Brown butter salmon with capers and sun-dried tomatoes is an elevated take on everyday seared salmon—elegant enough to feel special, yet just as easy to make. Nutty brown butter, briny capers, and savory sun-dried tomatoes turn this simple weeknight staple into something quietly impressive, and the whole dish comes together in under 30 minutes.
Looking for easy dinner ideas? If you love this Brown Butter Salmon, you will also love this One-Pan Salmon Dinner, Shrimp Spaghetti-Garidomakaronada, or Greek Codfish Cakes With Lemon Caper Aioli!
Why you will love brown butter salmon
Here is what you need
- Salmon fillets— with skin or not, whatever you like.
- Pine nuts— They add a smoky, nutty crunch to this dish. Pine nuts are widely used in Greek cuisine and in France, Italy, Lebanon, etc.
- Sun-dried tomatoes— Their tart, intense flavor suits the mild, rich, and slightly sweet salmon perfectly. Always get the ones kept in oil, preferably olive oil.
- Capers—The salty, tart capers add a savory note to the sauce.
- Butter— My favorite butter is always salty. Of course, you can use the butter of your preference. Unsalted butter will be slightly milder, but you will not notice much difference in flavor.
Step by step
You can make the salmon any way you like. Oven-roasted or pan-roasted salmon fillets go well with the sauce and smoked salmon fillets also work beautifully. Below, you will find a pan-roasted method for salmon and my tips for crispy salmon skin.
- Pat the salmon dry on both sides. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into medium-sized pieces. Gather the butter and drain the capers.
- Heat some olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add two salmon fillets to the pan at a time (skin side down first if you like crispy skin. Please see the tip below.
- Cook each side for 4 minutes until golden and flaky.
Tip for salmon with perfectly crisp skin: If you like perfectly crisp skin on your salmon, don’t fidget with the fish while it cooks; Press it down lightly for one minute with a spatula. The skin will start to crisp up nicely if you wait 7 minutes and then turn it around. Cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Then, turn the salmon one more time and crisp up the skin for one more minute. Place the salmon skin side up to preserve the crispy skin and serve the sauce around the salmon, not on the skin.
- While the salmon cooks, place a medium skillet on medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Toast them for 2-3 minutes until they are nice and brown. Please don’t overdo it; they will become bitter and inedible.
- Add the butter to the pan. Stir the butter continuously with a spatula. After 2 to 3 minutes, the butter will start to brown.
- Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add the capers, stir and remove from heat. Serve immediately over salmon fillets.
Serving suggestions
Pair this brown butter salmon with a green salad, roasted vegetables, and Greek sweet peas with dill-arakas. Add some crusty bread to complete your meal and enjoy the sauce.
Storage and reheating
Storage: Let the salmon cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep the salmon and sauce together if possible, the butter helps protect the fish from drying out.
Reheating (gentle is the name of the game): Salmon is delicate, so low and slow works best.
- Stovetop (best option): Place the salmon in a skillet over low heat. Add a spoonful of water or extra butter, cover loosely, and warm just until heated through.
- Oven: Reheat at 300°F / 150°C, loosely covered, for 8–10 minutes.
- Microwave (last resort): Use low power, short bursts, and stop as soon as it’s warm, not hot.
Jenny’s tip: Avoid reheating more than once. If you have leftovers, they’re also excellent flaked into a salad or tossed with warm pasta and a squeeze of lemon.
FAQs
Seafood recipes
Cooked it? Rate it!
Please leave a comment, we love hearing from you! Please subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.
Brown Butter Salmon with Capers and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets with skin or not, whatever you like.
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 stick salted butter
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry on both sides. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add two salmon fillets to the pan (skin side down first if you like crispy skin. Please see recipe notes)Cook each side for 4 minutes until golden and flaky.
While salmon cooks make the sauce.
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into medium-small pieces.
- Place a medium skillet on medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Toast pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until they are nice and brown. Don't overdo it, pine nuts will become bitter and inedible.
- Add the butter to the pan. Stir the butter with a spatula continuously. After 2 to 3 minutes, the butter will start to brown. Be careful not to burn the butter. If needed lower the heat.
- Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add the capers, stir brown butter sauce and serve immediately over salmon fillets.
Notes
Nutrition
