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Pan-Seared Salmon with Herbed Butter Couscous

weeknightseafoodquick
10 minPrep15 minCook4Serves

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces eachsalmon fillets (skin-on)
  • ·salt
  • ·black pepper
  • 2 tablespoonsolive oil
  • 1 cupcouscous
  • 1½ cupsvegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoonsbutter
  • ·fresh dill
  • ·fresh parsley
  • 1lemon
  • 2 clovesgarlic

Prep

  1. 01

    Mince 2 cloves garlic.

  2. 02

    Roughly chop a small handful of fresh dill.

  3. 03

    Roughly chop a small handful of fresh parsley.

Method

  1. 01

    Bring vegetable broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

  2. 02

    While broth heats, pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

  3. 03

    Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place salmon skin-side up in the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Transfer to a plate.

  4. 04

    Stir couscous into the simmering broth, remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let sit for 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.

  5. 05

    Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in butter, minced garlic, chopped dill, and chopped parsley. Squeeze juice from the lemon over the couscous and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  6. 06

    Divide couscous among bowls, top each with a salmon fillet, and serve with lemon wedges.

Spice Tips

For warmth, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the couscous butter mixture. A tiny grating of nutmeg adds depth without heat. A sprinkle of smoked paprika on the salmon before cooking adds subtle complexity.

Salmon cooks quickly, so have all ingredients prepped before you start cooking. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat gently in a 300°F oven.

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