Pan-seared Salmon Recipe
Your choice of sauce served with roasted sides
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Salmon
Roasted Sides
Optional Sauce — Lemon-Herb Butter (serves 2)
Method
Roasted Sides
Preheat and prepare
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Season vegetables
In a large bowl toss the baby potatoes and broccoli with 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.
Roast
Arrange potatoes cut-side down on one half of the baking sheet and broccoli on the other (potatoes may need more space/time). Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning potatoes once halfway, until potatoes are tender and golden and broccoli is slightly charred. If potatoes are not done when broccoli is, keep potatoes in for an additional 5–10 minutes.
Salmon
Bring to room temperature and pat dry
Remove salmon from refrigerator 15–20 minutes before cooking. Pat both sides and the skin dry with paper towels — dry skin helps achieve crispy sear. Season flesh side and skin lightly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Sear skin-side down
Place salmon fillets in the pan skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook undisturbed for 4–6 minutes, depending on thickness, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and flesh has cooked about two-thirds of the way up the fillet.
Finish flesh-side
Flip fillets carefully. Add 1 tbs butter to the pan and spoon the melted butter over the flesh as it cooks for another 1–2 minutes for medium (internal temp 120–125°F / 49–52°C) or 3–4 minutes for medium-well (130–135°F / 54–57°C). Remove from heat a few degrees below target as carryover will raise temperature. Transfer salmon to a warm plate and let rest 2–3 minutes.
Optional Sauce — Lemon-Herb Butter
Make sauce while salmon rests
In a small saucepan or skillet over low heat, melt 3 tbs unsalted butter. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbs chopped parsley, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust salt or lemon to preference. Keep warm.
Serve
Plate roasted potatoes and broccoli, place a salmon fillet on each plate and spoon the lemon-herb butter over the salmon. Serve immediately.