Norwegian farmed salmon fillets. They were a bit pricey, but every time I served them, the salmon was so melt-in-your-mouth tender that it felt worth the splurge.

One evening, I served it to a dear friend who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (you can read about a few of my experiences at the CIA here and here). After dinner, she asked where I had found "such fabulous wild salmon". She was shocked when I told her it was actually farmed!

More recently, I discovered that Trader Joe's also carries Norwegian farmed salmon, and surprise... it's just as delicious as the pricier Whole Foods version. The bonus is that it's vacuum sealed, which keeps it super fresh compared with salmon that sits in the fish case at WFs.

Garlic salt, paprika, and coriander
These spices create a simple but flavorful rub that enhances the natural flavor of the salmon.

Cornstarch
This might seem like a surprising ingredient, but it's my little secret for achieving that beautiful golden crust. Just a small amount helps the salmon sear perfectly and develop a lightly crisp exterior.

Fresh rosemary and garlic
These aromatics infuse the butter with wonderful Italian-inspired flavor.

Sun-dried tomatoes

Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes add a wonderful pop of savory, slightly sweet flavor to the garlic herb butter and bring a lovely Italian-inspired touch to the sauce. They're also a fantastic condiment for adding flavor to many dishes. Once opened, a jar of sun-dried tomatoes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, as long as clean utensils are used when removing them from the jar.

Butter
Contrary to popular cooking wisdom, I always use salted butter (even when baking). I think it simply has more flavor, and the small amount of salt also acts as a preservative, helping it stay fresher longer.

In this recipe, the butter melts into a rich garlic-herb sauce that's spooned over the salmon as it cooks, creating a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.

How to make this easy pan-seared salmon

This recipe starts with a quick and easy spice rub made with pantry-friendly ingredients. The salmon fillets are lightly drizzled with olive oil, then the rub is sprinkled over the fish, coating it with lots of flavor.

From there, the salmon is quickly seared in a hot skillet until beautifully golden, creating the delicious crust that makes pan-seared salmon so irresistible.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words… but I say a video is worth ten thousand! Take a look at Lindsay's video below to see exactly how it all comes together:

What to Serve with Pan-Seared Salmon

This Italian Butter-Herb Seared Salmon pairs beautifully with simple sides that soak up the delicious garlic herb butter sauce. One of our favorite ways to serve it is over creamy polenta, which creates an elegant, restaurant-style meal right at home.

The creamy polenta provides the perfect backdrop for the rich butter sauce and tender salmon. Lemon and a sprinkle of fresh herbs brighten everything up beautifully.

Other delicious options to serve with this salmon include:

• Angel hair or linguine to keep the delicious Italian theme going
• Simple roasted or steamed veggies such as asparagus, broccoli, or green beans
• A crisp green salad like this French Bistro Salad (shhh... don't tell anyone that we're mixing nationalities).
• Crispy focaccia bread or these Ridiculously Easy Artisan Rolls,  to soak up the buttery sauce
• Rice or orzo for an easy weeknight dinner

And to keep the Italian theme, this Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake would be delicious!

Ready to give it a try? Scroll down for my Café Tips and the full recipe to help you make perfect pan-seared salmon every time! ENJOY!

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Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon

Chris Scheuer

This Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon is a quick and elegant skillet salmon recipe. Salmon fillets are rubbed with a savory spice blend, seared until golden and finished with fragrant garlic herb butter, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon.

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 372

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

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For the rub

• 1½ teaspoons garlic salt, I use Lawry's
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salmon

• 4 salmon fillets, 5-6 ounces each
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, I use salted butter
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced

Instructions

 

Prepare the rub

1. Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl and stir well to combine. 1½ teaspoons garlic salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the salmon

1. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and rub gently with your hands to coat all sides. 4 salmon fillets, extra-virgin olive oil
2. Sprinkle the spice rub evenly over the salmon fillets, coating all sides. Let the salmon rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

For the salmon:

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl the pan to coat. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2. Place the salmon in the pan top (rounded/presentation side) down. Cook for 2½-3 minutes, or until the surface is beautifully golden brown.
3. If desired, use tongs to briefly sear the sides of the fillets for 10-15 seconds each.
4. Flip the salmon to the second side.

For the garlic herb butter:

1. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, stir in the garlic, rosemary, oregano, and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. 3 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 medium cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
2. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the butter mixture over the salmon as it cooks. Continue cooking until the salmon reaches 130-140°F in the center when tested with an instant-read thermometer.

To finish the salmon:

1. If the fillets have skin, use a thin, sharp knife to carefully remove it.
2. Transfer the salmon to serving plates.
3. Add the lemon slices to the pan with the butter and cook for about 30 seconds to infuse the sauce with fresh lemon flavor.
4. Spoon the butter sauce and lemon slices over the salmon and serve immediately.

Notes

Café Tips for Perfect Pan-Seared Salmon

• Pat the salmon dry before seasoning. Removing excess moisture helps the fish develop a beautiful golden crust.
• Allow the salmon to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking. This helps it cook more evenly.
• Use a hot skillet to get the best sear. A properly heated pan helps the salmon release easily and creates that delicious golden exterior.
• For perfectly cooked salmon, look for an internal temperature of 130-140°F in the thickest part of the fillet.

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 34gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 1022mgPotassium: 937mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 623IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg

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Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

"Have you tried this salmon? Let us know in the comments how you served it -we love hearing your ideas!"