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.
Table of Contents
“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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Love how simple and quick this preparation is. So wonderful to make during a busy workweek. Thank you! I paired it with a yogurt sauce with shallots, garlic and dill. Yum!
I have 4 ounce fillets. How long would you recommend cooking them? Thank you in advance Chef!
Hi Joanna, It really depends upon the thickness. I’d start with 3 1/2 minutes per side.
They’re 1-1/4 inch thick. I cooked them for 3 1/2 minutes per side and they were perfect!
👍
Simple. Easy. Followed directions. Came out awesome. First time ever cooking salmon on the stove top. Thank you.
This was quick and delicious! I did add a 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the oil and since we are garlic lovers, sprinkled garlic powder along with salt & pepper. Will definitely make again. Might have hubby put it in the smoker too.
Excellent – and quick and easy. Thank you for the post.
This recipe is spot-on, as all your recipes seem to be! Thank you for making a classic easy and accessible for all.
And I applaud your high-road response to an unnecessarily rude poster! 😆
Glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
Do you recommend warming the salmon to room temperature, before cooking?
Going to try your recipe tonight for the fist time.
Hi Jim, You don’t need to bring it to room temperature before cooking. Hope you enjoy!
This is, hands down, our favorite way to make salmon. Crunchy crust, moist inside, just salt, pepper and oil-perfect every time!
In the recipe it says skin side up but your pictures show skin side down to begin with… I am assuming you meant skin side down first. Other than that this is perfect!
Hi Aaron, perhaps it looks that way in the picture, but the first pic of the salmon in the pan does show the skin side up. Sorry if it’s not clear!
Is it skin side up first, or skin side down first?
Hi Niki, It’s skin side up first. Enjoy!
Can I marinate the salmon before cooking it? And for a large (0.8lb) fillet would you recommend cutting it in half?
Hi Lindsay, I think it would be fine to marinate the salmon as long as the marinade doesn’t have anything sweet like sugar or syrup as it will burn when you sear it. And no need to cut the fillet in half if you feel like you’d be able to flip it in the pan. If you think that might be a challenge, then feel free to cut it in half. Hope that helps!
Iam so Confused about the skin down the skin up I need to make that clear some recipe said skin up first for crispy your recipe said the skin down for which is that
Hi Bita, for this recipe, you start cooking the salmon with the skin side up. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy!
I’ve been using this recipe/technique for probably a couple of years now (or close to it, once I found this one I stopped looking!) I love it, it is my go-to for a quick dinner and it couldn’t be more delicious. I consider myself to be “ok” in the kitchen, but I have always been a bit shy with cooking whole pieces of fish on the stove. This recipe makes it so easy to have confidence!
Very simple and very tasty. Made a nice dinner for my wife and myself! I used M Salt – a spice blend.
Wow! I’m so happy that I stumbled upon your site. While I love to cook and also love salmon, it’s something that never worked out from my kitchen. (My husband makes a fabulous cedar-planked version on the grill, but that isn’t always an option.) This technique worked like magic. The skinless side has a fabulous, crisp finish and, after turning, it cooked to a nice medium throughout, not the leathery consistency that I usually serve. I used a well-seasoned cast iron pan. I’ve cooked it twice in three weeks with great results. Thank you!!! I can’t wait to try other techniques and recipes.
I am cooking this tonight, try her Beef Stew it is to die for!! Have it it multiple times. 🙂
Perfect.
Fabulous! Oh how I wish I had tried this sooner! So easy yet so delicious!