This salmon Oscar recipe features flaky, perfectly cooked salmon over a bed of delicious asparagus and topped with lump crab meat and a tangy bearnaise sauce. It's a tasty, healthy dish everyone will love.

I love recipes that are absolutely loaded with flavor but aren't difficult to make. That's just what you get with this one. It looks super-fancy, but it's actually very easy.
Salmon Oscar Recipe
This was inspired by my other salmon and asparagus recipe on this site and pairs well with this amazing air fryer pineapple recipe for dessert.
Ingredients
There are several ingredients in this recipe, but if you look closely, you'll see that many of them are spices, and all of them are easily found at your local grocery store.
- Salmon fillet
- Salted butter
- Sea salt flakes
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Paprika
- Dried chives
- Asparagus
- Lump crab meat
- Garlic paste
- Garlic salt
For the Bearnaise Sauce
- White wine vinegar
- Sherry
- Lemon juice
- Stoneground mustard
- Minced shallot
- Crushed garlic cloves
- Tarragon
- Room temperature egg yolks
- Melted unsalted butter
- Pinch of sea salt
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Instructions
Don't let this ingredient list scare you away from this recipe. It only takes a few simple steps when you break them down.
Step 1: Make the Bernaise Sauce
Combine white wine vinegar, sherry, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, and the leaves from 1 sprig of tarragon and puree in a food processor or blender.
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat to medium high heat. Simmer until the sauce is reduced by half. Remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl with a pour spout.
Pour the sauce and egg yolks into a food processor or blender and puree. Slowly pour in the melted butter to emulsify. Add the mixture to a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often until thick. Finally, stir in 1 sprig of chopped tarragon and remove from the heat.
Step 2: Combine the Seasonings
Combine sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, and dried chives in a small bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons for the asparagus.
Step 3: Cook the Salmon
Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and season it on both sides with the seasoning. Sear the salmon in a pan with 2-3 tablespoons butter and for 5 minutes per side (skin side too) until the internal temperature reads 135 degrees. Remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Step 4: Cook the Asparagus
In the same pan, melt butter and add the asparagus. Sprinkle it with the seasoning and sautee for 4 minutes. Then, remove it and set it aside.
Step 5: Cook the Crab
In the same pan, add the crab, toss with butter and saute.
Step 6: Plate
Divide the asparagus spears between plates and place salmon on top of asparagus. Next, add crab meat, then drizzle with bearnaise sauce. Garnish with chopped tarragon, a sprinkle of fresh-craked pepper, and enjoy!
Hint: For efficient time in the kitchen, cook the salmon while the bearnaise sauce thickens.

Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this salmon Oscar recipe.
- Tarragon - If you don't have fresh tarragon, you can use fresh basil or dill. If you only have dried spices use tarragon or dried oregano or majoram will also work
- Stoneground Mustard - You can use spicy brown mustard instead or yellow or dijon mustard can also be used if necessary
- White wine vinegar - red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar can be used instead
- Sherry - white wine, brandy or dry vermouth or if looking for non alcoholic option use apple cider or wine vinegar
- Butter - Ue olive oil instead
Variations
Want to personalize this salmon Oscar recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Mild - For a mild version, omit the red pepper flakes.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this shrimp stuffed salmon, almond crusted salmon or jerk salmon.
Equipment
You'll only need a few pieces of basic kitchen equipment to make this recipe.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Blender or food processor
- Pan
- Bowl with pour spout
Storage
If you have leftovers, you can store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Tips
This recipe has a few moving parts, but on the whole, it's very easy. I have a couple of tips to help make it even easier on you.
- The most efficient way to make this recipe is to cook the salmon while the sauce thickens.
- Be sure you whisk or stir continuously to keep your sauce from sticking.

FAQ
Oscar is a style of cooking that can be used with any protein. Just like this recipe, the protein is placed on a bed of asparagus and topped with crab and bearnaise sauce.
It was named in honor of King Oscar II of Sweden. This style was invented for him because he enjoyed the ingredients.
It will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Place it in a baking dish and cover it with foil. Then, bake it at 275 degrees for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Salmon Oscar Video
More Fish Recipes
Do you like fish? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Do you have questions about this salmon Oscar recipe? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about salmon Oscar.
Salmon Oscar
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

Salmon Oscar
Equipment
- Llarge skillet
- Knife
- Bowl with pour spout
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 8 oz salmon filet
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried chives
- ½ lb asparagus
- 4 oz lump crab meat
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Bearnaise
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sherry
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon stone ground mustard
- ½ shallot minced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 sprigs tarragon
- 2 egg yolks room temp
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
- Preheat a frying pan over medium high heat.
- Prepare the bearnaise sauce. Finely chop 2 sprigs of tarragon for use in later steps, and remove the leaves from the remaining sprig for use in the sauce.
- Combine white wine vinegar, sherry, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, and tarragon in a food processor or blender.
- Cover.
- Purée.
- Pour into a saucepan and cook over high heat until it starts to simmer. -Cook Salmon as it reduces- Cook until liquid is reduced to half, (about 10 minutes) Remove from heat.
- Pour into a bowl with a pour spout.
- Next, pour into a food processor along with egg yolks and purée. Slowly pour in the melted butter to emulsify.
- Add to a saucepan over low heat. Whisk often until thick.
- Once thickened, stir in half of the reserved chopped tarragon and remove from heat.
- Combine sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, and dried chives in a small bowl or ramekin.
- Remove 2 teaspoon for the asparagus.
- Add crab to a bowl and combine with garlic paste and garlic salt.
- Mix well.
- Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Season salmon on both sides with remaining seasoning.
- Add 2 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once melted, add the salmon. Cook 5 minutes per side.
- Or once internal temp reads 135 degrees, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once melted, add the asparagus and sprinkle with seasoning. Sauté in the butter for 4 minutes. Remove asparagus and set aside.
- Add the crab to the pan and toss in remaining butter. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Divide asparagus between plates. Top with salmon filet, crab meat, and drizzle with bearnaise. Garnish with remaining chopped tarragon and a sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper.
- Enjoy every bite!
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