Carrageenan Free Pan-Seared Salmon with Brown Butter and Capers
Few things hit as satisfyingly as a perfectly seared piece of salmon, and this one delivers crispy, golden skin with tender, flaky flesh every single time. The technique is straightforward — dry the fillets well, get the pan screaming hot, and resist the urge to move them — and the payoff is restaurant-quality results right at home. What makes this dish especially clever is the brown butter sauce built right in the same skillet after the fish comes out, picking up all those savory drippings and turning them into something deeply nutty and rich. Capers and fresh lemon juice cut through the butter beautifully, keeping the sauce bright and balanced rather than heavy. For anyone navigating ingredient labels carefully, this recipe is refreshingly clean — just whole, recognizable ingredients with no processed additives or thickeners to worry about. Grass-fed butter, fresh herbs, and good salmon are really all you need here. Serve it immediately so the sauce stays glossy and the skin stays crisp, with an extra squeeze of lemon if you like a little more brightness on the plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on, pin bones removed
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For the brown butter sauce
- 4 tbsp grass-fed unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the salmon fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels, then season both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat the avocado oil in a 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down and press each fillet gently with a fish spatula for the first 30 seconds to prevent curling. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and the flesh has turned opaque about two-thirds of the way up the sides.
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