Salmon with Lemon Cream (Printable)
Tender salmon with a silky lemon cream sauce—bright, rich, perfect for weeknight meals or entertaining.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets, 6 oz each
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Lemon Cream Sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine or fish stock
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon fillets flesh side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same skillet and sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the white wine or stock and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce lightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
06 - Add the chopped fresh dill and season with salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine.
07 - Return the salmon fillets to the pan and spoon the sauce over each piece. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes just to reheat through. Serve immediately garnished with extra fresh dill and lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce tastes like something from a Parisian bistro but requires zero culinary training to pull off.
- Cleanup is minimal since everything happens in one skillet, which means more time enjoying dinner and less time scrubbing pans.
02 -
- Overcooked salmon turns dry and chalky in seconds, so pull it from the pan when the center still has a slight translucence.
- Adding cream to a screaming hot pan can cause it to break, so always reduce the heat first and let the wine cool things down before pouring it in.
03 -
- A microplane zester gives you the finest lemon zest without any bitter pith, and taking the extra ten seconds to use one makes a real difference in the final flavor.
- Swirling a small teaspoon of Dijon mustard into the finished sauce adds a secret layer of depth that will have everyone asking what your trick is.