Garlic Butter Baked Salmon (Printer-friendly)
Tender salmon baked in rich garlic butter with lemon and herbs
# What you'll need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on or skinless
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
02 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - Lemon slices
10 - Extra chopped parsley
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet, skin-side down, ensuring even spacing for proper heat circulation.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, salt, and black pepper until fully incorporated.
04 - Spoon the garlic butter mixture generously over each salmon fillet, ensuring even coverage across the entire surface.
05 - Bake for 12-15 minutes until salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, reaching an internal temperature of 145°F.
06 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh lemon slices and additional parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter creates this incredible sauce that you will want to spoon over every single bite
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking
02 -
- Overcooking salmon is the biggest mistake. It will continue cooking slightly after you pull it out, so remove it when it still looks slightly underdone.
- Patting the salmon dry before baking helps the sauce stick better and prevents the fish from steaming in its own moisture.
03 -
- Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before baking
- If your fillets vary in thickness, tuck the thin ends under so they do not overcook