Butter Garlic Salmon with Cilantro (Pan Seared, 20 Minutes)

Crispy outside, flaky inside and oh so delicious buttery garlic sauce encasing juicy salmon fillets. Quick. Easy. Impressive and I devoured this dish in 20 minutes flat with zero patience for excess fuss.

Now for the twist here. Dill is so common in this type of dish. But I am a total cilantro-lover and add it to everything. I love how the fresh cilantro scents up the sauce with just the right amount of brightness that contrasts beautifully with the richness of the butter. Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!

I serve this with a simple side of French beans and cherry tomatoes that pretty much get cooked in the same pan with the remaining garlic butter, soaking up all that flavour. Less cleanup, more taste, and a full dinner from one pan!

What Makes This Butter Garlic Salmon So Good?

Another garlic butter salmon recipe. Yes, there are plenty of those out there but this one has a few tricks up its sleeve to set it apart from the rest.

The basting of the salmon in the garlic butter is the key to this dish and must not be skipped. The basting is what creates the nice golden-brown crust on top of the salmon as well as ensuring that the inside stays moist. To baste the salmon, once the garlic is added to the non-stick pan, tilt the pan to pool the melted butter to one side, then with a spoon take up some of this fragrant, foaming liquid and pour it over the salmon. Repeat this process several times until the salmon is cooked through.

The second thing I would say makes this dish special is that instead of using the traditional dill, I’m using cilantro. Sure, dill is a more traditional choice in Western recipes for salmon, but I like the fresh flavor of the citrus and earth notes it brings to the dish better. Paired with a squeeze of lime juice, this makes a very fresh and very punchy sauce. Of course, if you hate cilantro, you can substitute with parsley or even more dill. For those of us who like the stuff, though, it is the perfect choice for this garlic butter salmon recipe.

Finally, those who have been paying attention will realize that the veggies for this recipe are simply cooked in the same pan after removing the salmon. A couple of French beans, some halved cherry tomatoes, a few minutes on the heat and they’re turned into side dishes that seemed like more work than they did.

Ingredients You’ll Need

So what are all the ingredients? I list them all below, and explain why each one is necessary for this recipe to work.

Two salmon fillets – skin on or off, that is up to you. For this recipe I used two fillets with the skin on, because the best part of this dish is the crispy, paper-thin skin. So if you can get skin on salmon go for it, if not it’s still not the end of the world.

The seasoning for this recipe is simple. I used salt, black pepper, and a bit of paprika. I use paprika for its smoky flavour and the way it helps turn the dish a golden colour. I’ve got both smoked and regular paprika in my pantry, so I used the regular for this recipe.

The olive oil is used for searing the salmon, and the butter, garlic, lime juice and herbs are used to make a sauce. I used 20 grams of butter for two pieces of salmon, any more and it would be far too rich.

Five to six cloves of garlic, minced with a knife, not a garlic press – you will end up with too fine pieces of garlic that will burn before you have a chance to baste the salmon.

Half a lime for the juice, and a handful of chopped cilantro at the end. For the vegetables I used blanched French beans and cherry tomatoes. They are simple, but delicious and provide a great vehicle for the garlic butter sauce.

How to Make This Butter Garlic Salmon

Season salmon with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil. Sear the salmon skin-side down until crispy and golden. Flip the salmon over and immediately add butter. Once the butter melts and foams, add the minced garlic and sauté briefly. Squeeze in the lime juice and scatter the chopped cilantro, then start basting – spooning that foaming garlic butter over the fish for about 1½ minutes. Then toss the French beans and cherry tomatoes in the same pan and coat in the remaining garlic butter. Detailed steps with photos are in the recipe card below.

What to Serve with Butter Garlic Salmon

• Jasmine rice – my go-to as the garlic butter soaks into it perfectly.
• Mashed potatoes – because why not with all that butter?
• Paratha or naan – might seem like an odd choice, but a warm paratha dipped in that garlic butter sauce is incredible.
• Green salad – something light and crunchy to balance out the richness.

Tips for the Best Pan Seared Salmon

First and foremost make sure you dry your fish really well. I repeat REALLY WELL. If your salmon is wet then you will not get a crispy skin. So pat it dry with kitchen paper and then pat it dry again.

Once you put the fish in the pan DO NOT TOUCH IT until the skin is crispy and the fish is cooked. Try not to move it even then but if you must then use a fish slice.

I chop my garlic by hand. I have a garlic press but it makes the garlic pieces too small and they burn before your salmon is cooked. Chop the garlic finely with a knife and it will cook to a perfect golden brown.

Add the butter after you have flipped the salmon over. If you add it with the oil at the beginning then the butter will burn by the time your salmon is cooked. Add it after you have flipped and it will melt and foam and go all golden and delicious.

You don’t have to add lime but I wouldn’t recommend skipping it. It doesn’t make this a lime salmon. It just gives a tiny hint of zing to cut through the richness of the butter and the salmon. You probably won’t even taste the lime really but you will definitely notice if it’s not there.

Storage & Leftovers

This dish keeps beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just pop it back in the oven at 150°C / 300°F for 8-10 minutes, or reheat it in the microwave. But I must say, one of the best ways of eating leftover salmon is to flake it cold over a salad the next day. Sounds simple, I know, but it is a small culinary pleasure that cannot be beaten.

Common Questions About Butter Garlic Salmon

How do I know when the salmon is done?

To check if your salmon is cooked, use the flake test. It should flake under the fork at the thickest end. You should also be able to see that the flesh is opaque. If you have a thermometer, for melt in your mouth, restaurant-style medium-rare cooked salmon, aim for 50°C / 122°F; for fully cooked through, 60°C / 140°F. Don’t overcook – pull the fish off the heat just before it reaches these temperatures and let it finish cooking as it sits there.

What if I can’t find fresh cilantro?

I used chopped fresh cilantro in this recipe, which gives a fabulous bright flavour. If you don’t have fresh cilantro, use flat-leaf parsley (not dried cilantro – nothing leads to worse food than dried cilantro).

No French beans. What can I use instead?

The French beans are interchangeable with other green things, namely asparagus, broccoli and sugar snap peas. Any of these vegetables will do because they are all quick to cook and can hold their own against the garlic butter.

Can I make this with frozen salmon?

Frozen salmon is fine but must be thawed first in the fridge overnight. Never cook from frozen, as the outside will overcook before the inside has thawed and you’ll end up with a terrible texture. Make sure you pat the fish very dry before cooking, as it will release more moisture than fresh.