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Quick Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus in 20 Minutes

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A quick and delicious one-skillet meal featuring perfectly seared salmon and tender asparagus in a rich garlic butter sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner that feels fancy but is incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on or off
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving
  • 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), woody ends trimmed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter

Instructions

  1. Prep the salmon and asparagus. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set everything aside.
  2. Heat the skillet. Place your skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Let the butter melt and start to foam, but don’t let it burn.
  3. Sear the salmon. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes without moving them, until the edges start to look opaque and the skin releases easily from the pan.
  4. Flip and add garlic. Carefully flip the salmon fillets. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic to the pan, stirring the garlic into the bubbling butter. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, basting the salmon with the garlic butter as it cooks.
  5. Cook the asparagus. Push the salmon to one side of the skillet and add the asparagus to the other side. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until it’s bright green and tender-crisp.
  6. Finish with lemon. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over everything in the pan. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Give the pan a gentle shake to distribute everything evenly.
  7. Serve immediately. Transfer the salmon and asparagus to plates, spoon any remaining garlic butter from the pan over the top. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Pat the salmon dry for the best sear. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Use an instant-read thermometer for perfect doneness (125-130°F for medium). Let the salmon rest for a minute before serving. For dairy-free, use ghee or vegan butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic butter salmon, salmon with asparagus, quick salmon recipe, weeknight dinner, one skillet meal, healthy salmon, low carb salmon

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/quick-garlic-butter-salmon-with-asparagus-in-20-minutes/