Description
This Garlic Butter Baked Salmon features tender, flaky salmon fillets topped with a luxurious garlic butter sauce and fresh herbs. It’s an easy, elegant dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes and tastes like it came from a high-end restaurant.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each, about 1-inch thick)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Lemon wedges and extra herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven – Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven for even heat distribution. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a thin layer of butter.
- Prepare the Salmon – Pat salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. This is crucial for getting a nice exterior and helping seasonings stick. Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the prepared baking dish, spacing them about an inch apart for even cooking.
- Season the Fillets – Season both sides of the salmon with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Be generous but not excessive – you want to enhance the salmon’s natural flavor, not mask it.
- Make the Garlic Butter – In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter completely. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned. Garlic burns quickly, so watch carefully. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh parsley, dill, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Coat the Salmon – Pour the warm garlic butter mixture generously over each salmon fillet, making sure to get some garlic and herbs on top of each piece. Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture for basting halfway through cooking.
- Bake – Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness. At the 8-minute mark, open the oven and spoon the reserved garlic butter over the salmon. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. The flesh should be opaque and slightly pink in the center.
- Rest and Serve – Remove from oven and let the salmon rest in the baking dish for 3-4 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the fish. Transfer to serving plates, drizzle with any remaining pan juices, and garnish with fresh lemon wedges and additional chopped herbs. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Don’t overbake! Salmon continues cooking after you remove it from the oven due to residual heat. Slightly underdone is better than overdone.
- If your fillets vary in thickness, check the thinner pieces first and remove them earlier if needed.
- For crispy skin, start the salmon skin-side up for the first 10 minutes, then flip for the last 5 minutes.
- The garlic butter can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Just rewarm before using.
- Let salmon sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before baking for more even cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet (6 oz) with garlic butter
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 135mg