A tasty, healthy recipe for baked salmon infused with lemon, garlic, and butter. This 20-minute weeknight recipe is so juicy and tasty you can serve company anytime.
Introduction
For some reason, people don't think of salmon to cook at home. But it is so simple with just a few ingredients and these easy step by step photo instructions.
Salmon is tied with tuna 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 recipes out there. 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, a bit of garlic, and a little butter, and I'm good with lots of things, especially fish.
My Rating
It is excellent, and I need to eat this frequently.
🐟The Salmon
Wild-caught salmon has a deeper, richer flavor but is significantly more expensive but has a deeper color and a bit more nutrition. The farm-raised version is a good choice and is what most people buy.
You can get a skin on or off. Most believe skin on is a better choice for moisture, and if you have skin on, then seasoning 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.
Frozen salmon is commonly available and very convenient to have for a quick dinner. I suggest cooking it still frozen. See the next section.
♨️Baking
The suggested oven temperature is 400° convection. Or if you don't have convection, then 425° conventional.
You can vary the cooking temperature and still get great results since we are cooking to a final internal temperature, but lower temperatures will tend to dry a bit more.
The safe internal temperature of the salmon is 145°F. That is the suggested endpoint of cooking. The fish should be opaque and flake easily.
The time will vary by your salmon, especially the thickness, the pan, and the oven. So pay attention and watch for the final internal temperature of 145°.
Cooking Frozen Salmon
You can just thaw the frozen salmon and cook per this recipe. But it is relatively simple to cook while still frozen, and it is perhaps 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 and 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 huge variable with cooking times.
✔️Tips
Skip the rack if you don't have one. Just a well-oiled pan.
You can use fresh garlic, but this cooks fast so the fresh garlic could be a bit "raw." So you probably should cook it a bit ahead of time. I went with just some good powder.
You can cut the salmon into serving size pieces before cooking. Cooking time will decrease some. And if you do this, put the thicker pieces on the outside end of the rack and thinner pieces in the center. That will help even out the cooking.
Storage and reheating: Fish is always better fresh cooked. But some times there are leftovers. Good in the refrigerator for only a day. It will dry out rapidly if you reheat so better cold on salad.
📖Other Fish Recipes
Oven Baked Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start with about a 1 pound salmon fillet. Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
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, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Microwave the butter mixture until melted (about 20 seconds). Then brush both sides.
Place on the baking rack.
Bake until flaky with an internal temp of 145°. About 14-15 minutes in my oven but yours may vary some.
📖Recipe
Baked Lemon Butter Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillet
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start with about a 1 pound salmon fillet. Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
- 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, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ 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.
- 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.
My Private Notes
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 a well-oiled pan.
- The safe internal temperature of the salmon is 145°F.
- You can use fresh garlic but this 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 some. And put the thicker pieces on the outside end of the rack and thinner pieces in the center. That will help even out the cooking.
- Fish is always better fresh cooked. But some times there are leftovers. Good in the refrigerator for only a day. It will dry out rapidly if you reheat so 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.
Cooking Frozen Salmon
You can cook salmon while still frozen but need to modify this recipe a bit. 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 and 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 huge variable with cooking times.To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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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.
Patrick Flynn
Hi, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for posting!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi 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
Thank 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
Hi Lyl,
Welcome to the blog.
This is the only way I do salmon anymore.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Beverly Barndt
Loving it Thanks for everything! Better than EVER
Debra
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe......
Kenneth
Dr. 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
Hi 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
This 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
Hi 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
In 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
Looks 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
Thaw. Just set covered or in the package in the refrigerator the day ahead.
Josh
Very 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
Love 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
My 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
Did you say cook this at 145 degrees?
DrDan
Nope... cook until an internal temp of 145. The oven is at 425 convection.
DrDan
Susan Brint
Has anyone tried this in a regular, not convection, oven?
DrDan
Stay with the 425 and add a couple of minutes. Just be sure to check internal temp for done.
DrDan
Leo Neuman
Could you use tilapia fillets and just reduce the cooking time?
DrDan
Yep. Use this seasoning method but the cooking method from https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-baked-blackened-tilapia/.
DrDan
Rachael
My daughter doesn't like fish but she ate the entire thing. Yay!
Doug DeFrees
Thanks 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
Typo rack
Doug DeFrees
What is a "rake"? From your photo it appears to be a wire rack, but I've never heard it called a rake before.
lindah
Thank 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!