Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce is a bright and delicious family dinner that can be made in less than 20 minutes. Save this recipe to Pinterest for when you need a fast and amazing dinner that is easy.

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The dill is going crazy in the garden right now and I love it. I let it self seed from season to season and it grows randomly throughout the garden space. When it is in season I love to use it as much as possible (and then I will freeze some to use later). I can think of no better way to use it by making a luscious sauce. My Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce is one of my favorite, simple recipes whenever I have an abundance of it.

Perfect pairings

Kevin and I love a good seared salmon because we like a little bit of that crispy layer. Lemon and dill with a creamy sauce just really goes well with the nice sear. The contrast of the light sear with the sauce and the body of the fish gives every forkful a nice flavor. Unlike a lot of cream based sauces, the lemon dill sauce is not heavy feeling and helps to keep the Seared Salmon feeling light and fresh. The tanginess of the sauce also helps to accentuate the mild flavor of the salmon.

*Originally published in 2024

Picking the salmon filets

For my Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce you actually want to use a larger piece of salmon. This is a dinner portion of salmon so something like a 6 oz or an 8 oz filet will work. I prefer a 4 oz filet for a salad. However, if you prefer to use a 4 oz. for this you can certainly do that.

When it comes to color, salmon filets should be light pink or dark pink/reddish. The pink filets, like shown here in my Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce, is a farmed filet. the darker pink/reddish orange filets are wild caught. Do not pick filets that are grey or have brown spots. They also should not have an overly fishy smell. That’s not fresh.

Making the Lemon Dill Sauce

There is nothing I love more than a good sauce! I especially love a good lemon sauce packed full of fresh herbs. When it comes to making the sauce for the Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce, this one is just so fresh and creamy too. This is a thinner sauce and I do use Greek Yogurt to make it with a little bit of an olive oil mayonnaise. It thins out due to a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice. It actually makes the perfect sauce for all kind of things and is if you have some potatoes as a side I love to dunk them in it as well.

The Lemon Dill Sauce is all blended together in a food processor. If you need a small food processor, this is the one I recently bought {HERE} and I love it.

Cooking time for the salmon

When it comes to making pan seared salmon, no matter what recipe you are using, there are a few things that will make it a success.

You want to make sure the pan is hot. I always use a medium to high setting for when the salmon first touches the pan.
Make sure there is olive oil between the salmon and the pan. It aids in the sear and helps to keep the salmon from sticking.

Once you have those two things down, the salmon really comes together quickly! The cooking time on the salmon is just four minutes per side. If you have extra thick salmon filets you can cook them an extra minute or so. However, because salmon is often not the same thickness all the way through, you do not want the thinner parts to burn. Keep an eye on them. Salmon is done when it flakes away easily with a fork. If it starts to turn grey, it has been overcooked.

Tips for making my Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce

You can make the sauce ahead of time if you like. It will help to save some time during the whole cooking process. In fact, you can make it up to 24 hours ahead of time. Refrigerate it in an airtight container and then remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to let the extra virgin olive oil come back to room temperature.
For the salmon, make sure the pan is hot to get a good sear and make sure there is extra virgin olive oil in the spot where you lay the fish. This will help to create the sear but also keeps the salmon from sticking if you are using a cast iron pan.
I do use a cast iron pan to make the Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce but you can also use a nonstick pan.
If you want to save leftovers from my Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce, I recommend keeping the salmon and dill sauce separate. If you have already combined them in someone’s portion it should probably be eaten within about 24 hours. If you can keep them separate, store them both in individual airtight containers. The salmon makes a great salad topping and you can even use the lemon dill sauce as a dressing. Do not save the salmon for any longer than 48 hours.

Looking for more seafood recipes?

If you love salmon, shrimp and other sea food, try these recipes too!

East Coast Shrimp Rolls {HERE}
Grilled Salmon Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing {HERE}
Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers {HERE}
Smoked Salmon Carpaccio with capers & herbs {HERE}
Salmon with goat cheese and herbs {HERE}
Easy Shrimp Salad with Old Bay {HERE}
Butter Garlic Shrimp Scampi {HERE}

Looking for a side dish?

If you want a side dish for my Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce, try these!

Cucumber and Radish Salad {HERE} – This is in the background of this shot.
Lemon Herb Potato Salad with Dill and Capers {HERE}
Butter Roasted Radishes {HERE}
French Potato Salad {HERE}
Lemon Herb Baby Potatoes {HERE}
Cream Red Skinned Potatoes {HERE}
Carrot Ribbon Salad {HERE}

Thank you so much for joining me today, friends! I hope that you love my Seared Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce recipe and that you come back again to visit at the farmhouse. You can find the full, printable recipe below. Happy eating!