Restaurant-Style Pan Seared Salmon
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Restaurant-quality pan seared salmon—crisp on top and just barely cooked in the center—is easy to make at home.
Golden and crisp on top and just barely cooked at the center, this pan seared salmon is one of my go-to recipes when I have to hit the kitchen running. Not only is it fast—15 minutes start to finish—it’s also elegant. In fact, it’s the way salmon is typically prepared in fine dining restaurants (the same method is often used for cooking steak and scallops). This is really more of a technique than a traditional recipe, and it’s simple to master at home.
The key to perfect pan-seared salmon lies in choosing the right size fillets, seasoning them well, and allowing them to cook undisturbed. This technique, especially leaving the salmon untouched in hot oil, ensures a beautiful, golden crust that elevates the dish to restaurant quality.
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“Supremely simple and delicious! I made this last night and must admit that the ingredients and cooking technique seemed ‘too simple.’ I went ahead and followed Jenn’s recipe exactly, and it was delicious! Don’t doubt it, just make it.”
What You’ll Need To Make Pan Seared Salmon
The ingredients are simple: olive oil, salt, pepper, and salmon. I recommend using 6-ounce salmon fillets; these are often sold already portioned and ready to cook at the fish counter. This size will ensure that the salmon cooks fully on the interior without overcooking on the exterior.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by seasoning the salmon with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Don’t skimp on the salt—the biggest mistake most home cooks make is under-seasoning their food.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Resist the urge to fiddle with the fillets as they cook. Letting the fish sear untouched in hot oil creates a lovely, flavorful, and golden crust.
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. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
More Salmon Recipes
Restaurant-Style Pan-Seared Salmon
Restaurant-quality pan seared salmon—crisp on top and just barely cooked in the center—is easy to make at home.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, 1¼ in thick (I have my fish monger 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-inch 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 384
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 336 mg
- Cholesterol: 94 mg
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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We just tried your “technique more than recipe” and loved it! It was as you described – crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked, moist on the inside. Quick and simple and delicious.
I have been cooking from Jen’s site for two years now and we have two recipes we weekly make – this one and the restaurant salsa. I had struggled with getting salmon “just right” for decades and had sadly relegated it to “give up and order it at a restaurant” menu item. When I first found this recipe, it was soooo simple, and I thought, “Ok, let’s give it one more try. This looks easy.” So, I did. I followed the directions exactly and it turned out, and still turns out, perfect every time. Of course if I have a cut of salmon that is a little thicker, it may need a tad bit more time, but we literally make this weekly now. This is the recipe that made me no longer reluctant to spend the money on salmon in fear of ruining it. This is the recipe that kept me coming back to Once Upon a Chef.
PS: Jen, I finally bought your recipe book during to use during “pandemic cooking” at home (working remotely and cooking more). Love it and wished I had not waited so long!
❤️
Wow, great recipe – I have been missing restaurant style seared salmon and this recipe was straightforward and delicious – thank you.
I was hesitant to make this because it seemed so basic I thought it would lack flavor. I was wrong! It was cooked to perfection & tasted like I ordered it from a restaurant as the recipe describes. I’m making it for dinner tonight.
This was so easy- and delicious!
We live on the pacific coast and my husband is an avid fisherman. This is my go to recipe for salmon. It is simple and a really nice clean, fresh way to cook salmon. It lends itself to any type of sauce beautifully!
This was my dinner tonight with a simple chicken and saffron rice and sautéed sliced crimini mushrooms with broccoli and cauliflower. Absolutely elegant meal, and every flavor melded together wonderfully! The salt knocked it out of the park, as the saying goes! Thank you, Jenn! It was a perfect meal on a day when I had too much to do to fuss more, and yet it was clearly restaurant-worthy! (I took photos but haven’t been able to upload them to Instagram since I’m not online with a phone.)
Have made salmon using this recipe many times. It turns out great every time! Crispy on the outside, moist inside. Perfect!
Excellent! Done in no time and easy and most important—-Delicious!
This was easy and DELICIOUS. I will definitely do this again.