In 20 minutes and with minimal work, you can bake a delicious garlic butter salmon that everyone at home will rave about.
Baked Garlic Butter Salmon
For this recipe, I'm baking salmon in foil to keep it from drying out and to make cleanup a breeze. The result is flaky salmon ready to serve in 20 minutes. As good as my epic baked Cajun salmon, this time I’m keeping it on the mild side with garlic, lemon, and butter.
Ingredients
To infuse the salmon fillets with tons of flavor, you’ll need butter, zest and juice from a lemon, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley (you can swap it for dried parsley or Italian seasoning).
How to Make Garlic Butter Salmon
The video below and the following steps show you how easily it is to make this delicious Garlic Butter Salmon recipe:
- Prep the salmon.
I place the salmon in foil over a baking sheet to bake it, so it traps the steam and it turns out perfectly cooked. - Make the garlic butter.
In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and parsley. Spread the mixture over the tops of the salmon. - Bake the salmon.
Fold the foil into a packet and bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. It’s ready when it’s soft and flaky when poked with a fork.
Laura’s Tip for Baking Salmon
At 400F, salmon fillet pieces take 12 to 15 minutes to be cooked. If you’re baking an entire salmon fillet, bake it at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes. Salmon cooking time will vary depending on its thickness. More on the best temperature and time to cook salmon here.
You’ll know garlic butter salmon is ready once you press the thickest part of the fillet with a fork and the meat separates easily into flaky pieces and doesn’t look raw in the middle. You can also check doneness with a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches about 130F, the salmon is cooked, and you can remove it from the oven.
Once the salmon has cooled down, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat it in the microwave, place the salmon in a dish and cover the dish’s surface with water. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minutes until salmon is warmed through. To reheat in the oven, preheat to 275F, wrap the fillets with foil, and bake on a baking sheet for 12-15 minutes or until heated through.
What to Serve with Garlic Butter Salmon
Salmon pairs great with simple, light side dishes, like these roasted broccolini or this lemon asparagus. Corn and tomato salad and cauliflower rice are also great options.
Garlic Butter Salmon
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets, about 4 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 lemon, zested & juiced (more for garnish)
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley*, chopped
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the baking sheet. Place the salmon fillets in the middle of the baking sheet. Place the skin side of the salmon on top of the foil.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Bake:
- Spread mixture over the tops of the salmon. Close foil into itself to create a packet and bake, in the preheated oven, for 12-15 minutes (time will vary based on the thickness of your salmon).
- Remove from the oven, and poke with a fork to check for soft, flaky, salmon.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- No fresh parsley? Use 1 tablespoon dried parsley or Italian seasoning.
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Richard Lowe says
I had to make this. My doctor said to eat more fish, and you provided the answer.
LisaLisa says
This is absolutely incredible! Salmon is one of my favorite meals, and the garlic butter is the perfect combination of flavor. I’m definitely adding this recipe to my dinner menu!
Anna says
I’m so glad you explained how to make the garlic butter, because in my area pre-made garlic butter is impossible to get! Thank you for sharing, this recipe goes straight onto our family’s shortlist of fave meals.
Amber Myers says
I knew this would be incredible! I tend to enjoy all things with garlic. It’s the best!
Ben says
So good. I made some pasta and a little extra garlic butter sauce for it. Chef’s kiss.