Oven Baked Salmon with Honey Garlic Butter and Lemon Recipe
This oven baked salmon recipe features tender, flaky salmon topped with a flavorful honey garlic butter and fresh lemon slices. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick, healthy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1.5 pounds salmon fillet
- Kosher salt, to taste
Honey Garlic Butter Topping
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and sliced
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil to make cleanup easier and prevent sticking.
- Prepare Salmon: Place the salmon fillet skin-side down on the foil-lined sheet pan, then season lightly with kosher salt.
- Make the Honey Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, honey, minced garlic, lemon zest, and minced parsley. Mix thoroughly to create the topping.
- Apply Topping: Spread the honey garlic butter mixture evenly over the top of the salmon, then arrange lemon slices on top.
- Create Foil Boat: Gently bring up the sides of the foil around the salmon to form a shallow boat that will keep the juices contained during baking. Fully covering with foil is optional.
- Bake the Salmon: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake the salmon for 15-18 minutes, or until the fish is light pink, flakes easily with a fork, and registers between 130-140°F (54-60°C) on a meat thermometer for medium to medium-well doneness.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the salmon from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows the temperature to rise slightly and the juices to redistribute. Serve with additional lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
- Do not skip the resting time; it improves texture and flavor.
- Start checking for doneness as early as 12 minutes for thinner fillets to prevent overcooking.
- Use the temperature guide: 130-135°F for medium, 135-140°F for medium-well, and 145°F+ for well done. The USDA recommends 145°F.
- For frozen salmon, add 5-8 minutes to cook time and apply butter topping during the last 10 minutes.
- Use good quality nonstick foil to prevent honey butter from sticking and ease cleanup.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a microwave in 30-second intervals, covered loosely to retain moisture.
- Freeze uncooked salmon up to 3 months and cooked salmon up to 4-6 months.
