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This easy baked salmon recipe with lemon butter and garlic comes together quickly and takes minutes to make. A quick weeknight meal the whole family (even picky eaters) will love!
Lemon Garlic Salmon
I make this easy lemon salmon recipe frequently during the spring and early summer months. Right now, that’s about once a week! It’s bright, fresh and a nice change from the heavier comfort food we gravitate to when it’s cold out. This easy recipe for baked salmon is also perfect for Lent or whenever you need a quick dinner with minimal prep time. My family loves it, and even my pickiest eater has zero complaints!
Cooking salmon in the oven is super simple. Just season it and bake! Anyone can make this — even if you don’t have experience with seafood. Take it from someone who grew up on frozen fish sticks and tuna casserole! And when it’s too hot to bake, we like this similar grilled salmon. Serve with steamed asparagus and roasted potatoes or rice or couscous.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick list of what you need. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Salmon fillets — About 4-6 ounces each. We usually buy fresh salmon, but you can use frozen salmon if you prefer. When buying fresh, look for red flesh that is well marbled and does not smell “fishy”. A light sea or ocean scent is fine.
- Butter — for the lemon butter sauce
- Lemon — You’ll need a quarter cup of juice, plus a few small slices for serving or garnish. This may be 1 large or 2 small lemons.
- Seasonings — sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and parsley. I like to use dried spices for convenience and fresh if I have them. So feel free to sub minced garlic and fresh parsley here.
- Olive oil — prevents the salmon from sticking to the pan
How to Make Baked Salmon in the Oven
First, let the salmon sit out at room temperature for a few minutes. This takes the chill off and helps it to cook more evenly. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel. Then, add a little olive oil to a baking pan, and place the salmon, skin sides down, in the pan. Melt the butter, and mix in the lemon juice and seasonings.
Pour the sauce over the salmon, and use a brush to ensure that the salmon is evenly coated with seasonings and sauce. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part to check the internal temperature, as the cooking time will vary with the size of the salmon and desired doneness. The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees.
Let the salmon rest for about 5 minutes, and top with lemon wedges and fresh parsley, if desired. Spoon the delicious buttery sauce over the salmon when you serve it.
Recipe Tips
You can bake salmon in a baking dish, casserole dish or a sheet pan, but the baking dish will hold the sauce better, allowing you to spoon it over the fish when serving.
Broil for a couple of minutes after baking salmon if you want a crispier texture on top.
While the USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees F, some people feel this results in dry, overcooked salmon. I have not had that with this recipe, as the sauce keeps it nice and moist. Medium doneness is about 130 degrees. I l usually cook it to 135-140 to allow for carryover temperature, so choose wisely.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover salmon in an airtight container for 3-4 days. We rarely have leftovers, but when we do, I love to use cooked salmon over salad!
Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter and Garlic
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets about 1.5 to 2 pounds total
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- fresh parsley and lemon slices optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉, and add olive oil to the bottom of a baking dish
- Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, and allow to sit at room temperature while you prepare the sauce
- Melt the butter, and stir in the seasonings and lemon juice
- Place salmon in the baking dish, and pour the sauce over the salmon. You can brush some sauce on top of the fillets to ensure they are coated with sauce
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until flesh in opaque and flakes easily with a fork. The USDA recommends cooking to 145℉. Or cook to desired doneness.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, if desired, and spoon sauce over salmon when serving
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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