Cilantro Lime Salmon
Pan seared salmon with cilantro lime butter and avocado sauce is bursting with bright flavours thanks to the freshly squeezed lime juice, super fresh cilantro, a sweet buttery honey sauce, and a tasty avocado cream which is avocado puréed with lime juice, olive oil, chives, and cilantro. It’s creamy and delicious with this salmon and the whole meal comes together in well under 30 minutes.
We love salmon in our home and I’m always looking for tasty and simple ways to enjoy it. Salmon has a mild flavor, with a nice juicy meaty texture. It is a really great base for a lot of flavorful sauces. It’s a great lean protein and high in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s simple to pan sear and enjoy and the kind of protein that doesn’t require too much effort to turn into a wonderful dinner. Pan searing salmon is a quick and easy way to enjoy it. I love the way a crisp crust forms on both sides of the salmon when it’s pan seared, but the middle stays perfectly tender and doesn’t dry out. Making salmon this way is so quick and easy and I know this is a dish that everyone will love!
How to Make Cilantro Lime Salmon
There is really nothing complicated about making this salmon dish. A few simple steps to a great meal. Here are the basic steps for how to pan sear salmon:
- Season the salmon: I seasoned my salmon simply with a sprinkling of salt and pepper - that is all a great piece of salmon really needs. Feel free to use a seasoning rub of choice though if you like a little extra flavour.
- Pan sear the salmon: Heat olive oil in a skillet, then add the salmon to the pan and cook until both sides have a nice seared golden brown crust on them. It only takes minutes on each side.
- Make the cilantro lime butter sauce: melt butter in pan and then swirl in the broth, freshly squeezed lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro. Simmer until reduced then add back the salmon to pan, spooning sauce over it to reheat.
- Make the avocado sauce: Add avocados and lime juice to food processor, drizzle in olive oil and process until smooth then pulse in the sliced green onions and cilantro.
- Plate and serve the salmon: Once cooked, plate the salmon and dollop with cilantro cream sauce or serve plated over top a layer of the sauce. I like to sprinkle chopped cilantro over salmon and serve with extra lime slices or wedges.
What are good sides to have with salmon?
You really can enjoy salmon with just about any side dish. My favorite is with some rice and steamed or roasted asparagus. Salmon is also great with any other roasted veggies like roasted herby potatoes or broccolini. A side salad or lemony quinoa or other grain would work too. My cilantro lime rice recipe would be perfect with it and so would my lemony orzo which I added tomatoes in this dish. I know you will love this simple salmon dish no matter what you serve it with! Enjoy!
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Recipe
Ingredients
For the salmon
- 1 to 1½ pounds of salmon fillets (4-6 pieces approx depending on size)
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup broth (veggie or chicken)
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Extra chopped cilantro and fresh lime slices/wedges for serving (optional)
For the sauce
- 2 avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon)
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onion
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro (or parsley)
Directions
For the salmon
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon skin side up to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook without turning for 4-6 minutes until the salmon gets a brown crust. Flip the salmon and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate. You may have to do this in batches. Add more olive oil to pan as needed.
- Add the butter to the skillet. Once melted add in the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant and tender. Swirl in the broth, lime juice, honey, and cilantro. Let simmer and reduce. Add salmon back to the pan, spoon over sauce and let it cook just a minute more until heated through. Serve salmon with avocado sauce. And garnish with extra chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.
For the sauce
- Place chopped avocado and lime juice into a food processor or blender and pulse until blended.
- Slowly add olive oil, pulsing, until you reach desired consistency of sauce.
- Add sliced green onions and cilantro, pulse just until combined. Then it’s ready to be served with the salmon.
Recipe Notes
- To make the avocado sauce into a Remoulade you could whisk in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to it for extra flavour.
Adapted from Simply Recipes
