Quick Salmon with Tomato Lemon Sauce (Printable)
Vibrant salmon with juicy tomatoes and zesty lemon sauce—ready in 25 minutes for a healthy dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5 oz each), skin-on or skinless
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Tomato Lemon Sauce
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
08 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side down if applicable. Cook for 4–5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from pan and tent with foil.
03 - In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add garlic and onion; sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften and burst.
05 - Stir in lemon zest and juice, and chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute.
06 - Return the salmon to the pan, spooning sauce over the fillets. Warm through for 1 minute. Transfer to plates, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tomato lemon sauce creates its own rich braising liquid that keeps the salmon incredibly moist
- Everything happens in one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
- Those burst cherry tomatoes give you little pockets of sweetness that balance the bright lemon perfectly
02 -
- Patting the salmon completely dry before seasoning is the secret to getting that gorgeous golden sear instead of steaming the fish
- The sauce will look thin at first but those tomatoes will thicken it beautifully as they burst
03 -
- Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly so take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking
- Keep the lemon zest for the very end to preserve those bright aromatic oils