Garlic Salmon Butter Sauce (Printer-Friendly)

Tender salmon fillets baked in a flavorful garlic butter sauce with fresh lemon and herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, skinless or skin-on

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon wedges
11 - Extra chopped parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, salt, and pepper until combined.
04 - Spoon the garlic butter sauce evenly over each salmon fillet.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Remove from oven, garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality cooking but takes less time than ordering delivery.
  • The garlic butter stays silky and clings to every bite without any complicated techniques.
  • You can have this on the table in under thirty minutes, with almost zero cleanup stress.
02 -
  • Patting the salmon dry is the one step that feels optional but absolutely isn't—it's the difference between a golden, properly cooked fillet and one that steams into submission.
  • Watch your oven closely after the 12-minute mark; salmon jumps from perfectly cooked to overdone in about ninety seconds, so check it early if your oven runs hot.
03 -
  • If you want a golden, slightly crispy top, broil the salmon for just 1 to 2 minutes at the very end—watch it constantly because it will brown fast.
  • Letting your salmon sit out for five minutes before cooking brings it closer to room temperature and helps it cook more evenly without drying out the edges.

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