Crispy Pan-Fried Salmon Fillets
These crispy pan-fried salmon fillets are golden and crunchy on the outside while remaining tender, buttery, and flaky inside. Finished with garlic butter and fresh lemon juice, this easy pan-seared salmon recipe delivers restaurant-quality results in only 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 skin-on salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Pat the fillets completely dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Place the salmon skin-side down in the skillet. Press each fillet gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook undisturbed for 5–7 minutes.
- Flip the fillets and add the butter and crushed garlic.
- Cook for another 1–3 minutes while spooning the garlic butter over the salmon.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle the fillets with lemon juice.
- Rest for 2 minutes and serve skin-side up.
Notes
- Thoroughly drying the salmon is essential for crispy skin.
- Cook the fillets in batches if they do not comfortably fit in the skillet.
- Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the salmon.
- Salmon is safely cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.