Salmon With Lemon Dill Sauce Recipe

If you're in the mood for seafood, may we suggest an exquisite Scandanavian dish you can whip up in 25 minutes? When she wasn't snapping phenomenal foodie photos for Instagram, food stylist and photog Michelle McGlinn splashed some extra wine into this recipe for us. Come, let's make dinner together! We'll show you exactly what you need to recreate this decadent salmon dish.

As McGlinn puts it, "This is one of my favorite dishes to make, it is so delicious for any season and so easy to prepare. It is inspired by Swedish cuisine — the fresh dill and salmon are common ingredients in Scandinavian dishes and work so well with the creamy sauce." In Norway and Sweden, freshly caught salmon is often featured in the local cuisine. We can see why! According to Healthline, salmon is brimming with health benefits. This seaside speciality offers omega-3 fatty acids, protein, potassium, B vitamins, and helps fight inflammation. No need to pass up those perks! We'll give you the ins about how to put this together for dinner tonight.

Your trip to the grocery store won't take long at all. Here's what you need: four salmon filets, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, 4 tablespoons of butter, and 1 finely chopped shallot (which should make about ¼ cup). For the sauce, grab two to three cloves of minced garlic (about 2 tablespoons), and ½ cup of your favorite dry white wine, such as Invitation's sauvignon blanc, which McGlinn used in her recipe.

Also make sure you have 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, ½ cup of heavy whipping cream, and two to three sprigs of fresh dill. Have your trusty skillet on hand, and then it's time to get cookin'!

Begin by heating a thin layer of oil (your preference) in a deep skillet over medium heat. Lay the salmon filets in, skin side down, and season them with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cook the fillets until light pink and flaky. Allow about five minutes per side. 

McGlinn shares how to avert undercooking here: "I cook mine until the skin is crispy on each side, then finish cooking in the sauce so that the salmon absorbs some of the flavor during the cooking process without overcooking. If preferred, you can put the salmon in the oven while preparing the sauce."

Remove the salmon from the skillet, and carefully wipe away any drippings. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add your butter. When the butter melts, add the chopped shallot and minced garlic. Stir these for about one minute, until they're soft and fragrant.

Start by deglazing the skillet with the wine. Add lemon juice, and stir to combine. Bring all of this to a simmer, then allow the sauce to simmer out until the volume is reduced by about half. This takes about five minutes. This part requires the most attentiveness. Watch the mixture carefully to ensure the shallots don't burn. Once the mixture reduces, add heavy cream, and stir to combine. With the remaining salt and pepper, season the sauce.

McGlinn describes the key part of this dish perfectly. "The sauce is rich and creamy, with just a hint of lemon and dill. You want to make sure you are not adding too much wine or lemon, or the sauce will be sour. After reducing the acidic ingredients, the cream adds a beautiful richness that brings out the flavors of the sautéed shallot and garlic. The layers of flavor brought forward from the cooking method provides a rich and beautiful sauce from such simple ingredients," she says.

Once the sauce is complete, add the salmon back into the skillet. Gently douse the salmon fillets with the piquant lemon dill sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer gently and thicken to a creamy consistency for two short minutes. Garnish with fresh dill by sprinkling fronds over the salmon.

"Swedish influence of flavor is what makes this dish unique — the combination of wine, dill, and cream is both rich and bright at the same time and allows this dish to be appropriate for any season," McGlinn notes. We absolutely love this dish for a cozy fall entrée.

Your guests and family will be delighted to enjoy this euphoric entrée. Salmon is versatile enough to match with just about any side. We recommend adding some healthy carbs such as quinoa, brown rice, veggies, or possibly pasta.

McGlinn notes how she prepared the dish pictured above, if you'd like to follow in her footsteps. "These are a very simple boiled potato. I covered the potatoes with water, and boiled until soft. I then dried the potatoes and sprinkled with dill. Then, I actually used the sauce from the salmon to flavor the potatoes by tossing a ¼ cup of sauce in a bowl with the softened potatoes. Delicious! I would otherwise recommend sautéed spinach and lingonberries."

Since you'll have wine on hand, why not enjoy a splash with dinner? McGlinn suggests, "White wine would definitely compliment this dish best. Being that it is salmon and creamy sauce, a white wine will pair best with the rich flavors. I'd recommend chardonnay to balance the brightness of the lemon — a champagne or sparkling wine would work well for a special occasion, too." If you happen to have leftovers, they'll keep well in an airtight Tupperware container for three to four days at best. The fish can be reheated with an easy pop in the microwave. Your guests or family will be sure to love what you're serving for dinner! We hope everyone enjoys this decadent Norwegian delicacy.