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Sometimes the best way to cook salmon is to keep things simple. With just a few basic ingredients, this pan-seared salmon recipe lets the natural richness and flavor of the fish really shine.
Golden and crisp on the outside and perfectly cooked in the center, this pan-seared salmon is one of my go-to recipes when I need to get dinner on the table fast. It’s elegant enough for company but takes just 15 minutes from start to finish.
The technique is the same one used in fine dining restaurants to cook everything from steak to scallops. The key is choosing the right size fillets, seasoning them well, and letting them cook undisturbed in the pan to develop a beautiful golden crust.
“Supremely simple and delicious!”
What You’ll Need to Make Pan-Seared Salmon
The ingredients are simple: salmon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I recommend using 6-ounce salmon fillets, which are often sold already portioned at the fish counter. They’re a good size for this quick cooking method.
How to Make Pan-Seared Salmon
Season the salmon: Season the fillets with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Don’t skimp on the salt—underseasoning is one of the most common mistakes home cooks make.
Sear the salmon: Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the salmon, skin side up, and cook undisturbed until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Resist the urge to peek or move the fillets; leaving them alone is the key to developing a beautiful crust.
Flip and finish cooking: Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until done to your liking. The salmon should flake easily with a fork but still be moist in the center.
Storage & Reheating
Salmon is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the salmon in a 275°F oven, loosely covered with foil, until warmed through.
What to Serve with Pan-Seared Salmon
This salmon pairs beautifully with simple sides that won’t overpower its flavor. I love it with roasted Brussels sprouts and mashed cauliflower, but roasted asparagus, rice pilaf, or crispy roasted potatoes are also delicious options. A green salad is also a great choice for a lighter meal.
Video Tutorial
Pan-Seared Salmon (Restaurant Style)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, 1¼-in (3-cm) thick (I have my fishmonger remove the skin, but it's fine to leave it on if you like)
Instructions
- Season the salmon with the salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Heat the oil in a 12-in (30-cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, without moving, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.
- Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and serve.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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My husband made this salmon together with your recommended sides of the pilaf and green beans for dinner last night – it was FABULOUS. We felt we were in a restaurant. I would highly recommend all three of these recipes.
This is the most successful pan seared salmon receipe that I have come across
Thank you so much helping me in my cooking for my family
Great recipe, made beautifully cooked salmon.
I have made this several times. I have access to fresh wild salmon and have no motivation to hunt for something better. This is simple and delicious. Only change I made is not using non stick pan. That is because I discovered my cast iron has turned out to be non stick. All I can say is my salmon is absolutely fantastic!
Worked perfectly on bourbon-soaked salmon from the meat counter at our favorite grocery. Thank you!
This is the easiest way for salmon perfection! From now on, this is my go-to recipe for cooking moist, flavorful salmon that comes out great every time. Prep was easy, as well as clean up. I would recommend this recipe to everyone I know who wants to cook salmon that’s as good or even better than restaurant quality. Thank you!
Thanks so much for this simple, delicious recipe. We live in Seattle and have salmon frequently. This recipe was enjoyed by all! It is harder to find the portioned center fillets, but easy to find half of a fish that is fairly flat with some thickness in the middle. I cut them into smaller servings and watched the time for the flatter pieces. Served this alongside your kale salad. Delicious. Your recipes are so dependable and my family enjoys every one! Thank you.
Great. My teen boy loved it!
OMG!!! THIS BY FAR WAS THE EASY, MOST TASTY, SIMPLISTIC RECIPE EVER!!!! I USED IT ON STEELHEAD TROUT, SALMON’S COUSIN! LOL!!! IT WAS SO FLAVORFUL WITH SIMPLE SEASONING AND SIMPLE TO COOK!!! MY GO TO RECIPE HANDS DOWN!!!! YES, I AM SHOUTING!!!! THANK YOU A 100 TIMES OVER!!!!
My salmon was sticking to the pan when I went to flip it. I can’t figure out what I did wrong. I used a little more oil than the recipe called for to make sure it was well covered, but that is the only thing I did differently. How do you keep the salmon from sticking? All the yummy crispy parts came off. It still tasted good, but I want to figure out how to do this properly.
Hi Amanda, Did you use a nonstick pan?
It was a nonstick pan. I am truly stumped!
I’m stumped too as you shouldn’t have had a problem with a nonstick pan! If you want to try it again, I’d let it cook a little longer on that side and then nudge it with your spatula to see if it releases easily before trying to flip it.
Ive always cook it Skin side down first and watch for the color of the fish on the edges to start changing when’s it’s a touch past half way Baste the top and flip it ( nows when I slide a butter knife under the skin to remove it and scrape off the Sewer looking Gray Sludge stuff VERY Unappetizing looking ) by the time I do this I baste it and flip it face up baste it and turn off heat and let rest for a couple minutes perfect every time About 6 – 7 minutes total cook time
We made this salmon for family and everyone loved it. We followed your directions and it turned out perfectly. Wish I had taken a picture because it had a beautiful, lightly browned crust on top. Thank you so much for this excellent recipe!
Best Salmon I have made at home in a pan. Not going back to baked again!