Description
An easy weeknight meal that can be made in 25 minutes or less. This pan-seared salmon recipe is drenched in a white wine lemon butter sauce. It’s restaurant quality at home!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salmon
- 4 (6 oz) salmon filets
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Lemon Butter Tarragon Sauce
- 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
- 1 shallot, minced
- 4 tbsp cold salted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 3 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
Instructions
- Pat dry the salmon filets with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine the Kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the salmon.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add salmon to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes on each side (depending on thickness). You might need to cook the salmon in batches depending on how big your skillet is.
- While the salmon rests, make the sauce: In a small saucepan, bring white wine (or chicken broth) and shallots to a boil. Boil until the wine reduces to approximately 2 tablespoons (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated. Stir in the lemon juice and fresh tarragon. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Spoon the sauce over the salmon before serving.
Notes
- I recommend using stainless steel or a cast iron pan for searing the salmon.
- This recipe did not have the skin on the salmon, however, by keeping the skin on it will be easier to flip the fish as it cooks.
- Try adding the sauce to chicken, steak, shrimp, and other fish.
- Take the salmon out of the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before you plan to cook it.
- Chef tip: do not try to flip the salmon early, if it’s still sticking to the pan that means it’s not ready to be flipped yet. Be patient as it cooks.
- Adding cold butter to the sauce at the end will prevent the sauce from breaking. Add the butter one cube at a time until it incorporates together into a smooth sauce.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Keywords: fish, lent, pan seared, pan seared salmon, salmon, seafood