Tender, flaky Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Salmon is the super tasty, super easy, super healthy dinner recipe you’ve been looking for!
Luscious Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Salmon – it’s what’s for dinner! Protein-packed salmon coated in a bright, buttery marinade of lemon, garlic, and brown sugar. This salmon recipe is ready in minutes, and it is SO good!
3 Reasons to Love this Lemon Butter Baked Salmon Recipe
3 Reasons to Love This Lemon Butter Salmon Recipe
Busy Moms, listen! This Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon should be a “go-to” recipe for hectic weeknights!
First of all, it’s just EASY. Like, “I really can’t cook” easy! Five minutes of prep, 15 minutes in the oven, and cleanup is a BREEZE. (And it’s a beautiful meal to fix when trying to impress someone like your mother-in-law!)
Secondly, it’s HEALTHY. Packed with protein and Omega-3s, it’s a staple of the Mediterranean diet, so you know it’s good for you!
Thirdly, it’s DELICIOUS. Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon is beautiful and flavorful; even picky kids can quickly learn to love it! Serve this with pasta or potatoes and a green vegetable like this Parmesan Roasted Broccoli to round out a perfect dinner!
Other Recipes to Serve with Baked Salmon
- This Ramen Salad combines veggies and noodles, making it a great one-side-dish choice for grilled salmon!
- Plate your baked salmon over this Pecan Rice Pilaf for a gorgeous presentation!
Ingredients
Fish: Salmon – While smoked salmon & canned salmon are amazing for appetizers, this recipe needs fresh or frozen wild-caught salmon filets!
Sauce: This is an easy sauce of melted butter, finely minced garlic cloves, a touch of brown sugar, salt & pepper.
Garnish: Lemon slices serve as a garnish AND a flavor enhancer for the salmon – the slices go on before baking. Once the salmon is ready to serve, sprinkle with a little fresh parsley.
How to Make Baked Salmon
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and cover a baking sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil – enough to cover the pan and wrap around the salmon. Cut the salmon into portions and lay it down the center of the foil, leaving a little space between each piece.
STEP TWO: Whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the butter sauce oven over each filet.
STEP THREE: Lay 2 or 3 lemon slices on top of each filet, then wrap the foil around the salmon, crimping the edges to seal completely.
STEP FOUR: Bake the salmon for 12 to 15 minutes. The salmon flakes easily with a fork when it is fully cooked. Now appreciate how beautiful this dinner is and enjoy it immediately!
Tips for Success
- Salmon fillets should always be cooked skin-side down. No flipping is needed.
- Always buy wild-caught or organically-raised salmon.
- Don’t reheat salmon. If you try microwaving it, you will get that strong “fishy” smell. Instead, make a cold salmon salad or sandwich, or eat it with crackers. Cold salmon is great!
Is Salmon Really Good for You?
Salmon is a very healthy food choice! The high level of Omega-3 fatty acids for the brain and heart makes salmon good for you. Salmon is also high in protein, building strong muscles, encouraging active metabolism, and maintaining bone density. Salmon is also a good source of B and D vitamins for overall health. Enjoy it weekly!
How Long Does it Take to Cook Salmon?
There is no “one right answer” for how long to cook salmon. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish and the cooking temperature. As a general guideline: Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes; Broil at 500 F for 5 minutes; Pan fry over medium-high heat for 4 minutes per side; Grill over direct heat for 6 minutes per side; or toss in the air fryer at 44 F for 8 – 10 minutes. Salmon should register 145 F at its thickest area. Avoid overcooking, as this will dry it out. Perfect salmon should be bright in color and flake apart easily when pressed.
Other Spectacular Salmon Supper Recipes
- Salmon Burgers
- Salmon Croquettes
- Smoked Salmon Crostini
- Parmesan Herb Salmon
- Baked Pecan and Mustard Salmon
- Salmon with Angel Hair
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 pounds salmon (skin-on or skin-off)
- 1 lemon sliced
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay a large piece of aluminum foil over a baking sheet with enough overhang to make a foil packet that will completely cover the salmon. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Cut the salmon into 4 even portions. Lay the salmon on the foil, leaving a bit of space between each piece. (see note) Spoon the butter mixture over each filet, spreading it evenly over the surface.
- Lay the lemon slices on top of the salmon and tightly wrap the tinfoil around the fish, crimping the edges together to make sure there are no gaps.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle some chopped parsley on top, and plate with your favorite sides. Serve warm.
Notes
- You can cut the salmon into four 6-ounce portions or six 4-ounce portions.
- If you’re using skin-on salmon, spray the foil with some non-stick cooking spray. If using skin-on, place the salmon skin side down. The skin will stick to the foil, and you can use a spatula to separate the meat from the skin easily.
Noel Franz says
I HAVE ALWAYS been so please with the recipes posted here, but I was a little disappointed in this one. Not much flavor, butter and lemon just didn’t do it, even with a good dose of fresh garlic