Crispy pan-seared salmon with parsley dill sauce is simple, healthy, and amazingly delicious! If you’re like me, you probably slide your fish off the skin before you eat it. Well, this recipe will probably change your ways as it’s changed mine. What makes this dish stand out is the perfectly crisp salmon skin or as some call it, “bacon of the sea.”
I was inspired to make this dish after watching chef Aarón Sánchez make crispy salmon with herbed mole. It was life-changing for me since I have never in a million years would eat salmon skin – until now.
Scandinavian Twist
I wanted to give my crispy pan-seared salmon a Scandinavian twist so I started by channeling my Norwegian ancestors and magically, a zesty parsley dill sauce came to mind. With thoughts of a Swedish smorgasbord floating around my head, I decided to pair the salmon with buttery roasted baby potatoes and a fresh, light cucumber salad. To add to the fun, I added some Trader Joe’s gluten-free Norwegian crispbread and a delightfully nutty gruyere-style cheese called Apfelheller from local cheesemaker, Helvetia Creamery, which were a perfect addition to this flavorful feast.
Salmon filets 
Pan-Searing Salmon Filets Crispy Salmon Skin Crispy Pan-Roasted Salmon with a Parsley Dill Sauce
Wild vs. Farmed Salmon
- Wild salmon are caught in the pacific ocean and the streams, lakes, and rivers of the Pacific Northwest. These beautiful fish have sustained the people of the Pacific Northwest for hundreds and probably thousands of years.
- Loaded with omega-3, nutrients, and minerals, wild-caught salmon is the best choice if you like a full-bodied fish flavor. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re a bit spoiled and have many different varieties available throughout the year. King, Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye are the most popular. Wild salmon is normally darker in color and has a bolder flavor than farmed salmon due to its nutrient-rich diet.
- Atlantic salmon is farmed, and lighter in color than wild-caught salmon. It has a much more delicate flavor profile and is usually available in grocery stores year-round.
- Both wild and farmed salmon are good options. My suggestion is to select whichever salmon is freshest, available, and suits your tastebuds. They’re all good.
Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Stove Top + Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This crispy pan-seared salmon is a crowd-pleaser for sure! It’s healthy, delicious, and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- four 4-ounce salmon fillets (or two 8-ounce fillets) with skin
- kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large garlic clove, smashed
- 4 sprigs flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1/2 lemon, halved
Parsley Dill Sauce
- 1/2 cup flat leaf-Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup dill
- 1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Make the parsley dill sauce. Add parsley, dill, mustard, vinegar, garlic, and water to a food processor. Pulse a few times to mulch the ingredients together. With the processor on, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream and process until sauce is emulsified. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- In a hot cast iron or non-stick, oven-proof skillet, add the olive oil and swirl around. Add salmon, skin-side down. Gently apply pressure to each fillet then turn down to medium-high. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until salmon skin is crispy. Try not to burn the skin.
- Flip salmon, add butter, garlic, and parsley. Squeeze lemons over fish then drop them in the skillet. Place skillet in oven and roast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 3 minutes.
- Drizzle parsley dill sauce over salmon and serve with your favorite sides.
Notes
- The salmon fillets will naturally release from the bottom of the skillet when they are ready to flip.
- Serve with buttery roasted baby potatoes and a light, fresh cucumber, tomato, and red onion salad.
Keywords: crispy pan-seared salmon, pan-roasted salmon, salmon
