Description

This Honey Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce is a quick and flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight dinner. Pan-seared salmon fillets are coated with a light dusting of flour and honey, then cooked to a golden brown. The star of the recipe is the rich browned butter sauce blended with fresh lime juice, garlic, and a touch of seasoning, adding a zesty and aromatic finish that perfectly complements the salmon.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Salmon

4 6-oz fillets salmon (rested at room temperature 20 minutes)
Salt and pepper to taste
8 teaspoons flour (divided)
2 tablespoons honey (divided)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Browned Butter Lime Sauce

6 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 limes (zested)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the sauce: Place butter in a small light-colored saucepan and cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until the butter becomes fragrant and turns a deep golden brown. Remove from heat immediately and pour the browned butter into a blender to halt the cooking process. Add fresh lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to the blender and blend on low for 30 seconds to one minute until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare the salmon: Pat both sides of the salmon fillets dry using paper towels. Arrange them on a large cutting board and season the tops with salt and pepper. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of flour per fillet on the top sides, then drizzle approximately 3/4 teaspoon of honey over each fillet.
Heat the pan: Warm 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in your largest skillet. Swirl the pan to coat it evenly. Once the oil shimmers, carefully place the salmon fillets, floured side down, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. If your skillet isn’t large enough, cook in batches or use multiple pans.
Cook the salmon: Set a timer for 3 minutes and allow the salmon to cook undisturbed. Meanwhile, season, flour, and honey the side now facing up. Flip the salmon once the bottom side turns a nice golden brown. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the salmon is cooked through.
Serve and garnish: Plate the salmon fillets immediately. Re-blend the browned butter lime sauce to re-emulsify it if it has separated. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sauce over each fillet and sprinkle with fresh lime zest. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Resting the salmon at room temperature before cooking helps ensure even cooking.
A light dusting of flour helps achieve a crispy exterior on the salmon.
Use a light-colored saucepan for browning butter so you can monitor the color to prevent burning.
Do not overcrowd the skillet to avoid steaming the salmon instead of searing.
Adjust cooking time based on salmon thickness to avoid overcooking.
Re-blend the browned butter sauce before serving to keep it smooth and emulsified.