Description
This Creamy Dill Sauce with Salmon or Trout recipe offers a fresh, vibrant, and tangy complement to pan-seared fish fillets. The sauce combines sour cream, fresh dill, lemon, and mustard for a luscious, herbaceous flavor that enhances tender salmon or trout cooked to perfection in a skillet. Ready in just 15 minutes, this dish is perfect for a quick, healthy, and flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Dill Sauce
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp Dijon or hot English mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp milk or olive oil (for richness)
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
Fish
- 4 salmon or trout fillets (125g / 4oz each)
- 1/2 – 1 tbsp oil (such as olive or vegetable oil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Dill Sauce: In a bowl, mix together sour cream, Dijon mustard, garlic (powder or fresh minced), fresh dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk or olive oil, salt, and sugar. Stir well to loosen the sour cream and combine all flavors. Adjust the thickness by adding more milk if needed and balance the tartness by adding more lemon juice to taste. Let the sauce sit for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld; if using fresh garlic, resting for 20 minutes is ideal.
- Season the Fish: Pat the salmon or trout fillets dry using a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. This will enhance the natural flavors and help achieve a good sear.
- Cook the Fish: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to get a crispy skin and a good sear. Flip the fillets carefully and cook the other side for an additional 1 1/2 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily.
- Serve: Transfer the cooked fish fillets onto serving plates. Serve the creamy dill sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling. Garnish with extra fresh dill sprigs and lemon wedges if desired for extra aroma and zest.
Notes
- Resting the sauce allows the garlic and herbs to infuse, enhancing the flavor.
- Use fresh dill if possible for the best herbal aroma.
- The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the fish fillets.
- To keep the sauce dairy-free, substitute sour cream with coconut yogurt and milk with a plant-based alternative.
- Adjust lemon juice and zest to your preferred level of tartness.
- If skin-on fillets are unavailable, skip the skin-side down step but reduce cooking time to avoid overcooking.
