Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus and Mushrooms

This garlic butter salmon is a full dinner cooked in one skillet. Mushrooms and asparagus go in first and get browned, then they rest on a plate while the salmon takes over the pan and crisps its skin. A quick garlic butter sauce with lemon juice finishes everything, and the vegetables return to the pan to pick it up. It serves 4, and the cooking itself takes only 15 minutes or so once the prep is done.

Why You’ll Like This Garlic Butter Salmon

A lot of salmon dinners ask for a sheet pan, a pot and a side dish on the stove. This one uses a single large skillet, and each stage leaves something behind for the next. The vegetables leave browned bits and a little butter and oil, the salmon adds its own fat, and the garlic butter ties it all together at the end.

• One skillet: vegetables, salmon and sauce all cook in the same pan, so there is less to wash.
• Crispy skin: the salmon goes skin side down and stays put until the skin is crisp.
• Simple pantry seasoning: salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder on the fish, fresh garlic and lemon in the sauce.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus and Mushrooms

• 4 salmon fillets (about 5 to 6 oz each)
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (white or cremini)
• 3 Tbsp butter, divided
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley or dill, for garnish (optional)

Ingredient Notes

Salmon: Skin-on fillets are the point of this recipe, since the skin is what turns crisp in the pan. Try to buy fillets of similar thickness so they finish at the same time.

Asparagus: To trim it, hold a spear at both ends and bend it until it snaps, or simply cut off the woody bottom inch or two. Spears of similar thickness cook evenly.

Mushrooms: White or cremini both work. Slice them to about the same thickness so they brown together.

Butter: Salted or unsalted is fine. If you use salted, go lightly when you season the vegetables and taste the sauce before adding more salt.

Lemon: Squeeze it right into the pan at the end. Use a fork or your hand to catch any seeds.

How to Make Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Step by Step

1. Season the salmon. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
2. Brown the mushrooms. Heat 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they start to brown.
3. Add the asparagus. Add the trimmed asparagus and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Rest the vegetables. Transfer the mushrooms and asparagus to a plate.



5. Start the salmon. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Place the salmon fillets in the pan skin side down.
6. Crisp the skin. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes without moving the fillets, so the skin gets crispy.
7. Flip. Turn the fillets over and cook another 2 to 4 minutes, until the salmon is almost cooked through.
8. Make the garlic butter. Push the salmon to one side of the pan. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp butter and the minced garlic to the empty space and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
9. Add the lemon. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan, then spoon the garlic butter over the salmon.
10. Bring it together. Return the asparagus and mushrooms to the skillet and warm them through. Spoon more of the butter sauce over everything.
11. Serve. Plate the salmon with the asparagus and mushrooms, garnish with chopped parsley or fresh dill, and serve hot.

Tips for the Best Garlic Butter Salmon

Dry the Fish Well

Moisture on the surface keeps the skin from crisping. Pat the fillets dry before seasoning and, if they have been sitting in packaging juices, give them one more press with a paper towel right before they go in the pan.

Leave the Salmon Alone

Once the fillets are skin side down, resist the urge to nudge or lift them. Three to four minutes of undisturbed cooking is what gives you crispy skin that releases from the pan cleanly.

Give the Vegetables Room

If the mushrooms are piled deep in the skillet they steam rather than brown. Use a large skillet and spread them out. If your pan is on the small side, cook the mushrooms and asparagus in two rounds.

Watch the Garlic

Garlic goes from fragrant to bitter quickly. Thirty seconds in the butter is enough, and the lemon juice goes in right after to slow things down.

Check for Doneness

The salmon should flake easily with a fork and look opaque in the center. The fillets come off the heat when they are almost cooked through, and the warm sauce and the pan finish the job as you spoon it over them.

What to Serve With Garlic Butter Salmon

Since the vegetables are already on the plate, you only need something to soak up the sauce. Rice, mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or roasted baby potatoes all work. Crusty bread is good for mopping up the garlic butter left in the skillet.

Variations

• Extra rich: Add 2 Tbsp heavy cream to the butter sauce for a creamier finish.
• Different vegetable: Use zucchini or broccoli instead of asparagus. Cut broccoli into small florets so it cooks through in about the same time.
• Herb swap: Finish with fresh dill instead of parsley for a different flavor, or use a mix of both.
• More lemon: Serve with a wedge or two at the table for anyone who likes a sharper finish.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently so the salmon stays moist. A low oven, a covered skillet over low heat or short microwave bursts at reduced power all work better than high heat. Spoon a little of the butter sauce over the fish as it warms. The crispy skin will soften in the fridge, which is normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use skinless salmon?

Yes, though you won’t get the crispy skin. Season and cook the fillets the same way, searing the presentation side first and flipping once. Keep an eye on the timing, and check that the salmon flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque in the center.

How do I know when the salmon is done?

Press the thickest part with a fork. The salmon should flake easily and be opaque in the center. In this recipe the fillets come off the direct heat when they are almost cooked through, since they finish cooking as you spoon the hot garlic butter over them.

Can I use something other than asparagus?

Yes. Zucchini or broccoli are both good swaps. Slice the zucchini into half-moons or sticks, and cut broccoli into small florets. Cook them after the mushrooms the same way, until crisp-tender.

Can I make the sauce richer?

Stir 2 Tbsp heavy cream into the garlic butter after the lemon juice goes in. Let it warm through for a moment before you spoon it over the salmon and vegetables.