Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon (Printable version)
Tender salmon baked in lemon garlic butter with asparagus for a flavorful and easy main course.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz each)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 lb fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Sauce & Seasonings
04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Garnish
11 - Lemon slices for serving
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
02 - Place the salmon fillets on one side of the baking sheet and the trimmed asparagus on the other side.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using.
04 - Drizzle the lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the salmon and asparagus. Toss the asparagus gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and asparagus is tender-crisp.
06 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish and serve with lemon slices.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It's ready in under thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinner that actually tastes like you tried.
- The butter sauce is so good you'll find yourself pouring it over rice or bread without even thinking about it.
- Your kitchen smells incredible, and people assume you've been cooking all day.
02 -
- Salmon keeps cooking after you pull it out of the oven, so take it out when it still looks slightly underdone in the very center—it'll be perfect within thirty seconds.
- If your oven runs hot, check at twelve minutes; if it runs cool, you might need the full fifteen. One test is always better than guessing.
- The asparagus will continue softening as it sits, so tender-crisp on the sheet is your actual target.
03 -
- Pat your salmon dry before it hits the sheet—moisture is the enemy of browning, and even a little surface drying makes a real difference in texture.
- If you're cooking for people who are particular about their fish, choosing fillets of similar thickness ensures they cook at exactly the same rate with no guessing.