Description
A beginner-friendly baked salmon recipe with a rich lemon butter cream sauce. Quick, flavorful, and perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place the salmon fillets skin-side down. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the salmon for 12–15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
- While the salmon bakes, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in chopped parsley.
- Plate the cooked salmon and spoon the warm sauce over each fillet. Garnish with extra parsley or lemon slices if desired.
Notes
- Thaw frozen salmon completely and pat dry before cooking.
- Use parchment paper or foil to prevent sticking on the sheet pan.
- If sauce thickens too much, add a splash of milk or broth to loosen.
- To avoid curdling, keep the sauce on low heat after adding lemon and cream.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheat gently.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg