15-Minute Pan Seared Salmon with Basil Tzatziki
Perfectly pan-seared salmon fillets with golden crispy skin, served over a vibrant basil-infused tzatziki sauce. A restaurant-quality meal ready in 20 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Searing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- Salmon:
- 4 (6 oz) salmon fillets, skin-on
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- Basil Tzatziki:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat)
- 1/2 cup grated cucumber (squeezed dry)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp salt
- For Serving:
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh basil leaves
- Warm pita or crusty bread
- Simple green salad
Instructions
- Prep tzatziki: Mix all tzatziki ingredients in a bowl. Chill while cooking salmon.
- Dry salmon: Pat fillets very dry with paper towels. Season skin with salt and pepper.
- Sear salmon: Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high. Place salmon skin-side down, pressing gently for 30 seconds to prevent curling. Cook 4-5 mins until skin is crispy.
- Flip & finish: Turn salmon, cook 2-3 mins more until internal temp reaches 125°F (52°C) for medium. Squeeze lemon juice over.
- Serve: Spread tzatziki on plates, top with salmon. Garnish with basil and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Crisp skin secret: Start with cold skillet to render fat slowly
- Make ahead: Tzatziki tastes better after 2+ hours chilling
- Substitutions: Use mint instead of basil, or sour cream for yogurt
- Doneness guide: 120°F (49°C) for rare, 140°F (60°C) for well-done
- Leftovers: Flake cold salmon into tzatziki for next-day salad
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet + 1/4 cup tzatziki
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 95mg