Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter

This recipe for baked salmon is fresh fish fillets topped with garlic, butter and herbs, then roasted to tender perfection. A super easy dinner option that’s quick to make and perfect for busy weeknights!

You can never go wrong with salmon for dinner; I often find myself making grilled salmon, salmon with avocado salsa, or this speedy and flavorful baked salmon.

There are so many night when I just need an easy dinner on the table as soon as possible. This baked salmon fits the bill! It takes less than 20 minutes to make, yet is packed with tons of flavor. You can use this recipe for individual salmon fillets, or pour the sauce over a whole side of salmon to feed a crowd.

How do you make baked salmon?

This recipe starts with a mix of butter, garlic, herbs, soy sauce and brown sugar, which gets mixed together and then poured over the salmon. The fish fillets go into the oven to bake for 10 minutes, then the final step is to broil the salmon until it’s starting to caramelize. Add a little more fresh parsley for garnish, then serve and enjoy.

Tips for baked salmon

• This sauce will work well on other types of fish such as swordfish, halibut, cod and trout.
• I recommend using fresh wild salmon whenever possible. Farmed fresh salmon will also work well, but wild tends to have more nutrients which is why it’s the better choice if it’s available.
• You can use any fresh herbs you happen to have on hand – other great choices include dill, basil and chives.
• I like to broil the fish at the end of the baking time so that the salmon gets slightly crispy and browned. That being said, keep a close eye on your salmon during the broiling process to make sure that it doesn’t burn.
• Baked salmon is great served with garlic bread, mashed potatoes, rice, or small pasta such as orzo. I also serve a green vegetable on the side such as steamed broccoli, green beans or asparagus. Looking to save on carbs? Try serving your salmon over cauliflower rice.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN SALMON IS DONE?

Salmon is cooked through when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily from the fillet. If you’re not sure that the salmon is done, you can use a digital thermometer to measure the internal temperature. If the temperature of the salmon is at least 145 degrees F, then the salmon is ready to eat. You want to be sure not to overcook your salmon as it can get tough and dry.

IS SALMON HEALTHY?

Salmon is a great choice for a healthy diet. It’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Salmon is full of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B12, potassium and selenium. Salmon is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which have numerous health benefits. I try to make sure my family eats salmon around once a week.

This baked salmon is one of my go-to dinner recipes, even the kids will happily eat it! You can never have too many quick meal options, and this is one of the best out there.

MORE GREAT SALMON RECIPES

• Salmon Foil Packets
• Greek Salmon Salad
• Marinated Salmon
• Salmon Teriyaki
• Honey Garlic Salmon

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5 from 10 votes

Baked Salmon

This recipe for baked salmon is fresh fish fillets topped with garlic, butter and herbs, then roasted to tender perfection. A super easy dinner option that's quick to make and perfect for busy weeknights!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword baked salmon, roasted salmon

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 288

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds salmon cut into 4 fillets
• 3 tablespoons butter melted
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray.
• Arrange the salmon fillets on the sheet pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic.
• Spoon the butter sauce over the salmon fillets. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until fish is opaque and just cooked through.
• Turn on the broiler. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until edges of salmon are browned. 
• Sprinkle with additional parsley, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 704mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.4mg