Baked Salmon Lemon Butter (Printable)

Enjoy succulent salmon fillets baked with a zesty lemon herb butter topping for a light and flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets, 6 oz each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Lemon Herb Butter

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - Lemon slices
12 - Extra chopped herbs

# Step-by-step:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry, place on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, parsley, dill, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt until well blended.
04 - Spread a generous spoonful of lemon herb butter over each salmon fillet evenly.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Serve hot, garnished with lemon slices and extra herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Elegant enough for guests but quick enough for a Tuesday night when you're tired.
  • The lemon herb butter does all the heavy lifting—it's where the flavor magic actually lives.
  • Salmon stays moist and forgiving, which means even if your timing isn't perfect, it's still delicious.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the salmon dry—I learned this the hard way when a wet fillet turned out pale instead of gently golden.
  • The herb butter needs to be softened but not melted, so pull your butter out about 30 minutes before you cook; cold butter won't combine properly, and melted butter is too thin to stay on the fish.
03 -
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly than cold salmon straight from the fridge, so pull it out about 10 minutes before baking.
  • If your fillets are particularly thick, cover the pan loosely with foil for the first few minutes to prevent the butter from browning too quickly while the fish cooks through.

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