Pan-fried salmon steak is a delicacy when seasoned with sage and fried in butter. It’s a delicious dish that is also very easy to make!

Salmon is a huge favorite of mine. It’s wonderfully fatty and so very flavorful. I usually prefer it to mild white fish, although this baked cod is excellent too.

In this easy recipe, perfect for a weeknight dinner, the butter and sage impart wonderful flavors upon the already-delicious fish. And I love how easy it is to make – it’s literally ready in just 15 minutes, from start to finish. You can’t beat that!

Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty salmon recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

Salmon steaks: I usually get them at Whole Foods. I try to buy wild-caught sustainable salmon when possible.

Sea salt and black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper has the best flavor. And if you choose to use a coarser salt (such as kosher salt), you can use a little more of it.

Dried sage: Make sure it’s fresh! It’s an important part of this recipe, and a stale spice can easily ruin a dish. Speaking from a sad experience…

Unsalted butter: I use it for frying. You can also use olive oil. But butter adds wonderful flavor, so that’s what I normally use.

Instructions

How to cook salmon steaks? It’s easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

Your first step is to season the fish pieces with spices.

Then you fry them in butter until browned on the outside and cooked through. This should take about three minutes per side. You will probably need to lower the heat from medium-high to medium at some point.

Note that this recipe was written for 6-oz steaks. If yours are bigger, you’ll need to fry them longer, possibly 4-5 minutes per side. But then do reduce the heat to medium or even medium-low after the first 3 minutes.

Recommended sides

This is a very versatile main dish. It pairs well with almost any side dish. I often serve it with butternut squash souffle and with steamed spinach.

Variations and substitutions

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

• You can use the same recipe to cook 6-oz fillets of salmon. However, depending on their thickness, they might need to be cooked for a shorter time.
• Feel free to add more spices! Garlic powder is a very nice addition. And for a completely different flavor profile, cook the fish pieces in olive oil instead of butter, and season them with smoked paprika and a bit of ground cumin.

Storing leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days.

Make sure you reheat them very gently so that they don’t dry out. I usually reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.

Frequently asked questions

Other salmon recipes

If you enjoy this fish, you might also want to try this easy recipe for oven-baked salmon. It’s just as easy as this one and so tasty! And for an Asian inspired dish, try teriyaki salmon. It’s super flavorful!

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Recipe card