Whip up your own restaurant-quality sockeye salmon recipe at home with this Crispy Sockeye Salmon Recipe with Honey Lemon Butter Sauce! Follow my easy techniques and this foolproof recipe will be on the table and impressing everyone in under 30 minutes.
In the dead of winter, 2023, I ventured to Reykjavik in search of the Northern Lights. The aurora borealis never made an appearance. But this amazing fish dish from local restaurant Messinn made the trip worth every shivering moment!
As a long-time seafood blogger, I'm always on the hunt for fantastic fish dishes that can be tweaked for all of us home chefs. We hit the jackpot with this one, friend!
The sauce in this salmon recipe is so simple to make but distinctive and craveable. The honey adds the perfect touch of sweetness and the almonds contribute great texture.
What You'll Need to Make This Recipe:
Before we get to the step by step instructions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Sockeye Salmon Fillets: Fresh fish is always a great option, but the season for these wild caught red salmon is limited, so frozen wild salmon works perfectly. If you're cooking with frozen salmon, thaw in the refrigerator overnight for best results. If wild sockeye isn't available locally, check out my favorite Alaskan fishing family, Sena Sea, for delivery service!
Flour: Wondra flour is my favorite for dredging salmon, adding a super light and crisp texture to our sockeye salmon. Substitute all-purpose flour, if needed, or a gluten free flour.
Full measurements and ingredients included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1: Prep fish
Dry sockeye salmon fillets well with a paper towel. Season on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in Wondra fine flour. Shake off any excess flour. Set aside and allow salmon to come up to room temperature.
Step 2: Pan-sear salmon
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add about ¼ inch of neutral oil to the bottom of the pan. When hot, add salmon fillets. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until exterior is golden brown and the internal temperature is just short of your preferred doneness.
Remove salmon to a plate and tent with foil. Pour the oil out of the pan, then return the skillet to the stove.
Step 3: Make honey lemon butter sauce
Reduce heat to medium low and add 4 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Swirl in the pan until combined and the butter is foaming.
Add fresh parsley and toasted almonds. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 4: Crispy salmon into the sauce!
Add seared salmon fillets back to the pan and baste fish in the butter sauce.
Serve with lemon slices.
Need more delicious salmon recipes?
- Grilled Salmon with Herby Mayo
- Indian-Spiced Baked Salmon
- Thai Red Curry with Salmon
- Hibachi Salmon Recipe
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
Yes, you can sear sockeye salmon in a non-stick pan. However, using a stainless steel or cast-iron pan can create a better crust on the salmon because these types of pains will retain and distribute heat more effectively. But use what you have!
Sockeye salmon is cooked when the outer flesh turns opaque and flakes when tested with a fork. I prefer a medium to medium well salmon, which is an internal temperature around 125-130℉. For well done salmon, the internal temperature of the thickest part of the fillet should reach 145°F. Because sockeye is much leaner than Atlantic salmon, be especially careful not to overcook the fish, as it will become dry.
Seared sockeye salmon pairs well with a variety of side dishes, including Garlic Brown Rice and Quinoa, Basmati Rice with Lemon and Dill, Duchess Potatoes Casserole. Seasoned green beans or a crunchy Mediterranean Tossed Salad are great veggie options with salmon.
The pale peach type of salmon available in most grocery stores year round is Atlantic salmon. It is mild flavored and fatty and a great fit for almost any salmon recipe (including this one!)
Sockeye salmon, on the other hand, is mostly wild caught in Alaska. Sockeye salmon are smaller than their Atlantic cousins and boast a bright red color. They have a strong salmon-y flavor and the skin crisps up beautifully when cooked (especially in a cast iron pan!) If you're already a salmon lover, wild-caught sockeye salmon is a great choice.
To store leftover sockeye salmon, allow the fish to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat the leftovers gently in a pan or oven to maintain their texture and flavor.
Crispy Sockeye Salmon with Honey Lemon Butter Sauce
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
4 (5-6 ounce) sockeye salmon fillets
¼ cup Wondra Fine Flour (or all purpose flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Neutral oil (enough to cover bottom of skillet about ¼ inch)
For the Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, diced
Instructions
- Dry sockeye salmon fillets well with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in Wondra fine flour. Shake off any excess flour. Set aside and let the salmon come up to room temperature.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough neutral oil to cover ¼ inch across the bottom of the skillet. When hot, add salmon fillets. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until exterior is golden brown and the internal temperature is just short of your preferred doneness. (Sockeye salmon is generally thinner than Atlantic salmon, so monitor your heat level and your fish to ensure you don't overcook the salmon.) Remove the salmon to a plate and tent with foil. Pour the leftover oil out of the pan, and return the skillet to the stove.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add 4 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Swirl in the pan until combined and the butter is foaming. Add fresh parsley and toasted almonds. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add seared salmon fillets back to the pan and baste the top of the fish in the butter sauce. Serve with lemon slices.
Notes
This recipe will work using sockeye salmon, Atlantic salmon, arctic char or even steelhead trout.
Sockeye salmon is thinner and much leaner than Atlantic salmon, so be especially mindful not to overcook. I remove the salmon around 120-125℉ and the carry-over cooking will take it into medium or medium-well territory.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Barbara
This SAUCE! Absolutely delicious - could eat it over everything. Couldn't find sockeye salmon so used regular salmon and it turned out baeutifully. It was also really easy to get on the table. Will definitely make it again!
Christina Jolam
So glad you loved it, Barbara! That sauce is pretty magical 😉 Thanks so much for coming back to leave a helpful review.
Lynn Seeger
So easy and so DELICIOUS!
Christina Jolam
Love hearing this, Lynn! That sauce is irresistible 😉 Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review!
Haley T
What’s the pairing in the picture,is it mashed potato’s? A
Christina Jolam
Yes! Mashed potatoes, Haley. I sometimes serve it with rice, as well. Both are great!