Hazelnut Free Pan-Seared Salmon with Brown Butter and Capers
Crispy-skinned salmon with a glossy, nutty brown butter sauce is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. The skin gets pressed flat in a screaming-hot skillet until it turns deep golden and shatteringly crisp, while the flesh stays silky and just cooked through. Then comes the sauce — butter swirled over medium heat until the milk solids go toasty and fragrant, finished with briny capers, bright lemon juice, and fresh parsley for a balance that hits every note at once. For anyone navigating tree nut allergies, this dish is a genuinely satisfying find because that irresistible nutty aroma comes entirely from the browning butter itself, with zero nut-based ingredients anywhere in the recipe. Every component is straightforward and easy to verify, so there's no guesswork about hidden sources of cross-contact lurking in a complicated sauce. Spoon it over the fillets right out of the pan and serve with a wedge of lemon — it's the kind of plate that disappears fast.
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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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