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Pan-seared salmon piccata in a lemon-caper butter pan sauce, served over garlicky orzo and sautéed greens for a complete restaurant-style 25-minute meal at home.
Lemon-Caper Salmon Piccata
This Salmon Piccata is going to rock your weeknight dinner routine! A handful of everyday staples-lemon, capers, garlic, butter-turn simple salmon fillets into a bright, restaurant-quality dish. The moment that lemon-garlic hits the hot pan? The kitchen smells insane-just like when I whip up my Shrimp Scampi or my Chicken Piccata Orzo.
Piccata is a classic Italian technique (usually done with chicken or veal), but here I take it coastal with salmon. I give the fillets a quick, light flour dusting so they sear up golden and crisp, then bathe them in a zingy lemon-caper butter sauce that's glossy, silky, and never heavy. It's that perfect rich-meets-fresh balance-exactly what I want from comfort food that still eats light-very much in the spirit of my Mediterranean Salmon recipe.
Well-Balanced Meal
And because I'm all about real-life cooking, I round it out with garlicky orzo and quick-sautéed greens right in the flow, so you've basically got the sides handled while the salmon piccata rests. Spinach, kale, or chard-use what you've got. This is what I call an evergreen recipe-it works year-round, no matter if it's raining, snowing, or the sun's shining-perfect for entertaining, date night, or a fast family dinner-like my Greek chicken lemon rice or Tuscan shrimp orzo.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salmon, Trout, Halibut, Cod, Sea Bass: I am using four 6-ounce salmon fillets, but all of these are great alternatives that will work great for this fish piccata!
- Olive Oil: Any cooking oil with a neutral flavor is best for replacing olive oil, including avocado oil, grapeseed oil, veg oil.
- Capers: You can replace them with green olives, pickled green peppercorns, or chopped caper berries.
- White Wine: If you're trying to avoid alcohol or just don't have any, use this simple hack to replace the wine: chicken broth in the same amount + 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar.
- Chicken Broth: You can use veg or fish broth instead.
- Butter: For dairy free, use vegan butter like margarine or if you like a more earthy like flavor, grab the ghee to replace the butter.
The complete list of ingredients and the amounts are in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Creamy Sauce: Add a splash of heavy cream or creme fraiche at the end of cooking the sauce!
- Herby: Add more herbs like thyme, tarragon, or dill along with the parsley.
- Spicy: Red pepper flakes or harissa can take the sauce up a notch in heat!
- Mediterranean: Add some sundried tomatoes and olives with the capers.
- Grilled: Grill the salmon if you like and make the piccata sauce separately!
25-Minute Salmon Piccata
Searching for Salmon Piccata with a bright lemon-caper butter sauce that's truly restaurant-quality yet weeknight-easy? This 25-minute skillet dinner also features garlicky orzo and sautéed spinach-pure comfort that still eats light, perfect for entertaining or a quick family meal.
Ingredients
For the Orzo
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
For the Greens
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cloves garlic finely minced
- 10 ounces greens of choice leaves chopped if large (spinach, kale, chard)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ large lemon zest and juice (optional)
For the Salmon
- 4 fillets salmon (6 ounces each), skin off or on
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 stick butter
- 1 medium lemon zest and juice
Garnish
- ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
- lemon slices
- dill sprigs and chopped
Instructions
Prepare Orzo
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the orzo and toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth (or water) and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Season with more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook Greens
- While orzo cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add greens and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until wilted and tender.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon zest and juice. Transfer to a platter while you prepare the salmon.
Prepare Salmon
- Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets (skin side down if using) and cook without moving for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly golden and crispy.
- Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the fillets and set aside.
Make Salmon Piccata Sauce
- In the same, now empty, skillet, lower heat slightly and add garlic and capers. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Increase heat to high and deglaze with white wine, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce.
- Add chicken broth and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter with a whisk or spatula until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Return salmon to the pan briefly to warm through and spoon sauce over the fillets.
- Plate salmon piccata with a scoop of orzo and sautéed greens. Spoon more sauce over everything and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
Notes
- To get a crispy crust on your salmon, make sure it is very very dry before putting it in the pan.
- Don't crowd the pan! Giving the salmon space will also help a nice crust form.
- Make sure your pan is heated prior to putting in your salmon to get a good crust.
- Don't move the fish too soon, either.
- No dry salmon: Salmon is thankfully a very forgiving protein, but try not to overcook it!
- Adding the butter off the heat helps ensure the sauce won't break. Even if it does, the piccata sauce will be delicious!
- Fresh herbs only: You really want to be using fresh herbs for this recipe! Dried herbs will muddy up your flavors and sauce.
- Fresh lemon juice is always best so try to avoid the bottled stuff if possible.
- Toasting the orzo helps give it a more nutty flavor and helps to keep it from becoming mushy during cooking.
- Depending on how bitter your greens of choice are, a pinch of sugar can help balance the flavor out a bit.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Once cooled, store sauce and salmon together and the orzo and spinach together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing the cooked salmon and piccata sauce. You can freeze the orzo and sauteed greens in freezer bags with all of the air removed for up to 1 month.
- Reheating:To reheat from the fridge, you can either heat a pan on low heat and put the salmon in once hot, then spoon the sauce over the salmon. You can also reheat everything in a 300 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes covered in foil. Putting the salmon and sauce in the microwave might dry out the salmon and break the sauce, but that is always an option.
You'll need these supplies:
- cutting board
- knife
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- large skillet
- paper towels
- serving platter
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
25-Minute Salmon Piccata
Amount per Serving
Calories
810
% Daily Value*
Fat
49
g
75
%
Saturated Fat
18
g
113
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
20
g
Cholesterol
157
mg
52
%
Sodium
1127
mg
49
%
Potassium
1485
mg
42
%
Carbohydrates
45
g
15
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
44
g
88
%
Vitamin A
7831
IU
157
%
Vitamin C
49
mg
59
%
Calcium
146
mg
15
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
How to Make Salmon Piccata (Step-by-Step Photos)
- Orzo: Warm olive oil in a saucepan, gently sizzle garlic, then stir in orzo to toast. Add broth (or water), season, bring to a boil, then simmer until tender and most liquid is absorbed. Taste, adjust, cover, and keep warm.
- Greens: While the orzo cooks, heat oil in a skillet. Bloom garlic (and chili flakes, if using), add greens, and toss until wilted and tender. Season, finish with lemon, and transfer to a platter.
- Prepare salmon: Pat salmon dry, season, and dust lightly with flour.
- Sear salmon in a hot skillet (skin-side down first if using) until golden; flip and cook just through. Remove.
- Make sauce: In the same pan, sauté garlic and capers briefly.
- Make piccata sauce: Then deglaze with white wine, lemon zest, and juice; reduce slightly. Add a splash of broth and reduce again. Off heat, whisk in butter until the sauce turns silky; adjust seasoning.
- Return salmon to warm and spoon with sauce.
More Salmon Recipes
- Mediterranean Salmon & Rice
- Creamy Tuscan Salmon
- Grilled Salmon (with Pineapple-Tomato-Avocado Salsa)
- Thai Coconut Curry Salmon
- Salmon with Olive and Caper Sauce
- Creamy Salmon Orzo with Spinach
- Greek Salmon Fillets
- Pan-Seared Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Asian Salmon & Noodles
- Pesto Salmon Orzo
- Cilantro-Lime Honey Garlic Salmon
We make this all the time now! It has become our favorite dish in the last 2 weeks. I always serve it with orzo as you suggested. Orzo is so flavorless but becomes full of flavor with this butter sauce!
Thank you, Beth, for your wonderful review! 🙂
Please show the full rating (number of votes) in the print option. I like to have that on my recipes. Thank you.
I will look into that to see if I can enable that functionality. 🙂 Thank you for using my recipes and wishing a very Happy Holiday Season! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! I love using salmon, chicken or boneless pork in this recipe. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Joanne, you are so welcome! Glad you like this recipe! 🙂
Love all your recipes!!
Thank you so much, Dianne! 🙂
Absolutely fantastic - flavor, textures, presentation - and so delicious!
Thank you, Jane, you are so kind!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Julia,
I use a lot of your recipes and they have been excellent.
Thank you for the variety!
Thank you, Sandy! 🙂 That means a lot to me! 🙂
Love Love Love your recipes - they are inspired, fresh and delicious! So glad I found your website and subscribed!
Hi Jane! You just made my day!! ❤️ So happy you found the site and subscribed! 🙂
A whole stick of butter and white flour? No thank you.
Hi Jan! You can certainly get away with just using 1/2 stick of butter and skipping dusting the salmon in flour. Also, are you familiar with this recipe, I think you might like it better: https://juliasalbum.com/salmon-rice/
I made this last night. I didn't have orzo, so we had mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus as a side dish. The piccata sauce was surprisingly good over asparagus. Next time I might double the sauce as we like our dishes on the saucier side.
I love your choice of sides, Jessica! And thank you for your 5-star review! ❤️ It's much appreciated!