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Easy Lemon Butter Baked Salmon – Best 15-Minute Dinner

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This easy lemon butter baked salmon is the perfect quick and delicious dinner. With simple ingredients and a buttery lemon-garlic sauce, it’s ready in under 15 minutes and is sure to impress.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on or skinless
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for extra sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (for extra sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (for extra sauce)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (for extra sauce)
  • Pinch of salt and pepper (for extra sauce)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
  • Lemon slices (for garnish, optional)
  • Flaky sea salt (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons melted butter, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and dried dill. Whisk until well combined.
  4. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour the lemon butter mixture over the top.
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (internal temperature of 145°F/63°C).
  6. While the salmon bakes, make the extra sauce: In the same small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  7. Optional: Switch the oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes to get a golden crust. Watch closely.
  8. Remove the salmon from the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes. Drizzle with the extra lemon butter sauce, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, and serve immediately.

Notes

Pat the salmon dry to avoid watery fillets. Let salmon come to room temperature before baking for even cooking. Watch cooking time closely to avoid overcooking; salmon continues to cook after removal from oven. Use fresh garlic, not pre-minced, to avoid bitterness. Do not crowd the pan; leave space between fillets. For thin fillets (½ inch), bake for about 8 minutes; for thick fillets (1½ inches), bake for 15-18 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon butter salmon, baked salmon, easy salmon recipe, 15-minute dinner, salmon with lemon butter sauce, quick salmon dinner

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