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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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Fabulous and so easy..
I was skeptical at the simplicity of this recipe. Followed it to a T and it was fricken amazing!
Best I have had. sooooooo easy!!!!
Glad I found this.
Cheers!
Followed the recipe to a T and it was quite flawless. Thank you so much Jenn!
Wow!!!!! I came across your blog through a post from Tasty, “25 genius hacks.” They featured your technique of cooking salmon starting with the skin-side up which piqued my interest. We eat salmon once a week, and I tried everything, seasoning, marinating, then baking it, or pan fry skin side down first of course. The salmon was “generic,” at best. Then I tried your recipe, and it led to an amazing salmon, and it has brought on my obsession with your blog. I’ve made something from your blog every week in the past month, and I have learned so much! The moroccan and margarita lime chicken breast are a huge hit at our house! I never thought to tenderize chicken breast and eliminate acidic juices from the marinade. I am so impressed that chicken breast can be juicy and flavorful, even the leftovers are still juicy! Your pecan chocolate chip blondies were also a sensation! I made your sauteed tomato with zucchini, and honey chipotle broccoli side dishes (both consumed in 5 minutes)…..with lots of mmmmmm! I love your version of chipotle’s inspired salad dressing! The blackened tilapia was amazing too! Tonight, I will attempt your pollo alla brassa dish, the chicken is marinating in the refrigerator as I type this review! I am ordering your cookbook. Thank you Jenn for sharing your culinary skills and talent with us, there are lots of food bloggers, however yours is in a league of its own!
❤️
Wow Bessie! Your comment was incredible. As a fellow food enthusiast who also LOVES to cook, host, and share recipes, your comment really made me smile 😊 There’s so much hate in the world right now, so it was very refreshing to see somebody uplifting another and speaking words of life and encouragement over them. 👏🏾 Especially concerning good food! 🤣 I am subscribing to This blog and look forward to trying out the dishes you mentioned! Please continue being positive & shining light! God bless 😊
Loved this recipe! Made the most delicious pan seared salmon! I used grapeseed oil and it was delicious. I can never go wrong with one of your recipes.
Jenn, Jenn, Jenn…I Google’d “Pan seared salmon” and saw the five stars, so clicked on it and of course it was you. I make so many of your recipes I wasn’t surprised at all. I was, however, surprised when my salmon turned out better than what I get in a restaurant. Now, it may be that I’m not going to good restaurants, but this fish was so delicious I kept walking past the leftovers and pulling more for my mouth. There’s some still in the kitchen and I’m betting it’s gone before the night’s up. Thank you so much for your recipes! You’ve saved me time and time again…
🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
I made this the other night with a tomato basil relish – so delicious – I never have been able to cook a salmon so tender! Will be repeating!
Just made this per the recipe and it was awesome! My wife who does not particularly care for fish loved this recipe as well. I will throw in some 411 about the skin. Fried salmon skin is really good also. So, when you are done cooking the fish turn it onto its side, and the skin will pull right off in one piece. Put it back in the skillet and fry both sides until crispy and enjoy.
Wonderful – thanks for the tip on frying the skin on both sides!
Now we’re fighting over the “salmon crisps”…….
Hi Jenn! I made this recipe last night and it was absolutely divine. It’s been years since I cooked salmon – I think my last try turned out a bit messy and put me off a bit. So I was happy to find a super simple yet delicious method. I paired the salmon with a medley of roasted broccoli, potatoes, and grape tomatoes. It was the perfect dinner. Keep up the good work on these recipes!
Hi Jen,
I have made this salmon recipe many times and we love it! Would a cast iron pan work as well or should I use a non stick? Just wondering what your thoughts are on the subject and if there really is much of a difference.
Thank you.
Jan…🇨🇦
So glad you like it, Jan! A cast iron will also work really nicely here, so you can go either way. 🙂
We use a 12 inch “The Rock” by Starfrit. Non-stick with qualities of a cast iron. Canadian Tire is cheaper than Bed Bath & Beyond.
BTW Jenn… Salmon as good as we ever had in any restaurant anywhere! Thank you!!