Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce
on May 01, 2023, Updated Nov 03, 2024
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Flaky, moist salmon is drizzled with a simple lemon butter sauce for an easy but elegant dinner. A 20-minute recipe!
A perfect piece of well-cooked salmon — whether baked, grilled, broiled, or pan-seared — is my idea of a perfect dinner. And nothing could be easier than baked salmon. Top it with lemon butter sauce, and it becomes something any salmon fan would be delighted to order in a restaurant…but it’s stupidly easy to make at home!
Feel free to cut this recipe in half, double it, or do whatever you need to do! It’s a fish dish that multiplies and divides easily. It truly is one of those dinners that are quick and easy enough to pull together any night of the week. And yet, it’s sophisticated enough that you would be pleased to serve it up to guests (even in-laws!).
This simple salmon recipe also goes with everything. It’s a very versatile main course, ready in less than 20 minutes, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Because the lemon butter sauce is so fresh and straightforward, it cozies up to whatever you feel like serving as a side dish, including Sauteed Escarole, Simple Sautéed Spring Greens, Baked Mashed Potatoes, or Vegetarian Pasta Salad.
Table of Contents
Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce: Flaky, moist salmon is drizzled with a simple sauce for an easy but elegant dinner. A 20 minute recipe!
Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce Ingredients
- Salmon – If possible, select salmon filets that have a similar thickness so they all cook evenly. Skin on or off; your choice. Try to purchase sustainably harvested salmon, whether farmed or wild.
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper – The essential trio of ingredients for many simply baked dishes.
For the Lemon Butter Sauce:
Baked salmon recipes are plentiful, but the star of this recipe is the lemon butter sauce, and it’s easy to make. Letting the butter turn a golden brown adds a deep and nutty flavor to the sauce.
- Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter is always a great choice so you can control the saltiness of a particular dish.
- Shallots – Mince these finely so they blend perfectly into the sauce.
- Lemon – The lemon juice is used in the sauce, but grate some of the zest before juicing the fruit and hold it aside for a garnish.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley is a versatile herb for many dishes. Save some to add on top of the salmon as a garnish.
- Red pepper flakes – An option, but just a pinch of red pepper adds a nice kick.
How to Make Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Bake the salmon: Brush the salmon filets with olive oil, season, and place in a baking pan. Bake the salmon at 400 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes, until cooked to your liking. If you prefer a lightly browned top, broil the fish for a minute or two.
- Make the sauce: While the salmon is baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter with the shallot over medium heat and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the shallot becomes tender and turns light golden brown and the color of the melted butter deepens to a nice golden brown. Whisk in the lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, and red pepper flakes, if using.
- Plate and serve: Drizzle the warm butter sauce over the salmon. Sprinkle over some lemon zest and parsley (if desired), and give the salmon a final sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper.
What to Serve With Salmon and Lemon Butter Sauce
More Salmon Recipes
- Salmon with Chimichurri Sauce
- Horseradish Ginger Salmon
- Simple Asian Salmon
- Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli Rabe
- Crispy-Skinned Salmon with Dill Sauce
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Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 4 (6- to 8-ounce) salmon filets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
For the Lemon Butter Sauce:
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
To Garnish (Optional):
- Grated lemon zest
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Oil or spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Brush the salmon filets with the olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and place them in the pan, skin side down, if there is skin on the fish.
- Bake the salmon for 10 to 13 minutes, until cooked through or to your liking. If you prefer a lightly browned top, you can broil the fish for an additional minute or two.
- While the salmon is baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter with the shallot in a small saucepot over medium heat and allow to come to a gentle simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the shallot becomes tender and turns light golden brown and the color of the melted butter deepens to a nice golden brown. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Drizzle the warm butter sauce over the salmon. Sprinkle over some lemon zest and parsley, and give the salmon a final sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper.
The lemon butter sauce is so easy to make and a great addition to salmon. Served it with a mushroom alfredo, and it was a great meal. Will use this recipe regularly.