This pan seared salmon with tartar sauce is an incredibly easy and elegant salmon dish. Crispy on the outside and flakey on the inside, finished with a flavorful tartar sauce.

This low-carb salmon recipe is a great dinner option and will be on your table in less than 25 minutes!

Salmon

Pan searing salmon in a hot skillet is one of the easiest ways to cook salmon. You can use both trout and salmon. The recipe requires minimal ingredients, comes together fast and guarantees a restaurant-quality salmon dish that your whole family will love.

Make it for any night of the week and impress your loved ones!

Tartar sauce is creamy and commonly served with seafood dishes. It is a perfect sauce for pan seared salmon. When made at home, it is much better than anything you can get at the store.

This easy sauce transform pan seared salmon into a restaurant-worthy dish. Ready in 5 minutes!

Pan Seared Salmon

You will need simple ingredients to make the best pan seared salmon ever! Keep them nearby as the recipe cooks fast.

Salmon steaks or fillets (pat dry and bring to room temperature)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice
Garlic
Butter
Dill or parsley

How to sear salmon

Bring salmon to room temperature.
Heat oil in a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Pat dry salmon steaks with paper towel.
Season salmon all over with salt and ground black pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice.
Sear salmon steaks for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed.
Flip and sear further for 2 minutes or until crispy.
Add in garlic, butter (optional), and dill and lemon juice. The butter will start to brown slightly.

How long to pan sear salmon

The cooking time depends on the size of your steaks or fillets. Always get salmon to room temperature before searing. This guarantees even doneness. Make sure the skillet is very hot. We recommend also to press down the steaks firmly with a spatula. This also ensures even cooking.

It usually takes 4 minutes for salmon to turn from translucent to opaque. Flip the steaks and cook further for 2-3 minutes. After 6-7 minutes you can check for doneness, using a sharp knife. If it is beginning to flake, it’s done.

Tartar Sauce

Mayonnaise is one of the key ingredients in tartar sauce. You can use homemade or store-bought mayo.
Dill pickles add flavor and crunch. We like dill pickles, but you can try sweet pickles instead.
Fresh dill adds so much flavour. If you don’t like dill or can’t get it, parsley is a great alternative.
Onion is optional, but we like to add it.
Lemon juice
Sugar
Fresh ground black pepper

How to make tartar sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. If time allows refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the best tartar sauce.

For a lighter sauce, you can substitute mayo with sour cream or plain yogurt.

Side Dishes for Salmon with Tartar Sauce

We like to serve this salmon dish with napa cabbage or a side of salad like Creamy Cucumber Salad or Cucumber Tomato Salad. If you need a few more ideas, here are our favorite sides for salmon:

Cheesy Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Crispy Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Steamed Broccoli

Sauteed Spinach

If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!

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