Melt-in-your-mouth salmon is all about technique. Follow these simple steps and your salmon will be tender and buttery — especially when you finish it with real butter. My Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Wine Cream Sauce is elegant enough for guests and easy enough for a weeknight meal.
This simple yet indulgent recipe relies on a few key steps—quality fish, a hot pan, and careful timing—to deliver restaurant-worthy results at home.
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Cooking fish used to make me nervous too. The most common mistake is overcooking: salmon can go from silky to dry quickly. Growing up in the Midwest, truly fresh seafood was rare, so it took some practice to learn the right approach. Now I savor every chance to enjoy seafood and have adapted techniques from one of my favorite cookbooks, Taste and Technique by Naomi Pomeroy, into the method below.
How to make Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Wine Cream Sauce
Begin with a quality piece of fish. A thick, center-cut wild-caught salmon fillet with the skin on gives the best texture and flavor.
Preheat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. A well-seasoned cast iron or carbon steel pan works best. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat until shimmering.
Season both sides of the salmon with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the fillets in the pan skin-side down and press gently so the skin makes full contact. Cook about 3 minutes, until the lower portion of the fillet has turned opaque.
Add 3 tablespoons of butter around the edges of the pan and let it melt. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter over the top of the fillets for about 30 seconds to start cooking the surface.
Transfer the pan to a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 3 minutes. Remove the pan briefly, baste with butter again, then return to the oven for another 3 minutes. The goal is to remove the salmon when it is just a touch under your desired doneness since it will continue to cook while resting. I aim for an internal temperature of about 130°F for medium; adjust based on your preference and the thickness of your fillets.
When the salmon reaches the target temperature, transfer it immediately to a serving platter and loosely tent with foil to rest while you finish the sauce.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallots and sauté briefly in the pan drippings, about 2 minutes, until softened. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook another 1–2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Deglaze the pan with about 1 cup of dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio work well). Scrape the browned bits from the pan and bring the wine to a gentle simmer to reduce slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of heavy cream or half-and-half, depending on how rich you want the sauce. Fold in half a bunch of chopped Italian parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Can I add shrimp or other seafood to my Garlic Wine Cream Sauce?
Absolutely. Shrimp, scallops, or lump crab meat pair beautifully. Sear raw shrimp or scallops with the shallots and garlic; add precooked shellfish when you add the wine so they warm through without overcooking.
To serve, place the salmon on a bed of fettuccine, linguine, or simply serve with roasted asparagus and lemon wedges. Spoon the garlic wine cream sauce over the fillets, finish with a squeeze of lemon and freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino. A Microplane grater is great for finishing the cheese.
I usually serve this with oven-roasted asparagus and a chilled glass of the same white wine used in the sauce. Enjoy!
Share a photo of your finished dish on social media and tag me @SAVORWITHJENNIFER — I love seeing your creations.
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Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Wine Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds center-cut salmon, cut into 5–6 uniform pieces skin on, scales removed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly ground pepper
- kosher or sea salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
- freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino, to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil, and heavily salt for pasta if serving with noodles.
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Add pasta to boiling water when you begin cooking the salmon and cook to al dente per package directions.
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Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
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Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron or carbon steel) to medium-high and add the olive oil.
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Place salmon skin-side down in the pan and cook about 3 minutes until the bottom half is no longer translucent.
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Add the butter and let it melt, then spoon the melted butter over the tops of the fillets for about 30 seconds.
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Transfer the pan to the oven for 3 minutes. Remove, baste again, then return for another 3 minutes or until the salmon is slightly under your desired doneness (about 130°F for medium).
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Remove salmon from the pan and loosely tent with foil to rest.
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Place the skillet back on the stove and sauté the shallots in the pan drippings for about 2 minutes.
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Add the garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes more.
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Pour in the white wine, bring to a gentle simmer, and reduce slightly while scraping up browned bits.
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Remove from heat and stir in the cream or half-and-half and the chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Serve the salmon over pasta or on its own, spoon the sauce over the fillets, add a squeeze of lemon and freshly grated cheese.
Notes
Can I add shrimp or other seafood to my Garlic Wine Cream Sauce?
Yes — shrimp, scallops, or crab meat are lovely additions. Sear raw seafood with the shallots and garlic; add precooked seafood when you add the wine so it warms through without overcooking.