Garlic Butter Baked Salmon (Printable)

Tender salmon baked in rich garlic butter with fresh herbs and lemon, ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 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 (optional)

09 - Lemon slices
10 - Extra chopped parsley

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Arrange the salmon fillets, skin-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, salt, and pepper.
04 - Spoon the garlic butter mixture evenly over the salmon fillets.
05 - Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (internal temperature of 145°F).
06 - Remove from the oven and garnish with lemon slices and extra parsley if desired. Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The garlic butter sauce keeps the salmon incredibly moist while baking, so no dried-out fish disasters
  • Ready in 25 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for busy weeknights
02 -
  • Overcooking salmon is the number one mistake, so pull it from the oven when it still looks slightly underdone
  • Let the fish rest for 2 minutes after baking so the juices redistribute throughout
03 -
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so let it sit out for 15 minutes before baking
  • Use a basting brush to get every last drop of that garlic butter onto the fish

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