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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I was looking for a quick and simple way to prepare salmon and found this recipe. I made it exactly as in the recipe. My salmon still had the skin on. It was incredibly good and mercifully easy. I served it with a little mango salsa on the side. My husband loved it. this will be my go-to recipe for salmon now. I’m making it again tonight!
My family raved about this salmon! I loved it too. Usually I bake it in the oven but this recipe is perfect! Especially when it’s too hot out to turn on the oven. So simple and healthy!
Thank you! A simple, clearly described, cooking technique. Very useful. Mine came out crisp on the outside, moist in the middle, like the restaurant’s. I made a roasted baby tomato (tossed in white wine garlic and sage) sauce to go over it. On top of Orzo. Perfect!
This is my go-to recipe for salmon. Simply delicious and the whole family loves it. Thank you!
Came out perfect following the directions. I’m not usually a big fan of salmon, but was given some free fillets. I’m now a big fan of pan-seared salmon 🙂
It’s rare that I can get a recipe to turn out as great as the reviews claim on the first try but this one was worthy of me slowing down long enough to leave a glowing review. This came out deliciously, with a crispy, golden top and soft, fleshy center. My husband and I both were floored at how it was as good if not better than what we’ve had at a restaurant. Thanks so much for the easy-to-follow instructions and for helping to bring restaurant-style cooking into our home. I’ll be sure to check out more recipes on your site.
Easy & quick way to cook salmon. I had a 1-pound salmon filet from Aldi, cut it into four 4-oz portions, and it was delicious! Smaller size made for even faster cook time.
Amazing, best salmon I’ve ever cooked.
Absolutely perfect recipe. Thank you.
This recipe worked out great. Simple, fast and tasty. My salmon was smaller than the ones shown so I reduced the cooking time by 1 minute per side. They were still a tad over cooked but tasty nonetheless. Thank you for the recipe.
Wow, this was amazing. My kids who barely eat wolfed it down! Everyone loved it. Def making this over and over.