Garlic Butter Salmon and Asparagus
Garlic butter salmon is a fast, one-skillet dinner: salmon fillets sear until golden, then get basted in melted butter with plenty of garlic and a squeeze of lemon. Asparagus cooks in the same pan, so the whole meal needs only one skillet.
Basting with butter at the end, instead of cooking the salmon in it from the start, keeps the garlic from burning and the butter from browning too far. The full recipe is in the card below.
Garlic Butter Salmon and Asparagus
Equipment
- Large skillet (12-inch), cast iron or stainless steel
- Fish spatula
- Spoon for basting
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets about 6 ounces each, skin on or off
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound asparagus woody ends trimmed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Lemon wedges for serving
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet. Place the salmon in the pan flesh side down and sear for 3–4 minutes without moving it, until golden.
- Flip the salmon and cook for 3–4 minutes more, until it flakes easily and reaches 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the garlic. Once the butter melts, tilt the pan and spoon the garlic butter over the salmon for about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice.
- Return the asparagus to the skillet and spoon some garlic butter over it. Sprinkle with parsley if using and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Why This Garlic Butter Salmon and Asparagus Works
A hot skillet gives salmon a crisp, golden crust that the oven cannot match. Searing it mostly in oil and adding most of the butter only after the heat is lowered gives you the flavor of butter without burnt bits.
The asparagus goes in first. It picks up a little browning in the clean pan, waits on a plate while the salmon cooks, and goes back in at the end to soak up the garlic butter.
Choosing Salmon Fillets
Look for center-cut fillets of similar thickness so they finish together. Farmed Atlantic salmon is rich and forgiving. Wild sockeye or coho are leaner and cook faster, so start checking them sooner.
Skin-on and skinless fillets both work. Skin helps hold the fillet together when you flip it. If you buy a whole side of salmon, cut it into equal portions yourself.
How to Pan-Sear Salmon
Pat the fillets completely dry. Moisture on the surface steams the fish and stops a crust from forming.
Once the salmon is in the pan, leave it alone. It sticks at first and releases naturally when the crust has formed. Moving it too soon tears the fillet.
Salmon is done when it flakes easily along its natural lines and is just opaque in the center. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part is the most reliable test.
Ingredient Swaps
Use green beans or broccolini instead of asparagus; both cook in much the same way. Swap the parsley for dill or chives. For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter.
What to Serve with Garlic Butter Salmon
Spoon the extra garlic butter over rice, quinoa, or roasted potatoes. For a lighter plate, add a green salad or a scoop of our healthy quinoa veggie power bowl.
For another quick seafood dinner, try our shrimp and vegetable stir fry. If you want a lean chicken dinner on the table just as fast, our easy chicken stir fry is a good match.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover salmon and asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat or in a low oven until just warm, or flake cold salmon over a salad.
Garlic Butter Salmon FAQ
Should I sear salmon skin side up or down? For a golden top, sear the flesh side first, then flip. For crispy skin, start skin side down and leave it there for most of the cooking.
Can I bake garlic butter salmon instead? Yes. Roast the salmon and asparagus on a sheet pan, then spoon warm garlic butter over the top before serving.
Can I use frozen salmon? Yes. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and pat it very dry, or it will steam instead of searing.
