Easy Pan-Seared Salmon with Asparagus is light, healthy and delicious! Topped with a yummy herb dressing, you can have this simple skillet dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes!
This fish recipe is so simple to prepare and so flavorful, I knew you would want it in your arsenal of quick and easy recipes. Oh, and did I mention it’s also low in calories! It’s the perfect meal!
Ingredients:
To make this dish you will need fresh salmon fillets, olive oil, unsalted butter, fresh asparagus spears (thicker spears work better in this recipe), fresh lemon juice, a shallot. You will also need Dijon mustard, fresh basil, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
How to make it:
Gather your ingredients and add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
While the pan is heating, remove any skin from the salmon and dry the fillets with a paper towel. (This helps ensure they get a good sear.) Season the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
When the pan is hot, add the fillets and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy on the first side. Use a pancake turner and carefully flip the fillets over.
Reduce the heat to medium and, depending on the thickness of the fillets, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Check the fillets every minute or so by piercing it with a fork until the thickest part flakes through the entire thickness.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the fillets to a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil or a pan lid to keep warm.
Use a paper towel and carefully wipe out the pan. Add one tablespoon butter to the pan and when it is melted, add the asparagus in a single layer. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Cover and cook the asparagus on medium for about 5 minutes or until they are bright green and just starting to get tender. Uncover and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the spears, occasionally turning, for another 2-3 minutes or until they are crisp-tender.
While the asparagus is cooking, add three tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, shallots, basil, mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper to a small mason jar and shake well.
Add the asparagus to the platter with the fish, drizzle the dressing on the fish and serve immediately.
Sharon’s Tip:
To easily trim your asparagus, simply bend it to snap off the tough woody end where it meets the tender stalk.
More easy fish recipes:
If you are a fan of fresh fish like we are, I hope you will also try my recipes for Slow-Roasted Salmon, Baked Grouper with Tomatoes and Artichokes, Easy Baked Parmesan Grouper Fillets, Blackened Mahi-Mahi, or Mediterranean Grouper. All are quick, easy, and delicious and all are equally perfect for a weeknight dinner or for when you have guests.
If you need more menu ideas using fish or shellfish, here is a link to all of my seafood recipes.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Easy Pan Seared Salmon with Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 4-6 oz fresh salmon fillets skin removed
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 asparagus spears trimmed (thicker spears work best for this recipe)*
- 4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 teaspoon fresh basil minced
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- While the pan is heating, dry the salmon fillets with a paper towel. (This helps ensure they get a good sear.) Season the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
- When the pan is hot, add the fillets and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes or until they are brown and crispy on the first side. Use a pancake turner and carefully flip the fillets over. Reduce the heat to medium and, depending on the thickness of the fillets, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Check the fillets every minute or so by piercing it with a fork until the thickest part flakes through the entire thickness.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the fillets to a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil or a pan lid to keep warm.
- Use a paper towel and carefully wipe out the pan. Add one tablespoon butter to the pan and when it is melted, add the asparagus in a single layer. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Cover and cook the asparagus on medium for about 5 minutes or until they are bright green and just starting to get tender. Uncover and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the spears, occasionally turning, for another 2-3 minutes or until they are crisp-tender.
- While the asparagus is cooking, add three tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, shallots, basil, mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper to a small mason jar and shake well.
- Add the asparagus to the platter with the fish, drizzle the dressing on the fish and serve immediately.
We enjoyed this very much – fresh & light – First time on this site but now will be visiting more often –
Great recipe! I made it tonight and it was easy and delicious! I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the herb sauce, but I loved it! Nothing about this recipe needs changed imo, it’s fantastic just the way it is! Thank you!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks so much for taking time to leave your sweet comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
All my best,
Sharon
The hubby has been eating a ton of salmon lately so I am always on the lookout for new way to prepare it. Loving the dressing on this one.
Oh yum! We have salmon about once a week and I am always looking for new ways to prepare it! This looks just lovely!
Hi Melissa, thanks so much for leaving a comment. If you make this recipe please let me know how you like it! Also would love to know what are some of your favorite other salmon recipes!
Hi Sharon, I have never cooked a lot of fish and I notice you do a lot of pan searing of your fish rather than cooking it on the grill. Is that your preference – pan sear vs. grilling?
Hey Jan!
I love both grilled fish and pan seared fish, but pan searing only takes a few minutes versus grilling which for us takes at least 30 minutes to even get our green egg grill ready to grill. So for me, it’s just a time thing, plus it is so hot right now it’s not enjoyable to be outside.
Hope you and Bennet are doing well and I think of you guys often!
Love your blog. Keeps this Florida girl connected! All though I grew up in Florida I have this phobia of cooking fish. Your recipes give me the encouragement…..so well written and presented!
You are so sweet! I miss you!