Today’s recipe could be made for Passover, or any day of the year. This is my tried and true method for cooking salmon fillets, and it couldn’t be easier. The sauce is one of my favorites, but you can use any kind of sauce you like (tomato basil, Indian curry—get creative!). We eat this for dinner every couple of weeks, changing up the sauce for variety. This dish is gluten free (when you use a GF mayonnaise) and full of healthy omega-3.
The sauce for this salmon is really simple to make, and it tastes sooooo good! Use plain prepared horseradish, or grate it fresh. Don’t use the pink beet-colored stuff. I also recommend using a high quality organic mayonnaise, it will take the flavor to another level. If you’re preparing this for Passover and you keep kosher, make sure that all pre-packaged ingredients are certified Kosher for Passover.
To Make This Sauce Dairy-Free: Some Jews prefer not to mix milk with fish; while the majority of Jews consider fish pareve (neutral), certain Jewish traditions do not mix dairy with fish. You can make this sauce dairy-free (pareve) by subbing a non-dairy sour cream. Most dairy-free sour cream is not kosher for Passover– they usually contain soy, which is kitniyot– so if you’re worried about that, make sure you check the label. The dairy-free modification is also great for those who are lactose intolerant, or people who wish to serve this fish entree alongside a kosher meat meal.
I usually use skin-on salmon fillets because they tend to hold together better. Cooked salmon is flaky and delicate; the skin holds everything together till you’re ready to eat. If the skin bothers you, just peel it off before serving. You can, of course, use skinless fillets if you prefer.
This is a super-simple dinner that you can enjoy any day of the week. After preheating the oven, the whole entrée takes about 10 minutes from skillet to table. Serve with a simple side salad for a healthy dinner. Tastes like restaurant-quality salmon, and it couldn’t be easier!
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Seared Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless salmon fillets
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons prepared or grated horseradish
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh dill sprigs for garnish
NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat till hot (not brown or smoking). Add the fillets to the skillet—if your fillets are skin-on, place the fillets skin side up, meat side down.
- Sear them on one side for 2-3 minutes till a golden brown crust forms on the meat.
- Without flipping the salmon, transfer the skillet to the oven and let it cook for 7-10 more minutes to desired doneness. Thick fillets will take longer.
- While salmon is cooking, mix sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl till well blended. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Remove salmon from the oven. Use an oven mitt, that skillet handle will be HOT!
- Serve cooked salmon fillets topped with sauce and garnished with a sprig of fresh dill.
Dave Mack says
Creamy dill sauce is great.
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear that!
Kathleen says
Hello Tori, your recipes are wonderful! I can’t wait to start using them. Thank you! You are truly AWESOME! Fyi-my maternal Grandfather, Harry K., was Russian Jew and my maternal Grandmother, Marie, was Polish. I had the best of both worlds when they cooked! Reading your recipes brought back such wonderful memories and I literally have tears in my eyes because of the love that went into the food that they prepared for us! God bless you!
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear the site brings you happy memories!
Mary says
Wonderful! Delicious and easy! I want to try this method with other kinds of fish, maybe tuna steaks. So glad I found this!
Ofelia says
Thanks for sharing the recipe, it was delicious. Easy & simple to follow.
Tracy Stolz says
I’d like to serve this for my Seder but concerned about something that I can’t make ahead bc of the number of dishes to juggle ! Any way to undercook this and then be able to reheat? I do hate overcooked salmon so wondering whether I’m better off w/a baked recipe ?
Tori Avey says
Sear the salmon in batches in the skillet first, then transfer to a larger baking sheet (seared side down) for finishing in the oven. To start your fillets ahead of time, sear them and place them on a baking tray at room temperature up to one hour before your meal time. Finish them in the hot oven and make sure you cook them through just before serving. I do not recommend doing the searing more than 1 hour in advance for food safety reasons. Hope that helps!
Maddy says
Just recently became one of your fans as well as a fan of salmon. While I’ve always loved my mom and my daughters salmon croquettes, only recently have I become a fan of salmon fillets. Totally one of the healthiest foods on the planet.
My husband,who eats salmon a lot, has the best possible good cholesterol .
Sooo, I am now buying wild caught Alaska salmon whenever possible, & trying out yummy preps.
Thanks for your expertise. Totally appreciate your delightful column.
Ruth says
So very good. Delicious. The salmon is tender and cooked to perfection. The dill sauce is great on the salmon. We have this regularly. Thanks for this great recipe.
Tori Avey says
So happy to hear that Ruth!
Julie Gibson says
Hi. I had never cooked salmon before – and I’d just gotten a skillet that was ovenproof a few months ago. This recipe was extremely simple and a hit with everyone. I had smaller filets without skin so it was a bit harder to judge but still a very easy process and I appreciate the recipe.
Tori Avey says
Glad you liked it Julie!
Caitlin says
Do you think this would be good served cold?
Tori Avey says
Hi Caitlyn– it would be great cold too. Enjoy!
Dana Lewis says
Made this last night and it was a huge hit!! I too subbed out the sour cream for Greek yogurt. Delish I tell ya!!
Kristie says
I have salmon I purchased frozen would I still cook the same amt of time that the recipe states
Tori Avey says
Hi Kristie– you should defrost the salmon first, then proceed with the recipe as written.
Maxine says
Mmm served on a bed of wilted greens !!! I used yogurt instead of sour cream . Delicious !! And I’m not usually a fan of dill !
K says
The sauce was great! I used plain yogurt instead of sour cream and 1 tsp of dried dill and it was still delish, thanks.
Tori Avey says
Glad you liked it K! Yogurt is a great sub, Greek yogurt even better.
Brenda says
Ive always been a bit iffy about salmon, but a friend of mine made this recipe and I couldn’t believe how great it tasted with the sauce! I just had to let you know that you helped me to finally enjoy salmon. Thanks!
Aiden says
Had this the other night. Easy and very delicious! I’ll definitely be requesting it again!
Susan says
Thanks…it looks terrific!
Alice K says
I don’t have an oven-proof skillet! Can I sear the fillets then carefully (without turning them) transfer them to a roasting pan for the in-the-oven part of the cooking?
Tori Avey says
Hey Alice! It will work if you preheat the roasting pan in the oven so the surface heat is continuous. Putting the fish from a hot skillet to a cool roasting pan will produce uneven results. Just leave the roasting pan in the oven as it heats so it’s nice and hot when you transfer the fish. Make sure you grease the roasting pan well, and be sure to use oven mitts!
Matthias says
I don’t really know why, but I absolutely don’t like the taste of dill, neither on fish nor with other things like cucumbers or in soups.
So I would skip the dill and take mint instead of it, but besides that, the recipe is really good and simple.
I already cooked a similar one, with yoghurt sauce
Natalie says
Wow, that looks delicious! I’ll try this recipe this weekend.
Vanessa says
This sounds wonderful and I just picked up some salmon today. Will be trying this tonight 🙂 Thanks for such a great recipe!