Seared Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce
This Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce will satisfy your whole family and take your weeknight dinner routine to a new level! The flaky salmon is served with a creamy dill sauce that’s velvety smooth and deliciously rich. Easy to make in under 30 minutes, this easy dinner is a comforting dish, perfect for busy weeknights or slow weekend dinners.
Looking for more easy salmon recipes? Try my Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon, TikTok Rice Bowl with Salmon, or this Creamy Cajun Salmon Pasta!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Salmon: Try to find skinless, boneless salmon fillets of uniform size to ensure even cooking.
Heavy cream: When combined with corn starch, heavy cream will help thicken the sauce, creating a velvety texture.
Fresh dill: This herb complements the richness of the cream sauce and pairs well with salmon. Add freshly chopped dill towards the end of cooking time to preserve its vibrant and fresh flavor.
HOW TO MAKE SEARED SALMON WITH DILL CREAM SAUCE: STEP-BY-STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the printable recipe card below!
Steps 1 & 2: Season both sides of the salmon fillet with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet (non-stick skillet preferred) over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place salmon in the pan and cook until one side has a nice golden brown crust (about 3-4 minutes). Flip the salmon, and cook another 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Remove salmon from pan and set on a plate. Cover with foil.
Steps 3 & 4: In the same pan over medium heat, add the chicken stock. Add Dijon mustard and stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium low.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk heavy cream and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add cornstarch/heavy cream mixture into the pan and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Sauce should be thick and creamy.
Step 5 & 6: Add fresh chopped dill to the sauce. Taste, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. Garnish with a lemon slice and serve right away.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Don’t overcook the salmon. Cooking time will largely depend on salmon thickness so be sure it keep a close eye on it and cook until the internal temperature registers 145°F with an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Pat dry salmon well with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This will ensure a nice browning on the fish and allow the seasonings to adhere better.
- Deglaze the pan. After adding the chicken stock to the pan, heat it for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove browned bits from the salmon.
Forget to Thaw Your Salmon?
Quickly thaw frozen salmon by placing individually-sealed fillets into a bowl of water. Change the water every 20 minutes until the fish is completely thawed.
STORAGE & REHEATING
Storage: Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
Reheating: In a skillet over medium-low heat, add a splash of water or chicken broth and add the salmon with the dill cream sauce and heat covered until warmed through. Alternatively, you can reheat in a microwave in 30-second intervals until heated throughout.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the dill cream sauce as it may separate upon thawing and won’t have that same creamy consistency. But you can freeze the salmon for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.
ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
ADDITIONS:
- Citrus zest: Add a pop of citrus flavor by adding some lime or lemon zest to the sauce. Or drizzle some fresh lemon juice over the salmon.
- Capers: For a briny kick, add a tablespoon of capers into the creamy dill sauce.
- Veggies: Add cherry tomatoes or spinach to the sauce (before adding the cream/corn starch mixture) and cook until softened for a pop of color, flavor, and texture.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Make sauce lighter: If you prefer a lighter alternative, swap the heavy whipping cream with half and half or milk. You can even try using Greek yogurt for a boost of protein. Check out more heavy cream substitutes that you can swap with.
- Try another broth: If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, feel free to use vegetable broth or even pasta water (if serving this with pasta).
- Salmon type: Use whatever variety of salmon you have available to you. Sockeye, Coho, or King Salmon all work.
- Try other fresh herbs: Fresh parsley has a vibrant flavor that can easily be swapped with fresh dill sprig.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Fresh dill yields the most aromatic and fresh sauce but you can use dried dill if you’re in a pinch. To swap out 2 tablespoons of fresh dill, you would need to use 2 teaspoons of dried dill.
Cook until the internal temperature of the salmon registers 145°F with an instant-read meat thermometer. The salmon should be opaque pink in color and flake easily with a fork.
This easy salmon recipe pairs well with quinoa, brown rice, or a simple pasta dish. You can also serve the salmon over any orzo pasta substitutes. The tangy dill sauce is so versatile and goes well with potatoes or steamed greens.
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I hope you love this Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 small skinless salmon filets (about 1-1.5 lbs. total)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt (more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Place salmon filets on a plate and gently pat both sides with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Season both sides with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Cook: Heat olive oil in a large skillet (non-stick skillet preferred) over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, place salmon in the pan and cook until the one side has a nice golden brown crust (about 3-4 minutes). Flip the salmon, and cook another 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Note: Cooking time will largely depend on the thickness of the salmon so be sure it keep a close eye on it and test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Remove salmon from pan and set on a plate. Cover with foil.
- Start Sauce: In the same pan over medium heat, add the chicken stock. Heat for 1-2 minutes scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits from the salmon. Add Dijon mustard and stir to combine. Turn heat down to medium low.
- Whisk & Finish Sauce: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk heavy cream and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add cornstarch/heavy cream mixture into the pan and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Sauce should be thick and creamy.
- Finish: Add the fresh chopped dill to the sauce. Taste, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Spoon the sauce over the salmon and serve right away.
We made this for dinner and the salmon turned out excellent. I must say the dill sauce was really special – next time I’m making extra as I can see many other uses for the sauce.
This Dill cream sauce sounds amazing. Especially on this perfectly cooked salmon. Will be adding this to our meal plan right now!
Not only was this delicious, but I loved the health aspects of it. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
This came out absolutely delicious! The salmon was cooked perfectly and that dill sauce had so much flavor. I think I’m going to try the sauce on chicken, too!
I can never say no to a good salmon recipe. This one hits all the marks – thank you!