If you’re after that restaurant-level crispy skin, try this pan seared salmon recipe. This easy guide will elevate your weeknight dinner routine for life!
You can make delicious pan-seared salmon with shatteringly crispy skin in just about 15 minutes! The key is a hot pan and patience—place the salmon skin-side down and resist the urge to move it. The skin will crisp up beautifully and release on its own when ready, while protecting the fish so it cooks gently to buttery perfection.
This easy (I promise!) technique is a great salmon recipe to add to yout rotation, along with baked salmon and poached salmon. I dial up the flavor with savory Mediterranean spices, fresh lemon, and peppery arugula. It’s a light, healthy, and satisfying meal that’s fancy enough for date night but quick enough for a busy Wednesday. I love this easy salmon recipe and I know you’ll love it too!
Ingredients for Pan Seared Salmon
You only need fish, oil, and salt to cook salmon in a pan, but an easy dry rub brings incredible depth with just a minute or so of extra time. Here are the ingredients:
- Salmon filets: Look for skin-on salmon filets about 4-ounces each, or slice a large piece into four equal portions.
- Seasoning: Dried oregano, garlic powder, and paprika give the fish an aromatic, deeply savory quality. Salt and pepper enhance the flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil prevents the salmon from sticking to the pan. Many are nervous about cooking with olive oil over high heat, but it’s a very stable oil as long as you use an extra virgin variety.
- LEARN MORE: Cooking With Olive Oil: Everything You Need To Know!
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- Lemon: A simple hit of lemon juice is an essential seasoning, lifting the savory flavor. I wouldn’t go without it, but lime juice can work well too.
- Baby arugula adds a fresh peppery flavor, but is optional.
How to Cook Salmon in a Pan
Though it seems fancy, the trick to pan searing salmon is to do less. As tempting as it is to move the salmon, this causes the skin to rip. Simply step back and let the salmon do its thing and I promise it will release from the pan!
- Season the salmon. In small bowl, mix together 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and 3/4 teaspoon paprika. Use paper towels to pat the fish very dry on all sides and sprinkle all over with salt and black pepper, then rub the spices all over the flesh side of the fish.
- Preheat the pan and oil. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. When the skillet is hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom (about 2 tablespoons) and wait for the oil to shimmer but not smoke.
- Sear the salmon. Once shimmering, turn the heat to medium-low and add one salmon filet with the skin-side down. Press the top with a fish spatula for about 10 seconds, which prevents the skin from curling. Add the remaining salmon filets, one at a time, pressing each with the spatula for 10 seconds.
- Don’t disturb the salmon. Cook until the skin is golden and crispy, about 4 minutes. If the skin is sticking to the pan, allow the fish to cook a little longer. This, in essence, is how to cook salmon in a pan. Easy!
- Flip until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Transfer the seared salmon to a large rimmed plate. Immediately zest on one of the lemons over the top of the fish, slice the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice over the fillets.
- Make arugula salad (optional) and serve. In a medium bowl, add the baby arugula, a pinch of salt, the juice of 1/2 of the remaining lemon, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine. Serve the crispy skin salmon with arugula and lemon wedges on the side.
Do You Eat Salmon Skin?
YES! When it is delicious and crispy, you can definitely eat that skin. Most people don’t think you can or don’t want to because many cooking methods can leave skin soggy. But you will get none of that here! Crispy skin salmon is like eating the golden skin of a whole roast chicken. So delicious!
What to Serve with Pan Seared Salmon
You have the fresh element covered with the simple arugula salad, so I like to throw on a grain for some heft and added nutrition. Here are some ways to build around the crispy pan seared salmon:
- Grain: I often go for Greek Lemon Rice, but even simple Basmati Rice is always comforting and delicious.
- Vegetables: Sweet honey-roasted Delicata squash is a great match to the savory salmon.
- Sauce: If you love spice, serve with Zhoug (Spicy Cilantro Sauce) for drizzling.
- Leftovers? Use them to make my crispy salmon rice bowl!
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 4 (4 ounce) skin-on salmon filets (about 1 pound salmon, or a large piece sliced into 4 filets)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lemons
- 5 ounces baby arugula for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Season the salmon. In small bowl, mix together the oregano, garlic powder and paprika. Use paper towels to pat the fish very dry on all sides and sprinkle all over with salt and black pepper, then rub the spices all over the flesh side of the fish.
- Preheat the pan and oil. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. When the skillet is hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom (about 2 tablespoons) and wait for the oil to shimmer but not smoke.
- Sear the salmon. Once shimmering, turn the heat to medium-low and add one salmon filet with the skin-side down. Press the top with a fish spatula for about 10 seconds, which prevents the skin from curling up. Add the remaining salmon filets, one at a time, pressing each with the spatula for 10 seconds.
- Don’t disturb the salmon. Cook until the skin is golden and crispy, about 4 minutes. If skin resists lifting (or if it’s sticking to the pan), allow the fish to cook for a little bit longer until you are able to lift up easily, which should take no more than 6 minutes in total.
- Flip until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Transfer the seared salmon to a large rimmed plate. Immediately zest on one of the lemons, slice it in half, and squeeze the juice all over.
- Make arugula salad. In a medium bowl, add the baby arugula, a pinch of salt, the juice of 1/2 of the remaining lemon, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine.
- Serve. Serve the crispy skin salmon with arugula and lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, oregano, and paprika used in this recipe.
- Salmon is ready when it flakes easily with a fork at the thickest part. If you’re using a thermometer:
- Rare: 110°F (43°C)
- Medium-rare: 120°F (49°C)
- Medium: 130°F (54°C)
Nutrition
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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
This recipe is so delicious! My daughter and I love any type of fish! Can’t wait to make this again!
awesome, Beth! Thank you
Hi l cook this fish dish quite often but l do not use xtra virgin olive oil nor normal olive oil, why not l hear people say
well first point, olive oil is a strong flavour, 2, it has a very low smoking point, l use either clarified butter, very high smoking point ,and adds great flavour to your fish, the other oil l use is apricot kernel oil again very high smoking point,
and it has not got any smell or taste, So if you use either of these to fats all your taste buds just pick out the fish and not the fats you use. I hope you don’t mind me saying this especially as l have just joined your happy group.
Robbie
HI Robbie, there is quite a bit of misinformation out there about cooking with extra virgin olive oil. First, quality matters. Quality extra virgin olive oil has a higher smoke point than most people think (it’s smoke point is something like 405 degrees F or higher depending on quality.) The key is to heat the oil just enough to shimmering but not smoking, so you do need to watch and be careful. And as the recipe states, once the oil is heated, you will need to lower it as you add the salmon to the pan.
Quality extra virgin olive oil is a great option for this fish dish and produces the best results in terms of crispy skin and flavor. I use this Private Reserve Greek EVOO, by the way. But if you are more comfortable using ghee or clarified butter, that will work as well.
SO delicious! I served it with homemade tzatziki like you recommended!
That looks great! Thanks!
Thank you, Lisa! Hope you give it a try!! 🙂
Thank you Suzy for sharing such a flavoursome recipe. It was super quick and easy to make. My family loved it. The skin came out crispy!!
Awesome!!! Thanks, Parisa!
This salmon turns out perfectly seared! Love the combo of salon with greens!
This one is as pretty as it is delish! Thanks, Emily!
I always roast my salmon in the oven but was looking for something different. Wow, this is amazing and smells so good!
Yes! This ones great for shaking up your salmon game a bit :). Thanks Pamela!
Your helpful tips ensured my salmon turned out perfectly! And I agree: a fresh fillet of wild salmon has so much flavour, it needs very little seasoning. Love this simple recipe.
Thanks, Elaine!
I agree, I love cooking salmon in a cast-iron skillet for extra crispy outside! We cook salmon a lot in our house, and this is such an easy to follow, yummy recipe!
Happy to hear you liked it, Marlynn!
This is indeed super simple, yet highly satisfying. All your tips to cook the perfect salmon fillets are spot on. We love the crunchy skins!
Thanks, Anita!!
Great tips for keeping this salmon moist and flavorful! Loved it!
Thanks, Ashley!
Happy to hear the tips were helpful! Thanks, Ashley!
I made this Friday night and I am so disappointed I didn’t buy more salmon and double the recipe! It’s truly delicious, thank you.
Ha! Next time, right?
Delicious and seasoned wonderfully! I truly appreciate the precise directions because any time I’ve made salmon in the past it has turned out dry. Your recipe was tender and perfect and quick and easy. Thank you so very much! I will make this again.
Elaine, I’m so glad to hear it! Salmon can be a tad tricky, but the tips I shared here never failed me!
Great tips. Delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Sam!
This recipe is so good, and the tips on how to make the skin crispy are so good!
Simply adore salmon and would eat this pan-seared version every day if I could. It was simple, tasty and left the salmon moist and the skin extra crispy. I served mine with a caesar salad and some fingerling potatoes. Awesome!