Pan-fried salmon fillets are topped with a bright almond-caper sauce in this quick 15-minute Whole30 and Paleo dinner. This one-pan meal uses just a few ingredients and is ideal for busy weeknights—serve it with steamed vegetables or Half-Smashed Garlic and Dill Potatoes for a heartier plate.
You can use any salmon you prefer. Wild fresh salmon is my first choice, but frozen fillets work fine if thawed in the refrigerator and patted very dry with paper towel before cooking. Frozen fish holds extra surface moisture, and removing it helps you achieve a golden-brown, crispy crust.
To add texture to the crust, I lightly dredge the salmon in cassava flour. Almond flour or arrowroot starch are acceptable substitutes, though I prefer cassava for its neutral flavor and forgiving texture. Arrowroot can become gummy if the protein is dredged too far in advance.
The almond-caper sauce blends two classics—piccata and almondine—into a simple, flavorful topping. Toasting the almonds is important: it intensifies their nutty flavor and adds a pleasant crunch. Use slivered or sliced blanched almonds for best results.
You can finish the sauce with either grass-fed butter or ghee. Butter yields a slightly richer, creamier sauce, while ghee adds a more pronounced, nutty flavor. Both are delicious—choose based on your preference or dietary needs.
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Salmon with Almond Caper Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 4- ounce salmon filets
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup cassava flour, substitute arrowroot starch or almond flour
- ¼ cup blanched almonds, slivered or sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter or ghee
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon extra for garnish
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
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Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in cassava flour and place in the hot oil, skin side down first, until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness. Transfer to a serving platter and set aside.
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Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the almonds. Stir and cook until they turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 60 seconds.
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Pour in the chicken stock and simmer until reduced by about one-quarter. Stir in the lemon juice and capers. Add the butter or ghee and stir until the sauce comes together. Finish with the chopped dill and taste, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
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Spoon the almond-caper sauce over the salmon fillets, garnish with the extra dill, and serve immediately.