Eight to ten minutes. That’s all it takes to transform a raw salmon fillet into something restaurant-worthy on your stovetop. The timing shifts slightly depending on thickness and how you like your salmon cooked, but the method stays reliably simple.
The Quick Answer
For a standard 1-inch thick fillet, here’s your timing:
Skin side down: 5 to 6 minutes undisturbed in a hot pan. This is where the magic happens. The skin crisps, the fat renders, and the flesh slowly turns from translucent to opaque.
Flip and finish: 2 to 4 minutes on the second side. You’re not cooking it through here, just kissing that top surface with heat and letting the residual warmth finish the center.
Total time: 8 to 10 minutes from the moment the fish hits the pan until it lands on your plate.
Pull the salmon when it’s just barely done. It continues cooking as it rests, and nothing saddens a piece of fish quite like an extra minute in the pan.
Why Thickness Changes Everything
Not all salmon fillets are created equal. The timing printed on a recipe card means nothing if your fish is half an inch thick or closer to two inches.
Thin fillets (3/4 inch): 6 to 7 minutes total. These cook fast. Watch them closely. Skin side gets 4 minutes, flip for 2 to 3 minutes max. Blink and they’re overdone.
Standard fillets (1 inch): 8 to 10 minutes total. This is the sweet spot most recipes assume. Skin side takes 5 to 6 minutes, second side needs 2 to 4 minutes.
Thick fillets (1.5 inches): 10 to 12 minutes total. Give the skin side a full 7 to 8 minutes. The second side still only needs 3 to 4 minutes because most of the work is already done.
The most reliable cue isn’t a timer. Look at the side of the fillet as it cooks. When you see the opaque, cooked color climbing about three-quarters of the way up from the bottom, it’s time to flip. The flesh changes from deep coral to pale pink, and that visual line tells you more than any clock.
How to Know Your Salmon Is Done
Forget poking, prodding, and guessing. Here’s what actually works.
The color line: When that opaque pink has traveled three-quarters up the side of your fillet before flipping, you’re on track. After flipping, the top should look barely set, still slightly translucent in the very center if you prefer it medium.
Internal temperature: Stick an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part. 125°F gives you medium doneness, rosy in the center, silky texture. 135°F delivers medium-well, fully cooked through but still moist. The USDA says 145°F, but that’s where salmon crosses into dry territory. Your call.
The fork test: Press gently with a fork where the natural lines run across the fillet. If the flesh separates into flakes without resistance, it’s cooked. If it fights back, give it another minute.
Carryover cooking: Pull your salmon 5 degrees before your target temperature. It keeps cooking on the plate, and that buffer prevents the heartbreak of overcooked fish.
The Three Things That Actually Matter
You can read twenty techniques, but only three things separate good stovetop salmon from great.
Room temperature fish. Take your salmon out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. Cold fish hitting a hot pan seizes up, cooks unevenly, and tends to stick. Room temperature fish relaxes into the heat and cooks through at the same pace the exterior browns.
Dry surface. Pat both sides with paper towels until no moisture remains. Wet fish steams instead of sears. Dry fish develops that golden crust and releases cleanly when it’s ready to flip. This step takes ten seconds and makes all the difference.
Hot pan, patient hands. Heat your skillet over medium-high until a drop of water sizzles and vanishes instantly. Add your oil, let it shimmer, then lay the salmon down gently. Now don’t touch it. Don’t peek under it. Don’t adjust it. Just let it be. The fish will release from the pan when the sear is complete. If it sticks, it’s not ready.
Skin On or Skin Off
The technique changes slightly depending on whether your fillet wears its skin.
| Aspect | Skin On | Skin Off |
|---|---|---|
| First side timing | 5-6 minutes skin down | 4-5 minutes presentation side down |
| Second side timing | 2-4 minutes flesh down | 3-4 minutes second side |
| Pan type | Any pan works well | Nonstick strongly recommended |
| Benefits | Crispy, edible skin; easier to flip; insulates fish from overcooking | Quicker cooking; no skin texture to consider |
| Flipping ease | Easier, skin holds fillet together | More delicate, use wide spatula |
| Total time | 8-10 minutes | 7-9 minutes |
With skin: Start skin side down. Let it crisp completely before flipping. The skin acts as a protective layer and makes the fillet easier to handle. If the skin crisps properly, it’s delicious to eat.
Without skin: Start with the prettier side down first to get that golden sear on your presentation surface. Use a nonstick pan. The fish is more fragile and likely to stick or fall apart without the skin holding it together.
When Something Goes Wrong
Even experienced cooks hit snags. Here’s how to recognize and fix them.
Fish sticking to the pan: It’s not ready to flip. The proteins need another 30 seconds to a minute to release naturally. Be patient. Trying to force it will tear the fillet. If you’re using a well-oiled hot pan and it’s still sticking after 7 minutes, your heat might be too low.
White stuff oozing out: That’s albumin, a harmless protein that emerges when salmon cooks too fast or too hot. Lower your heat to medium instead of medium-high. Let your fish come to room temperature before cooking. The albumin won’t hurt anything, but it doesn’t look appetizing.
Dry, chalky center: You overcooked it. Pull your salmon earlier next time. Remember it continues cooking after leaving the pan. Aim for 125°F to 130°F internal temperature, and remove it when the center still looks barely translucent.
Undercooked center, burnt exterior: Your heat is too high. Medium to medium-high is the sweet spot. If your pan is screaming hot, the outside chars before the inside has a chance to cook through. Lower the flame and give it time.
The beauty of stovetop salmon is how quickly you learn. Make it twice and you’ll develop a feel for your stove, your pan, and how you like your fish. Trust the color change, resist the urge to fiddle, and you’ll nail it every time.
