This One Pot Creamy Garlic Salmon takes 20 minutes to make and tastes so delicious you want to make it again and again. All you have to do is throw everything in one skillet or pot and once cooked, you can taste the fragrant flavor from the garlic and basil (or your favorite fresh herb!).
🔍 Quick Look: One Pot Creamy Garlic Salmon 🧄🐟
- What is it? Well-seasoned salmon is pan fried and gently cooked in a creamy parmesan garlic sauce. Served with fresh lemon and basil for the ultimate meal.
- Why you’ll love this recipe: You make the salmon all in one pan for less dishes and with minimal pantry ingredients – you can have a super flavorful meal!
- Easily Customizable: Add on top of pasta, rice, quinoa, or grilled vegetables for a delicious meal! You can also add some sliced mushrooms in your creamy sauce for more fiber.
- 🕒 Total Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Method: Pan fry the salmon in one pan and then make the creamy garlic sauce in the same pan!
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Salmon is seasoned with paprika and cumin for extra flavor–combined with a creamy Parmesan sauce for a super delicious combination.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy–follow my instructions and you will have a super tender and soft salmon as well as a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce!
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Key Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you need to make this One Pot Creamy Garlic Salmon, which uses a lot of pantry ingredients you may already have! The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card. If you want to try the chicken version, check out my blog’s most beloved recipe, One Pot Creamy Garlic Chicken.
- Salmon – I used salmon fillets from my local grocery. I recommend to take the fish at least 30 minutes to one hour out of the fridge before pan frying to ensure even cooking! For more easy salmon recipes, be sure to check out my 30 Minute Salmon Poke Bowl and Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon.
- Dry Seasoning is added on the flesh of the salmon and NOT the skin to avoid burning the seasoning during pan-frying. I used freshly cracked black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cumin for a super flavorful spice blend.
- Half & half or whole milk – the base of the creamy sauce. If you like your sauce thicker, use half & half. If you like it less creamy, use whole milk or 2% milk.
- Garlic cloves – freshly chopped garlic is used in the cream sauce. I added plenty as a garlic lover, however if you’re more garlic obsessed, add a few more cloves.
- Parmesan – freshly shredded Parmesan cheese tastes the best but any will do! Make sure we cook the cheese on low heat to avoid curdling.
- Fresh basil and lemon juice (optional for garnish) you can use your favorite herb, but I feel that basil tastes the best with salmon. The fresh lemon juice doesn’t make the dish taste sour, however, takes out the fishy flavor and makes the sauce super flavorful!
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the protein. Not a fan of salmon? Try shrimp, or even cod for a different twist while still enjoying that creamy garlic goodness.
- Milk alternative. If you don’t have half-and-half or whole milk, mix equal parts heavy cream and low-fat milk for a quick substitute. I haven’t tried non-dairy milk for this recipe, so I am unsure of the flavor.
- Add some greens. Toss in spinach or sliced mushrooms in the beginning of cooking your garlic cream sauce for some extra fiber!
- Spice it up. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes at the end of cooking for added heat!
How to Make One Pot Creamy Garlic Salmon
Step 1. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Mix seasonings in a bowl: salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Then, add seasoning on the flesh of the salmon, NOT THE SKIN.
Step 2. Heat pan to medium heat. Once the pan is hot and you see a little bit of smoke coming from it, add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Next, add your salmon on the pan and cook for 4 minutes skin side down on.
PRO TIP: Adding seasoning on the skin side of the salmon can easily burn the salmon when we’re pan frying.
Step 3. Mince garlic and finely chop fresh basil while the salmon is cooking.
Step 4. Flip over salmon and cook for 1 more minute (just to get a little brown, don’t burn the seasoning). Both sides should be golden brown!
Step 5. When the salmon has browned, take it off of the pan in a separate plate.
Step 6. Turn the heat off for a few minutes. Turn heat to low and add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan with your minced garlic. Cook for one minute.
Step 7. Then, add 1 cup half & half or whole milk. Stir occasionally. Add your shredded parmesan cheese to the cream and continue to stir occasionally. Keep the heat on low to ensure that the cheese sauce doesn’t curdle while cooking.
Step 8. Once the cheese has melted and the cream sauce has thickened, add your salmon(along with juices) in the pan and cook for 5 more minutes. This will gently finish cooking your salmon and thicken your sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped basil.
Expert Tips
- Bring the salmon to room temp. Let it sit out for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking so the fish cooks more evenly.
- Dry your salmon with a paper towel before frying so you can get a nice sear on your fish!
- After browning your fish, you will have some brown bits on the pan. Don’t throw that away (it has lots of flavor!). When adding the milk or cream, you can gently scrape that off and stir it in the sauce!
- When cooking the cream sauce, make sure to turn down the heat to low. If the pan is too hot, the milk or cream will curdle with the cheese. This means that the sauce will look clumpy.
- Use fresh herbs like cilantro or basil for this dish. Dried seasonings will not be as fragrant. If you love cilantro sauce, you can also add this creamy cilantro sauce on top for extra flavor!
- Use fresh Parmesan or parmigiano-reggiano for impeccable taste in your cream sauce. Grate the cheese fresh if you can and it will taste more fresh! Higher quality ingredients make the biggest difference in the taste of your food.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just make sure to fully thaw it and pat it dry before cooking so you still get that nice golden sear. Not thawing correctly,
Salmon is ready when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). The center should look opaque but still moist.
This creamy salmon recipe is super versatile! You can pair it with roasted vegetables, pasta, or mashed potatoes, and even enjoy it alongside dishes like egg roll in a bowl.
One Pan Creamy Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon
- 1 teaspoon salt (be careful with adding too much salt because of the parmesan)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon neutral oil for frying the salmon
Garlic Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1.5 cup milk half & half or whole milk
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- ¼ cup parmesan shredded
- 3 leaves fresh basil sliced
- fresh lemon juice (optional for garnish)
Instructions
Season Salmon
- Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Moisture will prevent the salmon from searing. Mix the following seasonings together in a bowl: 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon cumin.
- Add seasoning on the flesh of the salmon, NOT THE SKIN or your cream sauce will burn when searing.
Cook salmon
- Heat pan or pot to medium heat. Once the pan is hot and you see a little bit of smoke coming from it, add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Next, add your salmon on the pan and cook for 4 minutes skin side down on. Flip over and cook for 1 more minute (just to get a little brown, don’t burn the seasoning). Both sides should be golden brown!
- Mince garlic and finely chop fresh basil while the salmon is cooking.
- When the salmon has browned, take it off of the pan in a separate plate. Turn the heat off for a few minutes.
Make Creamy Garlic Sauce
- The pan should cool down a little bit. Turn heat to low and add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan with your minced garlic. Cook for one minute. Then, add 1 cup half & half or whole milk. Stir occasionally.
- Add your shredded parmesan cheese to the cream and continue to stir occasionally. Keep the heat on low to ensure that the cheese sauce doesn’t curdle while cooking.
- Once the cheese has melted and the cream sauce has thickened, add your salmon(along with juices) in the pan and cook for 5 more minutes. This will gently finish cooking your salmon and thicken your sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped basil and freshly squeezed lemon.
Notes
- Bring the salmon to room temp. Let it sit out for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking so the fish cooks more evenly.
- Dry your salmon with a paper towel before frying so you can get a nice sear on your fish!
- After browning your fish, you will have some brown bits on the pan. Don’t throw that away (it has lots of flavor!). When adding the milk or cream, you can gently scrape that off and stir it in the sauce!
- When cooking the cream sauce, make sure to turn down the heat to low. If the pan is too hot, the milk or cream will curdle with the cheese. This means that the sauce will look clumpy.
- Use fresh herbs like cilantro or basil for this dish. Dried seasonings will not be as fragrant. If you love cilantro sauce, you can also add this creamy cilantro sauce on top for extra flavor!
- Use fresh parmesan or parmigiano-reggiano for impeccable taste in your cream sauce. Grate the cheese fresh if you can and it will taste more fresh! Higher quality ingredients make the biggest difference in the taste of your food.
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