A sophisticated meal that takes less than 20 minutes to prepare.
There are a number of reasons to try our delicious pan seared salmon with creamy lemon dill sauce. First, it’s easy to make but will make you feel like you’re eating at a fancy restaurant. That said, this simple weeknight meal can be put together in less than 20 minutes! The meaty salmon and smooth sauce are elevated by zesty flavors, making this a dish you will keep you coming back to again and again.
The Perfect Weekday Meal
The best part of this recipe is that there is almost no prep time required. All you have to do is slice the shallots, mince the garlic, chop the dill, and halve the lemon beforehand. After that, you simply sear the salmon for 7 to 8 minutes, remove it from the pan, and then make your creamy lemon dill sauce. After the ten minutes or so that it takes to make the sauce, you’ll add the salmon back into the pan. Finish it off by squeezing some lemon and garnishing with dill and capers. You’ll wonder why you ever made salmon any other way!
Why Choose Salmon?
This beautiful, firm, reddish fish not only has a rich, buttery flavor, but it’s also great for your health. You can choose from Pacific Sockeye, Coho, King, or Pink. Or you can go with farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Either way, all varieties are an excellent source of protein and low in saturated fat. Instead, it’s full of fatty acids that have a wealth of omega-3s, which can lower your chances of having cardiovascular disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and some types of cancers. Other natural nutrients include Vitamin B12, potassium, iron, and Vitamin D.
Pan Seared Salmon Tips
- Hot pan and oil: As with any fish or meat, make sure the pan is hot before adding the oil. You want the salmon to sizzle when you carefully drop it in.
- Pat salmon dry: To ensure the salmon comes out nice and crispy, pat the fish with a paper towel before adding it to the pan.
- Buy wild salmon when you can: Buy Pacific caught wild salmon for that restaurant flavor. Atlantic fish is always farm-raised.
- Whisk when preparing sauce: To pick up all those delicious goodies from the bottom of the pan and to ensure the milk doesn’t curdle.
- Don’t leave salmon cooking in sauce: Your salmon should already be cooked after searing. Once added back to the sauce, don’t leave it on the heat for more than a minute because it’ll overcook.
What to Serve it With?
Because this seared salmon recipe has a creamy lemon dill sauce, I like to serve it with something that can soak up all those liquidy flavors. Try it with some Cilantro Lime Basmati Rice or Garlic Mashed Potatoes. For veggies, salmon always pairs well with 3-Ingredient Broiled Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter or 4-Ingredient Roasted Broccoli.
If you try this delicious pan seared salmon with creamy lemon dill sauce, be sure to let us know what you thought of it! What sides did you serve it with? Let us know in the comment section below!
Pan Seared Salmon with Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon cut into 4 filets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 ounces Neufchatel
- juice of half a lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry. Then season it with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the avocado oil in a pan over medium/high heat.
- Place the salmon in the pan, skin side up. Sear for 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the second side. The salmon will reach an internal temperature of 145F when it is done cooking.
- After the salmon is done cooking, remove it from the pan and add the other tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently until the garlic is fragrant
- Add the vegetable broth in the pan and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring frequently. Then pour the milk into the pan, followed by the Neufchatel. Whisk the milk and Neufchatel until the sauce is nice and creamy. Bring to a simmer and let the sauce cook for 5 minutes or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the sauce, and stir until combined. Add the salmon back into the pan, Then garnish with the dill and capers. This is best served immediately.
Nutrition Information
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I enjoy salmon so much and definitely will try this. Thank you so much