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A rustic, home-cooked Baked Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon fillet, showing off its flaky texture and rich garlic herb sauce on a white plate.

Baked Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon (Perfectly Flaky & Ready in 20 Mins!)

This Baked Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon recipe delivers a perfectly flaky, tender, and moist fillet in a glistening garlic butter sauce. An elegant, healthy, and easy 20-minute meal perfect for any weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs Salmon Fillet, center-cut (680g)
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil (15ml)
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (3g)
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, freshly cracked (1g)
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (113g)
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice (45ml)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped (8g), plus more for garnish
  • 1 Lemon, thinly sliced for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Dish (9x13 inch)
  • 1 Small saucepan
  • 1 Chef's Knife

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds until fragrant, but not browned. Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon juice and 2 tbsp of chopped parsley.
  3. Pat the salmon fillet completely dry with paper towels and place it in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
  4. Pour about three-quarters of the garlic butter sauce over the salmon. Arrange the lemon slices on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
  5. Remove the salmon from the oven. Drizzle with the remaining sauce, garnish with extra fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

Notes

Don't Overcook the Fish: It's better to slightly undercook the salmon and let residual heat finish the job for a moist result.
Use Fresh Ingredients: The quality of your fresh garlic, lemon, and parsley will make a huge difference in this simple recipe.
Pat the Salmon Dry: A dry surface is crucial for the salmon to bake perfectly instead of steaming.
Reserve Some Sauce: Drizzling fresh sauce over the cooked salmon enhances the flavor and glistening appearance.