BEST Salmon Piccata (Lemon Butter Caper Sauce)

Delicious Salmon in Lemon Butter Caper Sauce (Salmon Piccata)- Easy, light, and fresh, and it is a 20-minute meal! The Ultimate Lemon Salmon Dinner Recipe!

All the flavors you love in “piccata” (lemon and caper sauce) with a salmon twist! Traditionally, a piccata sauce is served with veal or chicken. You will love this simple sauce with salmon.

I’ve created a salmon version that soaks up that delicious sauce in a magnificent way. If you want to skip the fish and meat try this version: Ravioli Piccata with Mushroom Asparagus (Easy).

If you love salmon try these recipes: Best Baked Salmon with Pesto Recipe , Easy Baked Honey Orange Sesame Salmon, Smoked Salmon, Mascarpone, and Petite Pea Pasta, and Baked Salmon with Potatoes and Herb Oil Dressing.

Why I love this recipe

BEST Salmon Piccata (Lemon Butter Caper Sauce)- I love salty capers! This buttery lemon sauce is a great way to serve up fresh salmon. It makes a delicious meal that is ready with little time. I make this recipe in one pan and it makes for easy clean-up as well!

Jump to:

• Simple Ingredients
• How to Make Salmon with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce (Piccata)
• Instructions Step by Step with Photos
• Perfect Pan Seared Salmon for Salmon Piccata (Lemon Butter Caper Sauce)
• Lemon Butter Caper Sauce for Salmon
• Tips For Butter Quality
• What is Piccata Sauce?
• Origins of Piccata …
• How to Cook the Perfect Pan-Seared Salmon
• Cooking variations
• Fresh Salmon vs Frozen Salmon
• Wild Salmon vs Farm Fresh Salmon
• Why is Salmon a Superfood?
• Substitutes for Salmon?
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing
• Pan Seared Salmon Picata Sauce

Simple Ingredients

• Salmon fillets
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• Shallot
• Garlic
• Chicken or vegetable broth
• Lemon juice and zest
• Capers
• Butter
• Fresh parsley, for garnish
• Optional: lemon slices for serving

Lemon Butter Caper Sauce for Salmon

Once you taste the flavors of this caper sauce you will love the unique taste that the capers bring to the bright and delicious salmon recipe.

If you are making this dish as a family dinner and your kids do not like capers, you can leave them out and simply turn this into a plain lemon sauce.

To brighten up the lemon flavor, you can also add a pinch of grated lemon zest to the sauce.

Tips For Butter Quality

Use High Fat Good Quality Butter. It will make a big difference in the richness of your sauce.

Why is some butter more “rich” or yellow than others? This is all in the fat content and diet of the cow.

The difference in color is primarily due to the higher fat content of butter. Cows that eat grass and flowers store the yellow pigment beta carotene, found naturally in those plants, in their fat.

When you separate out the buttermilk after churning, what remains is mostly butterfat, which is the most yellow of all.

This is where you get the rich flavor and deep color. I love the Kerrygold brand.

There are lots of other good quality high-fat butter varieties. The richer the butter in this recipe the creamier and tastier the sauce!

What is Piccata Sauce?

Piccata is true to its name, sharp and puckery, but it’s also quick and luxurious.

It’s essentially a warm vinaigrette that you sizzle together in a frying pan: fat (butter), acid (lemon juice and slim half-moons of lemon), biting alliums (minced shallot and garlic), and capers for briny flavor.

Add some crusty bread for swiping and dipping.

Suddenly, you’ve got a full-fledged meal that’ll take you all the way to Italy! I hope you share this Italian recipe with your family and friends soon!

Bread that goes well with this butter lemon caper sauce: Softest No Knead Bread

Origins of Piccata …

Piccata is an Italian word spelled sometimes as piccata or pichotta. The culinary use of the Italian term means “to be pounded flat” referring to the meat.

Piccata originated in Italy where it is traditionally made with veal. In this recipe, I defy Italian tradition and make it with salmon!!

How to Cook the Perfect Pan-Seared Salmon

Cooking salmon on a pan on the stove is easier than you think. If you are afraid your salmon will stick to the pan, again, let me help!

Follow these easy steps for tender salmon with a perfect crust.

Tips for Cooking Salmon in a Pan

1. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.
2. Season the salmon with salt and a few grinds of pepper (if desired). Don’t skimp on the salt!
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. It is very important that your salmon hits the hot oil- this is one reason salmon sticks to the pan from the start.
4. Cook the salmon, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Resist the urge to touch the fillets as they cook. Letting the fish sear untouched in hot oil creates that lovely, flavorful, golden crust that makes this dish restaurant-worthy.
5. Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 2 to 5 minutes more.

That's it! You can add any sauce, such as serving this delicious piccata sauce or enjoy this perfectly seared salmon over a salad or even the next day with pasta!

A perfect meal for a special occasion or an easy weeknight meal.

Cooking variations

If you like you can bake the salmon on a baking sheet (or sheet pan) and make the sauce separately. Then, spoon the sauce on top of the salmon.

You can also cook the salmon on your outdoor grill and add the sauce after the salmon is cooked.

Fresh Salmon vs Frozen Salmon

Frozen wild salmon is sometimes considered better than fresh salmon because it's frozen fresh off the boat and then shipped.

The quality of fresh wild salmon starts to deteriorate as soon as it's harvested, but frozen salmon bypasses that part, making it the superior choice.

With frozen salmon, you will want to let it thaw in the fridge. For this recipe, you can use wild or farm fresh salmon.

How to Thaw Frozen Salmon for Cooking

3 Ways to Thaw Frozen Salmon

1. Water: Fill a large bowl with cold water. Place the salmon fillets in a resealable plastic bag, then place the bag in the cold water.
2. Refrigerator: You can defrost salmon in the fridge overnight.
3. Microwave: The fastest way to defrost salmon is through microwave defrosting.

Why is Salmon a Superfood?

Salmon has earned a permanent spot on the superfoods list thanks to its high levels of omega-3 fatty acid—a type of good-for-you fat that has a long list of health benefits going it.

Where to begin: Omega-3s may help reduce inflammation throughout the body.

This is a well-loved salmon recipe that you can feel great about eating!

Substitutes for Salmon?

This recipe is delicious as it is with salmon fillets. If you prefer other fish here are some I recommend with the piccata sauce.

What to Substitute for Salmon

• Tilapia
• Cod
• Mahi-Mahi
• Trout
• Sea-bass
• Wahoo
• Stripped Bass
• Any white fish

You will also love this easy cod recipe: Crispy Baked Cod with Panko.

Serving Suggestions

Served with a side of Italian Fennel, Citrus, Pomegranate and Salad, Shredded Zucchini and Cheese Pasta (easy), Easy Soft Italian No Knead Bread you have a meal that tastes like an Italian restaurant!

You will be surprised by how quickly this scrumptious dish comes together and it is a one-pan recipe for easy clean-up. A taste of Italy at your table!

Storing

If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in a tight-fitting container for up to three days. Try adding it to a salad or tossing it with pasta and adding extra olive oil to thin out the sauce.

From My Cucina to your Table. Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)

Made with Amore,

Elena

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Have you checked out my NEW CBE PRODUCTS? Take a look at the 2-in-1 cutting and charcuterie board, gorgeous apron, and unique pasta server that you absolutely need. The wood products are all handmade in Salt Lake City, Utah. They make great gifts as well!

Baked Salmon with Butter Lemon Caper Sauce is an easy family dinner! Salmon cooked to perfection and topped with decadent piccata sauce.

Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.

I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena, so I can see the delicious Italian recipes you make. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.

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