Equipment Needed
- One large skillet (I use a 10-inch stainless steel or cast iron)
- Tongs or a flexible spatula
- Microplane or box grater (for the parmesan)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A small bowl for pre-measuring your garlic and broth
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, pat your salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. This is the secret to getting a gorgeous sear and not having the fish steam in its own moisture. Season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Now, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in your skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is foaming, carefully place the salmon in the pan, skin-side down if using skin-on. Don’t touch it! Let it cook undisturbed for a full 5-6 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when you can see the cooked color creeping up the sides and the bottom releases easily. I used to be impatient and flip too early, ending with torn skin—so learn from my mistake and give it time.
Once you’ve flipped the salmon to cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side, transfer the fillets to a clean plate. They won’t be fully cooked through yet, and that’s perfect. They’ll finish in the sauce later. To the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter and all your minced garlic. The scent is heavenly! Stir for just 30-60 seconds until fragrant—watch it like a hawk so it doesn’t burn, as burnt garlic turns bitter. Now, pour in your broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the salmon with your spatula. Those bits are pure flavor gold.
Let the broth simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce slightly, then pour in the heavy cream. Stir and let it come to a gentle simmer—you’ll see small bubbles around the edges. Now, sprinkle in your freshly grated parmesan cheese and whisk until it’s fully melted into a smooth, creamy dream. Stir in the dried herbs (if using fresh, add them at the very end). The sauce will thicken beautifully as it simmers for another 2-3 minutes. Taste it here and season with a pinch more salt if needed.
Now for the grand finale! Turn the heat to low and stir in the fresh spinach and lemon juice. The spinach wilts down in seconds. Nestle your salmon fillets back into the sauce, spooning some of that cream right over the top. Let everything warm through together for 3-4 minutes. This final simmer gently finishes cooking the salmon until it’s just perfectly flaky and allows all the flavors to marry. And just like that, you’re done.(See the next page below to continue…)