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Easy Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus for Beginners

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This easy garlic butter salmon with asparagus is a quick, one-pan dish that turns seafood skeptics into believers. Tender, flaky salmon and crisp-tender asparagus are coated in a rich garlic butter sauce with a bright lemon finish, perfect for weeknight dinners or impressing guests.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large lemon (juice and zest)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Take salmon out of fridge 10 minutes before cooking. Pat fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Trim woody ends off asparagus. Mince garlic and zest lemon.
  2. Heat the pan: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Swirl to combine. Wait until butter stops foaming and just starts to brown slightly (about 2 minutes).
  3. Sear the salmon: Place salmon fillets skin-side down in hot pan. Cook without moving for 4 minutes until golden crust forms.
  4. Flip and finish cooking: Carefully flip fillets. Add another tablespoon of butter, swirling around fillets. Cook 3-4 minutes more until opaque and flakes easily (internal temp 125°F for medium-rare to 140°F for well-done).
  5. Remove salmon and cook asparagus: Transfer salmon to plate and tent with foil. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and minced garlic to pan. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant, scraping up browned bits.
  6. Cook the asparagus: Add trimmed asparagus to pan. Toss to coat in garlic butter. Cook 3-5 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
  7. Finish with lemon: Squeeze juice of half lemon over asparagus and sprinkle lemon zest over everything. Toss to combine.
  8. Assemble and serve: Arrange asparagus on platter. Place salmon on top or alongside. Spoon remaining garlic butter from pan over salmon. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t crowd the pan—cook salmon in batches if needed. Pat salmon very dry for best crust. Watch garlic carefully as it burns quickly. Use an instant-read thermometer for perfect doneness. Prep all ingredients before cooking for a smooth process.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic butter salmon, salmon with asparagus, one-pan salmon, easy salmon recipe, beginner salmon, healthy dinner, low-carb salmon, gluten-free salmon

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/easy-garlic-butter-salmon-with-asparagus-for-beginners/