Pan-Seared Salmon with Zesty Tomato-Onion Relish
Pan-Seared Salmon is quickly sautéed for a few minutes and simmered with a Zesty Tomato-Onion Relish. Light and fresh tasting, the tomato-onion relish adds a delicious sauce to the salmon, turning those ‘salmon-haters’ into loving this dish! This is a fast and easy recipe that whips up in one skillet and it’s ready in no time!
This recipe for pan-seared salmon happens to be one of my favorite recipes. The tomatoes and chopped onions are finished off with some chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh parsley to create a zesty, juicy, and flavorful salmon.
Served warm, this pan-seared salmon is perfectly cooked in one skillet and makes dinner ready in no time.
Tender, super moist, and juicy, with a refreshing taste, comes from adding in two simple ingredients, lemon juice with lemon zest. So don’t leave them out.
Salmon can taste fishy at times, depending on how you cook it.
But this recipe is wonderful for salmon, because the chicken broth combined with the tomato-onion relish and lemon juice actually takes away that fishy taste and adds in the tangy, zesty, and fresh flavors.
So yummy!
For this recipe, you will need to prep all the vegetables, then grate some lemon zest and juice half of a lemon.
Next, cook the salmon for a few minutes, then add in the tomato-onion relish and finish it off with some chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Simple, quick, and easy! The sauce always makes a flavorful sauce for this salmon dish.
*Follow along below, or jump down to the bottom of this post for our full recipe card.
Ingredients for Pan-Seared Salmon with Zesty Tomato-Onion Relish:
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2 salmon fillets – skin removed
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2 Tbsp. olive oil – divided
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1 large yellow onion- thinly chopped
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3 garlic cloves – thinly sliced
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3 small plum ripe tomatoes- chopped
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1 cup chicken broth
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1 tsp. Italian Seasonings – (I use McCormick)
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1 Tbsp. lemon zest
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1 Tbsp. lemon juice
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2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
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1 tsp. sea salt, divided
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1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
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fresh cracked black pepper
Directions for Pan-Seared Salmon:
1. Zest and grated lemon peel for about 1 tablespoon and squeeze 1 table of lemon juice. and set aside.
2. Lightly season your salmon fillets with some sea salt and black pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes.
4. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and cook fish for 3 minutes on each side or until seared and browned. Remove salmon from pan and set aside.
5. Place the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the pan, add onions, garlic, and salt; cook for about 3 minutes, or until onions have softened.
6. Reduce heat, add pepper flakes, and sauté for another minute. Return salmon to pan and add chicken broth, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings, cook and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid has reduced a little.
7. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh parsley, cover with a lid and continue to simmer for additional 2 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat. Remove salmon from pan, transfer to a serving platter and add the tomato-onion relish on top and serve.
Buon Appetito!
The total time to make this seafood dish is approximately 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish.
It always turns out SO good!
Even my husband who is not crazy about salmon really enjoyed this dish.
Serve this salmon with a side of creamy polenta or mashed potatoes, and maybe a simple green salad to complete the meal. Give this recipe a try!
Enjoy!
Do you LOVE Salmon? …then try these!
- Pasta with Smoked Salmon in a Creamy Sauce
- Baked Salmon with Dijon Basil Pesto Sauce
- Best Salmon Piccata
- Pan-Seared Salmon with Teriyaki Ginger Sauce
- Grilled Salmon Over Chilled Tomato Arugula Salad
…Don’t forget to Pin and Share!
Yield: 2 servings
Pan-Seared Salmon with Zesty Tomato-Onion Relish
Pan-Seared Salmon is quickly sautéed for a few minutes and simmered with a Zesty Tomato-Onion Relish. Light and fresh tasting, the tomato-onion relish adds a delicious sauce to the salmon, turning those 'salmon-haters' into loving this dish! This is a fast and easy recipe that whips up in one skillet and ready in less than 30 minutes!
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 salmon fillets - skins removed
- 2 Tbps. olive oil (or canola oil) - divided
- 1 large yellow onion- thinly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves - thinly sliced
- 3 small plum ripe tomatoes- chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp. Italian Seasonings -( I use McCormick)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
- 1 tsp. sea salt, divided
- 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Zest and grated lemon peel for about 1 tablespoon, and squeeze 1 table of lemon juice and set aside. Lightly season your salmon fillets with some sea salt and black pepper.
- Preheat a large skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and cook fish for 3 minutes on each side or until seared and browned. Remove salmon from pan and set aside.
- Place the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the pan, add onions, garlic, and salt; cook for about 3 minutes, or until onions have softened.
- Reduce heat, add pepper flakes, and sauté for another minute.
- Return salmon to pan and add chicken broth, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings, cook and simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid has reduced a little.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh parsley. Cover with a lid and continue to simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Turn off heat. Remove salmon from pan, transfer to a serving platter and add the tomato-onion relish on top and serve.
- Serves 2 to 3
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Our family has gotten out of the habit of a weekly fish night, but this may get us going again. Wonderful!
So glad to hear that! Thanks Cali for stopping by!
Salmon always turns out great! And this certainly looks that way!
Thanks Amy! Have a great week!
This looks spectacular! I tend to bake or grill salmon, but will give this a try. Bravo!
We enjoy wild caught salmon every week or two. Alaskan King salmon is my all-time favorite. Always looking for new ways to prepare it and this sounds perfect for spring and summer.
Thanks Sue! the simplicity to this recipe is what I love about it! Enjoy!
Salmon is just the best! I love the salsa cruda that you created to ladle on top! Delizioso Anna and Liz!
xo
Roz
Grazie Roz!! 🙂
Prego!
This look delicious! It's light and healthy. I could eat salmon everyday, I wish my family liked it as much as I do. Nice recipe!
Thanks Vicki, the same for me as well.
This is such a fresh flavored meal!! I don't often crave seafood, but salmon will now be on my brain for the rest of the day!
Thanks Joanne, this happens to be one of my favorite recipes for salmon.
Thank you ladies! We appreciate your comments and hope you will try this recipe! Thanks again.
Yum! not much more to say, is there? Deb@healthycomfort
I think that is lovely looking – not a big fan of salmon – but if I was – yummy!
Your salmon is perfectly cooked! Absolutely beautiful. The onion and tomato relish has me drooling this morning. I love everything about this recipe! Great photos too 🙂