Creamy Dijon Salmon

Skillet with creamy dijon sauce and salmon.

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Crispy seared salmon filets nestled in a rich, velvety cream sauce flavored with garlic and Dijon mustard. A restaurant-quality meal made simple for any weeknight.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

Salmon

1 pound salmon skin-on filets preferred
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil

Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chicken broth Note 1
¾ cup heavy cream Note 2
1 tablespoon cornstarch Note 3
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or more to taste

Instructions

Prep salmon: 
Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season with garlic powder, ground paprika, brown sugar, salt and black pepper.
1 pound salmon, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon light brown sugar, salt and ground black pepper
Sear:
 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil. Sear the salmon 4-5 minutes per side, until fully cooked to your liking.
It doesn’t matter what side you start on if you use skin-on salmon, what matters is that you don’t try to move it on the side without skin until it is fully seared and releases from the pan. If it takes longer than 8 minutes in total to cook your salmon, finish it on the skin side until done to prevent uneven cooking.
Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
1 tablespoon oil
Sauce: 
Reduce the heat to medium. (If there is a lot of residue in the skillet, wipe it off the heat using paper towels you hold with tongs.) Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes.
1 tablespoon butter, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 cup chicken broth
Add cream and finish: 
Whisk together the heavy cream, cornstarch and Dijon and stir into the skillet. Add the salmon and simmer very gently for 3-4 minutes (do not boil!), until the sauce is creamy and the fish is heated through. Serve immediately.
¾ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Notes

Note 1: Vegetable broth or water with salt or bouillon are good substitutes.
Note 2: Half-and-half works in place of the heavy cream, but the sauce will be less silky. Some extra cornstarch can be helpful.
Note 3: Don't skip the cornstarch, it creates a silky sauce and helps stabilize the cream so it's less likely to split.

Nutrition