Salmon Piccata
This bright and buttery Salmon Piccata is an easy and flavorful twist on the classic Italian recipe, perfect for elegant weekend entertaining or a flavorful weeknight meal that comes together effortlessly.
I love finding ways to serve salmon in an interesting way. It’s tender and buttery, so it felt like the perfect fit for piccata. Salmon Piccata is a savory seafood twist on the classic Italian piccata – lighter than chicken but just as flavorful. It comes together so quickly (30 minutes!), making it the perfect meal for weeknight dinners, dinner parties, or date night at home.
Salmon Piccata is made with tender, pan-seared salmon that gets topped with a silky lemon butter caper sauce that’s fresh, briny, and perfectly balanced. It’s next-level delicious and pairs beautifully with pasta, rice or vegetables, making it the ideal dinner for the whole family.
If you like this bright and flavorful dish, try these other lemony recipes. These Chicken Piccata Meatballs are a delicious spin on a classic, and we love this easy Spaghetti With Lemon Cream Sauce.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: With just a handful of ingredients and a quick cooking method, this comes together fast and can be ready in 25–30 minutes. This is dinner you can get on the table, fast.
- Big flavor from simple ingredients: Good quality salmon is paired with a savory butter sauce and tangy, briny capers for an easy meal that has big flavor payoff.
- Light yet satisfying: This recipe is low-carb and won’t weigh you down, and the big, bold flavors make the dish unbelievably satisfying. Plus, because salmon is naturally high in protein, it fills you up without feeling heavy.
What is Piccata?
Piccata is a traditional Italian cooking preparation where thinly pounded meat, typically veal or chicken, is dredged in flour, sauteed, and served in a bright, tangy sauce made with lemon juice, butter and capers.
Salmon Piccata is a flavorful seafood version that provides a rich, flaky base that pairs beautifully with the signature, bright sauce.
Ingredients
- Salmon: Buttery, tender and flaky, use center-cut fillets with skin on or off. Both will get that crisp, pan-sear.
- Salt & Pepper: Don’t be afraid to season generously.
- Olive Oil: This will give the salmon a nice sear.
- Shallot: Provides a nice aromatic flavor.
- White Wine: For the sauce, use something dry, bright and acidic.
- Chicken Broth: Store-bought or homemade works.
- Lemon Juice: Bright, tangy, and a signature flavor to piccata.
- Capers: Briny, bold pops of flavor – there’s really nothing like these. They’re another signature ingredient for classic piccata.
- Butter: To finish the rich, glossy sauce. Use unsalted, as the capers can be quite salty.
- Parsley: A final pop of color, and a bright and citrusy finish. Fresh is a must!
How To Make Salmon Piccata
1. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season evenly on both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, place the salmon skin-side down in the pan. Press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds to prevent curling.
3. Cook the salmon skin-side down for 4 to 5 minutes, until the flesh is mostly opaque and cooked about three-quarters of the way up the sides.
4. Flip the salmon and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, just until cooked through. Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot to the same pan and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until softened but not browned.
6. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, about 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to slightly reduce.
8. Stir in the capers. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cold butter until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
9. Stir in the chopped parsley.
10. Return the salmon to the pan or plate the salmon and spoon the sauce around and lightly over the top. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Do not overcook salmon: Perfectly cooked salmon is tender, moist and flakes easily. It should be opaque, but not super light or milky in color. Pan-sear it until just cooked through, otherwise it’ll turn out dense and dried out.
- Use fresh lemon juice: This is a non-negotiable. A fresh squeeze of lemon and fish pair perfectly together for a nice, tangy brightness. The store-bought stuff won’t cut it.
- Bring salmon to room temperature before cooking: This will cut down on the cook time, and allow it to cook evenly for the best texture.
- Spoon sauce over just before serving: Wait to sauce the salmon until right before you’re ready to eat, for the best texture. If the sauce is added too far in advance it will muddy the flavor of the salmon.
- Skin-on salmon adds crisp texture: Sometimes the skin can be intimindating, but we encourage it! Skin-on fillets crisp up nicely when pan-seared for a nice, crunchy texture.Â
- Use broth if avoiding alcohol: If you’re skipping the wine in this recipe, no problem. Use vegetable broth or stock to build the sauce.
- Rinse capers for milder flavor: Capers are delicious, bold and briny, but if the flavor is too dominant or overpowering, give them a quick rinse for a slightly mello flavor.
What To Serve With Salmon Piccata
Salmon Picatta is perfectly light and flavorful, and pairs beautifully with our favorite ideas here,
- Angel hair pasta: Tender and light, this will bulk up the dish.
- Roasted asparagus: Simple and colorful.
- Steamed green beans: Another quick and easy side.
- Arugula salad: Peppery and sharp, a nice flavor pairing to the bright sauce.
- Rice pilaf: To soak up that rich, buttery lemon sauce.
Storage
You can store salmon piccata leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We recommend storing it in the lemon-butter sauce to keep it moist. To reheat, warm gently on the stove over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, in a pinch.
Variations
- Add cherry tomatoes. For a pop of color and fresh flavor.
- Add a splash of cream. Not necessarily traditional, but this will make the sauce extra rich and decadent.
- Make it dairy-free. If you’d like to skip the butter and make this dish completely dairy-free, simply build the sauce with olive oil.
- Swap salmon for trout or cod. Try a flaky, meaty white fish for a slightly different flavor profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you’d prefer to skip cooking on the stovetop, you can bake the salmon at 400°F for 10–12 minutes.
Yes, salmon is naturally high in omega-3s and protein, making this dish a filling and flavorful low-carb recipe.
Yes, it can. You can prep it ahead, cook it, then reheat gently. We recommend cooking everything and enjoying immediately, but making the sauce ahead is certainly an option.
They’re both delicious buttery-white wine sauces but the main difference is that piccata uses lemon and capers.
More Delicious Seafood Recipes
Salmon Piccata
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 6 ounces each, skin on
- 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot finely minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- 2 Tablespoons capers drained and lightly rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season evenly on both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, place the salmon skin-side down in the pan. Press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds to prevent curling.
- Cook the salmon skin-side down for 4 to 5 minutes, until the flesh is mostly opaque and cooked about three-quarters of the way up the sides.
- Flip the salmon and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, just until cooked through. Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot to the same pan and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until softened but not browned.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes to slightly reduce.
- Stir in the capers. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cold butter until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Return the salmon to the pan or plate the salmon and spoon the sauce around and lightly over the top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We recommend storing it in the lemon-butter sauce to keep it moist. To reheat, warm gently on the stove over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, in a pinch.
