Salmon With Lemon Cream Sauce (Printable Version)

Pan-seared salmon with a zesty lemon cream sauce ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each

→ Lemon Cream Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For Searing

10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon fillets and sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
05 - Stir in the chopped parsley and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Return the salmon fillets to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the top. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley or lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon cream sauce tastes like something from a fancy bistro but comes together in minutes with pantry staples.
  • Cleanup is minimal since everything happens in one skillet, which means more time eating and less time scrubbing.
02 -
  • If your cream sauce breaks or looks grainy, take the pan off the heat immediately and whisk in a tablespoon of cold water to bring it back together.
  • The salmon will continue cooking in the sauce during those final minutes, so pull it from the pan slightly underdone when you first sear it.
03 -
  • A splash of dry white wine added right after the garlic cooks for thirty seconds adds remarkable depth without any extra effort.
  • Let the skillet get properly hot before adding the salmon, because a pan that is not ready enough is the number one reason fish sticks and tears.

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