Description
This herb crusted salmon recipe is a total winner! A quick, flavor-packed marinade kicks things off, then it gets pan seared with a herb crust and finished off with a lemon dill sour cream sauce that brings it all together. So easy, so good!
Ingredients
Scale
For the salmon marinade:
- 4 salmon filets (about 6 ounces/170g each)
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the herb crust:
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
For the lemon dill sour cream sauce:
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Marinate salmon: Place the salmon filets in a large glass container or baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce (or tamari), minced garlic, lemon juice, honey and Dijon mustard. Pour over the salmon and make sure both sides get coated in the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Make lemon dill sour cream sauce: While the salmon is marinating, prepare the sauce (and maybe get a head start on any side dishes). Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Press herb mixture on salmon: Remove the salmon from the marinade and pat dry with paper towel. In a small bowl, mix together the dried thyme, dried parsley, dried basil and coarsely ground black pepper. Sprinkle the herb mixture evenly over the top of each filet and gently press it into the salmon so it sticks.
- Pan sear salmon: In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium and place the salmon filets top-side down (herb crust down). Let them cook for 2-3 minutes until the herb crust is golden (but not burnt!). Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through (130F-140F in the thickest part if using an instant read thermometer). Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate or tray to drain.
- Serve: Plate up the salmon and add a generous dollop of the lemon dill sour cream sauce on top (or served on the side). Enjoy!
Notes
- Cast Iron Skillet: I like to use a large cast iron skillet for the best results.
- Fish Turner: It can be a struggle to flip and lift fish filets from the pan with a regular spatula. A fish turner is a total game-changer (highly recommend!). The flexible design and beveled edge lets you slide right under the fish to easily lift and turn it.
- How to tell when salmon is done: Since salmon thickness can vary, cooking times do too! Watch the color change on the side of the salmon filet (it shifts from deep to light pink as it cooks). When the salmon flakes easily with a fork, it’s ready! To check if it’s done without cutting into it, use an instant read thermometer (the Thermapen is my favorite!). The thickest part should be 130F-140F, depending on how you like it cooked.
