Quick and easy, baked garlic butter salmon fillets are perfect for dinner, ready in just 20 minutes. Coated with a simple garlic butter with lemon juice and baked in a hot convection oven to sear, they provide great flavor while remaining flaky and moist.
🐟Ingredients
Salmon fillet
Garlic—powder or fresh
Butter
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🐟Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Cook Salmon in a Convection Oven—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
- ⏰How long to cook salmon
- 😊Tips to make it perfect every time
- 🌡️The best oven temperature
- 🤔How to cook still-frozen salmon
- 🐟Fish Recipes
- 🍽️What to serve with baked salmon?
- ❄️How to store and reheat leftover baked salmon
- ❓FAQs
- 🐟What you need to know about salmon
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by Michael:
"I made this recipe tonight (January 5, 2024) for my wife and I. Excellent recipe. Simple and delicious. Add fresh haricot verts, brown rice and salad, and a New Zealand Chardonnay from Kumeu River and you have a perfect meal."
This easy, economical, and convenient baked salmon recipe uses common ingredients like garlic, butter, and lemon juice. There is no need for a plank or to cover with aluminum foil; follow the simple step-by-step photo instructions in your convection or conventional oven.
This baked salmon recipe will fit well with your healthy diet. It works well in low-fat, low-calorie, and keto-low-carb diets.
👨🍳How to Cook Salmon in a Convection Oven—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional. Prepare a baking sheet with a rack if available.
2. Combine butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Microwave to melt the butter, then mix.
3. Pat dry the salmon with paper towels, then brush both sides (skip the skin if present).
4. Bake until flaky and with an internal temperature of 145°—about 12-15 minutes. The time may vary with the thickness, pan, and oven.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰How long to cook salmon
Salmon filets will take 12 to 15 minutes to cook in a 400° convection or 425° conventional oven. The time will vary by your salmon, especially the thickness, the pan, and the oven.
🤔When is the salmon done?
The fish should be opaque and flake easily. So, watch for the final internal temperature of 145°, the minimum safe internal temperature according to the USDA.
😊Tips to make it perfect every time
The salmon may be skin-on or skinless fillets. For even cooking, look for an even thickness. Try to buy the freshest available if using frozen, thaw for this method, or follow the instructions below for cooking still-frozen salmon.
You can cut the salmon into serving-size pieces before cooking. Cooking time will decrease some. If you do this, put the thicker pieces on the outer end of the rack and the thinner pieces in the center. That will help even out the cooking.
Skip the rack if you don't have one—use a well-oiled pan or parchment paper.
You can use fresh garlic cloves crushed or minced, but this recipe cooks fast, so the fresh garlic could be a bit "raw." So you probably should cook it a bit ahead of time. I use garlic powder to skip precooking the fresh garlic.
A medium fresh lemon will yield about 2 tablespoons of juice. Concentrated lemon juice is convenient and works well.
🌡️The best oven temperature
The suggested temperature is 400° in a convection oven. Or if you don't have convection, then 425° conventional.
You can vary the cooking temperature from 350° to 425° and still get great results since we are cooking to a final internal temperature, but lower temperatures will tend to dry more.
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🤔How to cook still-frozen salmon
It is simple to cook salmon while still frozen, and some feel it is the best way to avoid drying it too much. The instructions are the same, with one major addition.
Tightly seal the entire tray with foil before going into the oven. This will trap any steam. Cook for about 15 minutes at the suggested temperature, then remove the covering foil.
It will probably take another 8-10 minutes of cooking to reach the required 145° internal temperature. Remember that thickness is a variable with cooking times.
🐟Fish Recipes
Try these easy and healthy baked tilapia recipes, which can be adapted to other fish; check out the Blackened Tilapia in the Oven, Lemon Butter Tilapia recipe, and Parmesan Crusted Tilapia recipe.
🍽️What to serve with baked salmon?
Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley or thyme and a lemon slice. Some fresh dill or other fresh herbs can be added along with more garlic butter or fresh lemon juice.
I like a nice tossed salad, but a hot side dish like Roasted Asparagus, baked rice, or baked baby potatoes. My easy dinner rolls are also a great addition. But use your favorite side dishes.
❄️How to store and reheat leftover baked salmon
Any fish, including salmon, is always better freshly cooked. But sometimes there are leftovers. They are good in the refrigerator for only a day. They will dry out rapidly if you reheat them, so they are better cold on salad.
❓FAQs
Yes. It will fit many diets like low-calorie, low-fat, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto diets. The present fats are generally healthier fats that most of us lack adequately in our diet.
Yes, but you will be happier with the butter taste.
🐟What you need to know about salmon
You can get salmon skin on or off. Most believe skin-on is a better choice for moisture. If you have skin on, then seasoning the skin side is useless, and you should cook with the skin side down.
Wild-caught salmon has a deeper, richer flavor but is significantly more expensive. It has a deeper color and a bit more nutrition. The farm-raised version is a good choice and is what most people buy.
Most will buy whole filets, but this recipe works for smaller pieces since we cook to a final internal temperature and not (never) by time alone.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Baked Garlic Butter Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillet - with or without skin
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start with about a 1-pound salmon fillet—preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
- Prep a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack. Give it a coat of PAM baking spray. If you don't have a rack, just use the foil and spray.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Microwave the butter mixture until melted (about 20 seconds). Then brush both sides of the salmon. Place on the baking rack.
- Place on the baking rack.
- Bake until flaky with an internal temp of 145°—about 12-15 minutes. But time may vary with the thickness, pan, and oven.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- If you have skin on your salmon, don't put the butter on the skin and place the skin side down to bake.
- Skip the rack if you don't have one. Just use a well-oiled pan or parchment paper.
- The safe internal temperature of the salmon is 145°F.
- You can use fresh garlic, but the recipe cooks fast, so the fresh garlic could be a bit "raw." You should cook fresh garlic a bit ahead of time.
- You can cut the salmon into serving-size pieces before cooking. Cooking time will decrease slightly. The thicker pieces are put on the outside end of the rack, and the thinner pieces are put in the center. That will help even out the cooking.
- Fish is always better when freshly cooked. But sometimes there are leftovers. Good in the refrigerator for only a day. It will dry out rapidly if you reheat, so it's better cold on salad.
- TIME WARNING. Like many recipes, you should cook to a final internal temperature and not by time. Times are given for planning purposes only. You have variables of the pan and oven, but mostly the size and thickness of the salmon.
- Instructions for cooking still frozen fillets are in the recipe post.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published February 25, 2013. The text has been re-edited and expanded, the photos updated, and a table of contents added.
Clarice Stasz says
I was able to get a bag of separately frozen salmon filets. I followed the frozen directions, and now have my go-to for weekly salmon. I'll add a spice now and then for variety. Fast and no-fail!
Michael Grossman says
I made this recipe tonight (January 5, 2024) for my wife and I. Excellent recipe. Simple and delicious. Add fresh haricot verts, brown rice and salad, and a New Zealand Chardonnay from Kumeu River and you have a perfect meal.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Michael,
Welcome to the blog. It sounds like you had a great meal with the sides and wine.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Gary says
Where in a convection oven should you place the salmon? We purchased a new LG (LSGL6337F) gas oven, and I don't know which setting (Convection Bake, Bake, or Convection Roast Bake), and what level.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Gary,
Welcome to the blog.
Convention bake is almost always safe. Convection roast will turn on both upper and lower burners in addition to the air circulation. This will lead to more browning in recipes where browning is the primary goal. For the salmon, I suggest convection bake.
Dan
Cassandra says
Really easy recipe that turns out tasty every time.
Romana Pfleger says
OMG! Where on earth is this place? Do they sell 'by the weight' throughout the year?
Tav says
This recipie is pretty good i added old bay,rosemary,time and ms.dash garlic and herb, add 2 more tablespoons of butter into the pan and substituted the salt im for Larry season salt and it came out amazing😊😊❤️
Marge says
Turned out very nice.
Deborah says
Delicious flavor with butter, lemon, garlic powder, s/p and I added fresh thyme sprigs from my garden! We used frozen salmon in small servings (about 120 to 130 grams.) Thick but not too long. Servings did not cook through to final temperatures for the 15 minutes covered / 10 minutes uncovered. I put filets in saute pan on stove top for 10 more minutes medium and that was almost too long. They went from 110F out of the oven to 150 - 155 F in the saute pan very quickly. Still delicious. I think the thickness of frozen filets is key to finish temp of frozen filets. 4 1/2 stars only because I am more likely to have frozen filets on hand and will have to adjust timing. Not terrible now that I know.
Sandy D says
I appreciate that you gave estimated cook time, oven temp and internal temp, everything I needed as I was looking for a high temp oven roasted salmon recipe.
Bindi Molly says
So easy, So Good. Thank you.
Fred Rodgers says
How about dredging the salmon in a light flour batter before cooking? It helps make a crispy outside.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Fred,
Welcome to the blog.
I have some doubts that it would work well. The salmon takes at most 15 minutes or will be over cooked. A flour coating will probable still be mostly white and sticky at that point.
Dan
Terri Cook says
Should you let the salmon come to room temperature before cooking?
I'm trying this recipe tonight.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Terri,
Not needed. If you do, it will shorten the cooking time by a few minutes. Remember, you are cooking to a final internal temperature of 145 which is the minimum safe temp per the FDA.
Dan