Easy Pan-Seared Salmon with Asparagus

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!

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5 from 1 vote

Easy Pan Seared Salmon with Asparagus Recipe

Easy Pan Seared Salmon with Asparagus and tasty herb dressing is healthy and delicious! And, you can have this simple dinner on the table in under 20 minutes!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy seafood recipes, salmon recipes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 334kcal

Author Sharon Rigsby

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 4-6 oz fresh salmon fillets skin removed
• ▢ 1/4 cup olive oil divided
• ▢ 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 8 asparagus spears trimmed (thicker spears work best for this recipe)*
• ▢ 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 shallot minced
• ▢ 2 tsp 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.

Notes

*To trim your asparagus, simply bend it to snap off the tough woody end where it meets the tender stalk.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 26.4mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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