This Baked Salmon with Lemon and Butter is SUPER easy to make. Only consists of 4 ingredients and is on the table in 10 minutes. Seasoned with melted butter and lemon pepper this salmon recipe always turns out flaky with the perfect texture and drizzled with a warm buttery sauce!
Lemon butter salmon just sounds like a delicious meal! Anything that is considered easy is also a staple in my home. Since I have 3 children that are 4 years old and younger I have minimal time to get my healthy dishes on the table.
Salmon is also a great benefit to your health. I know I am always trying to find different ways to add protein to my diet and salmon is a great source of protein. If you are also a fan of salmon you should try my Lemon Garlic Salmon in a Creamy Greek Yogurt Sauce or my Panko Encrusted Salmon with Homemade Tartar Sauce.
Ingredients for this easy salmon dish
- salmon fillets - you can use frozen or fresh fillets. Use as many fillets as the number of people you will be serving. 1 person = 1 fillet. I happen to be making dinner for just me and the hubby this night so I used 2 fillets.
- ghee or unsalted butter - ghee is clarified butter. I like to use ghee because it has a higher smoke point then butter and there is less of a chance anything will burn, but unsalted butter will work just as well. Carrington Farms Ghee!
- lemons - I like to add thinly sliced lemons on top of my salmon when baking. You do not need the lemons, but I think it makes the dish look more appetizing!
This recipe requires you to bake your salmon on a shallow baking pan.
How to make this meal
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 450 degrees and get a shallow baking pan and set aside.
Step 2 - Lay your salmon fillets into a tin foil boat. 1 fillet for each boat. Top each fillet with lemon pepper, ghee or butter, and a slice of lemon.
Step 3 - Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through!
How to cook salmon in foil
It's very simple to cook anything in foil. It also helps you have no mess! Being a mother of three youngsters my whole house is a mess, so any help with that is a plus. Simply, rip a piece of tin foil that is about 7 to 8 inches long. Lay your salmon in the middle of the foil and top it with your ingredients. Then, fold your foil up around the salmon and close it at the top. Voila!
What to serve with this dinner
The possibilities of what you can serve with salmon are endless. I am always a fan of some veggies on the side. Check out these Grilled Veggie Kabobs or my Crispy Sweet Potato Fries are out of this world delicious! Some other side dish ideas are
- brown rice
- steamed broccoli
- creamed spinach
- lemon asparagus
Benefits of salmon
Salmon is a very good source of protein. I find that protein is one of the best things you can eat because it keeps you fuller longer. Salmon also has zero carbs or sugars, if you are on the healthy bandwagon; like I usually always am. Salmon is also bursting with nutrients and vitamins like B12, potassium, iron, and vitamin D. Salmon is also easy to digest. It is one of the most nutritious foods out there and I try to eat it at least once a week.
Forgot to thaw your salmon
No worries! I have been there before. Especially, with my three little youngsters running around I often forget to thaw my dinner. If you have been in this position before no need to fret. There are 2 solutions to this problem.
- Lucky for you, salmon thaws super quickly. Fill a bowl with cool water and place your frozen salmon (still sealed in the package or placed in a sealable bag) into the bowl of water.
- Place the frozen salmon in the tinfoil and season like you would if it were thawed. Then, just bake it for 20 minutes instead of 10 to 12. Problem solved!
The Internal temperature of salmon
Ok, so you just followed this recipe to the T and you aren't sure if your salmon is cooked all the way through. The USDA suggests the internal temperature of your salmon is 145 degrees Fahrenheit when completely cooked through. You can check out the USDA Safe Minimum Temperature Chart for your future meals.
You can use an instant-read thermometer to help you with this. Simply stick the end of the thermometer into the meat and it will read the temperature for you. It's that easy!
Tips and FAQ's
In this recipe, I have my oven set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. When you cook salmon at this temperature you only need to bake it for 10 to 12 minutes.
The foil locks in moisture and ensures that your salmon turns out flakey and moist! That sounds like the best-baked salmon recipe in the world to me 😉
No, you don't have to, but fresh is always best! Fresh lemon has a much better flavor than bottle squeezed lemon. If you only have lemon juice in a bottle then that will work fine.
Other fish recipes to try
If you give this salmon dish a try don't forget to rate the recipe below! Always love hearing what you all think. You can also Stay in touch with me through social media on @Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my healthy recipes!
Baked Lemon Butter Salmon
Equipment
- shallow baking dish
- tin foil
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless salmon fillet
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp ghee or butter divided evenly amongst each fillet
- 4 tsp lemon pepper divided evenly amongst each fillet
Instructions
- Step 1 - Preheat oven 450° and get a shallow baking pan and set it aside.
- Step 2 - Lay your salmon fillets into a tin foil boat. 1 fillet for each boat. Top each fillet with lemon pepper, ghee or butter, and a slice of lemon. Close the tin foil with the salmon wrapped up inside.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the oven or until cooked through and flaky. Serve with your favorite vegetable. Mine is asparagus!
SO easy and delicious!
I passed this along to some of the men. All I will say is blown away
So easy and healthy! Thank you, Jillian, for another great recipe!