Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon Recipe
This Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon is a flavorful and easy-to-make seafood dish featuring tender salmon fillets baked in a luscious lemon garlic butter sauce. The salmon is baked in foil to lock in moisture and then broiled briefly for a golden, caramelized finish. Garnished with fresh parsley, it delivers fresh, buttery, and subtly sweet notes with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon and Garnish
- 1.5 to 1.75 pounds skin-on salmon fillet
- 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnishing)
Butter Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
- 5 cloves garlic, finely pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare foil: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the salmon fillet skin-side down on a sheet of foil, orienting the longer side of the salmon with the longer side of the foil. Fold up the edges of the foil about 2 inches high to create a shallow tray that will hold the buttery sauce during baking.
- Add lemon slices: Nestle thin lemon slices evenly underneath and around the salmon fillet in the foil. Set aside.
- Make lemon garlic butter sauce: In a microwave-safe glass container, melt the butter on high power for about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice, honey, and minced garlic until combined.
- Pour sauce over salmon: Spoon about three-quarters of the lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the salmon, reserving the rest for later use.
- Season salmon: Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over the salmon to taste.
- Seal the foil packet: Fold another sheet of foil on top if necessary and crimp the edges tightly to seal the foil packet, creating a nearly airtight enclosure. Optionally, let the salmon marinate in the foil for 10–15 minutes to enhance flavor.
- Bake the salmon: Place the foil packet on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 17 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through and tender.
- Open and broil: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully open or remove the top layer of foil to expose the salmon while keeping the edges raised to contain juices. Set the oven to high broil.
- Add reserved butter and broil: Spoon the reserved lemon garlic butter mixture over the salmon if desired, judging based on the amount of existing juices. Broil the salmon for 5 to 10 minutes until the top is golden and slightly caramelized to your liking.
- Garnish and serve: Optionally sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the salmon and serve immediately for a fresh, vibrant finish.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh garlic and fresh lemon juice to maximize flavor.
- Marinating the salmon in the foil packet before baking enhances the depth of flavor but is optional.
- Keep a close eye during broiling as the salmon can quickly go from golden to burnt.
- If you do not want to broil, you can skip the broil step and serve after baking, though the caramelized finish will be less pronounced.
- This recipe works well with both wild and farmed salmon; adjust cooking time slightly if using very thick fillets.
Keywords: salmon, lemon garlic butter salmon, sheet pan salmon, baked salmon, seafood dinner, healthy salmon recipe, easy salmon
