Salmon with Dill Sauce (Super Easy!)

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Salmon with dill sauce is going to be a favorite! Light and creamy lemon dill sauce over a simple pan-seared salmon. Perfection! Ready to make it?

Four pan-seared salmon fillets topped with dill sauce and served on a gray oval platter.

Best Skillet Salmon with Dill Sauce!

"I think you will love this salmon recipe - its so easy and the sauce can be made in advance. By the way, the sauce can be used as a dip or dressing"

I've got two more really delicious salmon recipes for you to try! Baked Salmon with Mayo and Pistachio Crusted Salmon - both are delicious and easy plus low carb and keto! 🙂

It's Easy! This salmon is super easy to make - make the sauce (up to 3 days ahead!) and then it's is quickly seared in a skillet.

Delicious. I cannot tell you how good this lemon dill sauce is! Dill and salmon go hand in hand. Salmon has so much wonderful of its own that I kept it simple with salt and pepper and a quick cook in a skillet.

Healthy. Salmon is low in saturated fat and high in Omega 3 fatty acids - a healthy fat. This recipe has no added sugar, it's also gluten-free, low carb, and keto.

What You'll Need

Here are the ingredients and tools you will need to make salmon with dill sauce:

Salmon Fillets - you'll need about ½" thick fillets. I love the texture, color, and flavor of Pacific sockeye salmon, but definitely use your favorite.
Mayonnaise
Sour Cream
Fresh Dill - for the best flavor, it is important to use fresh dill in this recipe
Lemon
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Onion - I used red onion, but you could use a sweet or yellow onion.
Chives
Cucumber
Garlic

For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!

Substitutions and Variations

Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in the sauce.
Add a tablespoon of capers to the sauce for a little texture and slight tang.
Instead of pan-searing you can bake the salmon at 375-degrees F for 11-13 minutes, or until the fish is just starting to flake with a fork.

How To Make Salmon & Dill Sauce

Make the Sauce

In a small bowl mix the salmon dill sauce ingredients - mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, onion, chives, dill, cucumber, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Hint: Make this sauce up to 3 days ahead. It makes an amazing salad dressing and vegetable dip so you could always double the sauce ingredients.

Season Salmon

Remove salmon from the refrigerator about 10 to 15 minutes before you plan on cooking it.

Sprinkle salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.

Sear

Preheat a 12" skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat.

Place the salmon fillets skin side up and sear for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish is slightly firm to the touch and just starts to flake.

Remove salmon from the pan and cover with foil. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Square image of salmon with dill sauce served on an oval platter with lemon wedges.

How To Serve

Serve topped with chilled dill sauce and garnish with some fresh dill and lemon wedges.
Double the sauce and use the extra as a salad dressing. If it is too thick, add milk or water to thin it out a little (adjust seasoning if needed).
Meal idea! Serve this salmon recipe over rice, buttery mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower, and a side of super simple air fryer green beans or roasted cabbage slices.

Kori's Tips

Make-ahead tip: Make the sauce up to 3 days before you want to serve the salmon.
You can remove the skin or keep it on. To remove it slide a knife between the skin and meat.
Add a little water or milk if you prefer a looser, runnier dill sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Buy fresh, never-frozen fish, or buy it frozen and then thaw. Much of the fish in the market is previously frozen and thawed and needs to be used quickly. Never re-freeze it.

FAQs

What is dill sauce made of?

This dill sauce is made of sour cream, mayo, dill, chives, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper, onion, and cucumber. There are many variations so the exact ingredients will depend on the recipe you find.

Is salmon keto?

Yes, salmon is allowed on a keto diet. Salmon contains almost no carbs, 22 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fat. Please reference this Printable Keto Food List PDF for more information on what is allowed.

Can I bake the salmon?

Yes, the salmon can be baked. Place the fillet on a foil-lined and greased baking sheet. Bake in a 375-degree F oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until fish just starts to flake.

How to store

Store the salmon and the sauce separately. To store leftovers, let the salmon cool completely after cooking, then transfer the fillets to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

How to reheat

Reheat covered in a microwave on low power for 20 seconds at a time until just warm.

How to freeze

You can freeze cooked salmon, but it does change the texture. I recommend that you eat it within 2 days instead of freezing - it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day!
Do not freeze raw, previously frozen salmon.

If you tried this recipe, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give the recipe a 5 star rating and leave a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Subscribe to my newsletter to get healthy fresh recipe ideas every week!

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Salmon with Dill Sauce