A tasty recipe for salmon baked with butter and lemon. This a 20-minute weeknight recipe that you can serve company anytime. Easy to follow step by step photo instructions.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published February 25, 2013. The text has been re-edited and the photos updated.
Salmon and tuna are tried for the most widely consumed fish in the United States. And having an easy go-to salmon recipe is a must for the well-rounded home cook.
There are millions of salmon recipes out there. I could not find what I wanted. I didn’t want a plank, to smoke nor anything with aluminum foil, yuck.
I’m a simple guy with simple tastes. I want to taste the salmon and not spend all day getting things ready. A little lemon and a little butter and I’m good with lots of things especially fish.
My Rating:
I do not eat enough fish. I have known this for years. It is excellent, and I need to eat this frequently.
Tips on Oven Baked Butter Lemon Salmon
The Salmon
Are you going to buy wild caught or farm raised salmon? Wild caught salmon has a deeper richer flavor but is significantly more expensive. The farm-raised version is a good choice and is what most people buy.
You can get skin on or off. Most believe skin on is a better choice for moisture and if you have skin on then doing my brushing of butter on the skin side is useless, and you should cook with the skin side down.
Most will buy full filets, but this recipe works for smaller pieces since we are cooking to a final internal temperature and not (never) by time alone.
When is the salmon done?
The safe internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145°F* about 6 minutes per half an inch of thickness. The fish should be opaque and flake easily.
Serve immediately.
Good in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Start with about a 1 pound salmon fillet. Preheat oven to 425 convection.
Prep a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack. Give it a good spray of PAM. If you don’t have a rack, just use the foil and spray that.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Microwave the butter mixture until melted (about 20 seconds). Then brush both sides of the salmon.
Place on the baking rack.
Bake until flaky with an internal temp of 145. About 14-15 minutes in my oven with this piece of salmon. Yours may vary some.
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Lemon Butter Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillet
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start with about a 1 pound salmon fillet. Preheat oven to 425 convection.
- Prep a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack. Give it a good spray of PAM. If you don’t have a rack, just use the foil and spray that.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Microwave the butter mixture until melted (about 20 seconds). Then brush both sides of the salmon. Place on the baking rack.
- Bake until flaky with an internal temp of 145. About 14-15 minutes in my oven with this piece of salmon. Yours may vary some.
Recipe Notes
Tips:
- If you have skin on salmon, don't put the butter on the skin and place the skin side down to bake.
- Cook to a final internal temperature of 145 which is the minimum safe internal temperature per the FDA.
- You can all other spices to this.
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
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Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Originally Published February 25, 2013.
I'm DrDan and welcome to my blog. You will find delicious easy everyday recipes mostly for smaller households. Please look around and enjoy your visit. 
Patrick Flynn
April 5, 2019 at 10:10 amHi, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for posting!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
April 5, 2019 at 10:32 amHi Patrick,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love simple. This is how I think salmon should be… just a little lemon, butter and salt.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Lyl
February 11, 2019 at 11:04 amThank you for this oh so simple but oh so yummy recipe! Perfectly moist even though I left it in a hot oven for a little longer as my veggies weren’t ready.
DrDan
February 14, 2019 at 10:17 amHi Lyl,
Welcome to the blog.
This is the only way I do salmon anymore.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Beverly Barndt
August 14, 2018 at 7:18 pmLoving it Thanks for everything! Better than EVER
Debra
May 3, 2018 at 4:15 pmThank you for sharing this delicious recipe……
Kenneth
February 5, 2018 at 6:24 pmDr. Dan, quick question, how thick were your filets? It also looked like that it was without skin. Can you use the standard 10 minutes per inch? Did you need to flip it halfway or did the rack and convection prevent that need. I have a freezer full of salmon that I need to eat more of. I use you tilapia oven blackened recipe with great results with halibut using your rule of thumb of 10 minutes per inch. Thanks in advance.
DrDan
February 5, 2018 at 7:08 pmHi Ken,
It was a bit chunky in the middle and a little over an inch. I tend over cook fish a little and prefer it that way. But I can be forgiven since I’m from Iowa.
And you are right about the rack. I don’t think you need to flip if it is on a rack.
Dan
Kris Anderson
December 14, 2017 at 7:54 pmThis looks awesome! But your rack looks like it’s a non-stick coated one (like mine are), and I’ve heard you’re not supposed to use the coated ones in the oven (the coating can break down under the heat). Have you heard of this issue? Is it a problem to be concerned about? Also, I’m wondering if I could use the rack in the oven at lower temperatures (350 or lower), and how long would it take to cook the salmon if so.
DrDan
December 14, 2017 at 8:13 pmHi Kris,
That is some type of nonstick coating that is oven save. I never buy a rack that does not say oven safe. I have a few racks that are old but are chrome.
My wife had a few of those plastic coated ones from years ago but I tossed them so I wouldn’t get confused.
India
March 30, 2017 at 4:02 pmIn this fast paced world simple and quick are must haves. Thank you for sharing this tasty easy to make recipe. It was a winner in our home as well.
Sandra
December 1, 2016 at 3:44 pmLooks interesting. Like something I could like. My question is, the fish thawed or frozen. I have one filet that is frozen. I am not good at cooking fish (of any kind). Don’t want to ruin a good piece of Atlantic Salmon. HELP me?
(It was given to me)
Had a little luck with another piece of fish and the lemon, butter, salt and pepper recipe. Specific question: Salmon, frozen to seasoning to oven? Or thaw first? Thank you for your time.
DrDan
December 1, 2016 at 4:07 pmThaw. Just set covered or in the package in the refrigerator the day ahead.
Josh
November 16, 2016 at 7:20 pmVery good idea. Used it for two filets. I used lemon pepper instead of salt and pepper, sea salt and cilantro flakes, land-o-lakes low salt butter and sprinkled it with progressive bread crumbs. Then lightly sprayed butter flavored spray. Followed your convection oven preheat and heat directions but 20 minutes. Mine is a Jenn-air microwave too/convection or oven that works great.
Angela
October 30, 2016 at 10:58 pmLove the simplicity of this dish. I was wondering if I could use lemon pepper seasoning here. If so, would I need to decrease the amount of salt/pepper in the original recipe? Thanks, Angela
DrDan
October 30, 2016 at 11:07 pmMy take on lemon pepper is that it is mostly salt and pepper. So I would eliminate both and use a maybe 1 teaspoon or a little more of the lemon pepper.. The lemon then comes into question. I think I would just do the lemon pepper and add some lemon if needed.
DrDan
Chandler williams
April 18, 2016 at 8:25 pmDid you say cook this at 145 degrees?
DrDan
April 18, 2016 at 8:32 pmNope… cook until an internal temp of 145. The oven is at 425 convection.
DrDan
Susan Brint
April 9, 2016 at 1:59 pmHas anyone tried this in a regular, not convection, oven?
DrDan
April 9, 2016 at 2:56 pmStay with the 425 and add a couple of minutes. Just be sure to check internal temp for done.
DrDan
Leo Neuman
January 19, 2016 at 12:24 pmCould you use tilapia fillets and just reduce the cooking time?
DrDan
January 19, 2016 at 5:56 pmYep. Use this seasoning method but the cooking method from https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-baked-blackened-tilapia/.
DrDan
Rachael
June 30, 2015 at 10:44 pmMy daughter doesn’t like fish but she ate the entire thing. Yay!
Doug DeFrees
May 25, 2013 at 9:59 amThanks for the recipe, Dan, this one is a winner for sure. Here’s my short post about having it for Sunday Dinner recently: https://sundaydinnerfortwo.blogspot.com/2013/05/baked-lemon-salmon.html
Dan Mikesell
May 11, 2013 at 10:16 amTypo rack
Doug DeFrees
May 11, 2013 at 9:54 amWhat is a “rake”? From your photo it appears to be a wire rack, but I’ve never heard it called a rake before.
lindah
March 1, 2013 at 3:47 pmThank you so much for posting such easy to follow instructions! (The photos are beyond helpful since I’m a beginner at cooking) My boyfriend is fed up with having to cook everyday and now I’m going to be the one trying to cook us dinner every night and hopefully I have good luck with your recipes!