Easy 5-Ingredient Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter
A quick and simple baked salmon recipe with just five ingredients: salmon, butter, lemon, garlic, and salt. Perfect for busy weeknights or impressing guests with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 oz salmon fillets (4 fillets)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large lemon (sliced and juiced)
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Let the salmon sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Slice the lemon into thin rounds (about 1/4 inch thick) and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place them on top of the lemon slices, skin-side down. Season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (about 30-45 seconds). Stir in the minced garlic and the juice from half of the lemon.
- Drizzle the melted butter mixture evenly over the salmon fillets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F in the thickest part.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Spoon some of the buttery lemon sauce from the bottom of the dish over the fillets. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over everything. Serve immediately.
Notes
Pat the salmon dry for best texture. Let salmon sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking for even cooking. Use a thermometer to avoid overcooking. Leftover butter sauce is great on rice or vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet with about
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 2.5
- Protein: 36
Keywords: baked salmon, lemon butter salmon, 5-ingredient salmon, easy salmon recipe, quick salmon dinner