Baked Garlic Dill Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter pairs classic flavors that enhance the richness of the omega 3 rich salmon. Perfect for a special holiday meal or a quick weeknight dinner!
Okay, so, true story, I did not know how to bake chicken until like 6 months ago. Luckily, baked salmon was one of the first things I ever learned to make. The only thing, other than cookies, my Grandma ever taught me to make.
Well, technically, she taught me how to slather it in miracle whip and then how to wrap it in foil so that it would steam. Is that southern or is that just my Grandma’s clear obsession with Miracle Whip?
When I started making salmon this way for Mr. Hungry he was slightly confused but didn’t complain. Over time I realized that salmon didn’t need miracle whip or mayonnaise to be delicious so I ditched that, sorry Grandma.
For as often as we eat it, one time per week or more, HH severely lacks salmon recipes. I guess that’s because I just assume that if I knew how to cook it, everyone else does too.
It is soooooo easy, you can literally sprinkle it with whatever seasoning you feel like, and then wrap it in foil and bake. The best part? ZERO CLEAN UP, you guys know how I feel about dishes.
Back when I used to not eat red meat, I would insist on salmon and shrimp cocktail on Christmas. I now eat red meat to help with my iron levels, but except for steak and burgers it still isn’t really my thing, so I still insist on salmon and shrimp on Christmas.
Luckily, I know how to purchase it, season it, and cook it so I often get very little objections. Usually, everyone eats it and comments on how good it is. In the back of my head I’m thinking damn I should have made more, now there aren’t going to be any leftovers!
So let’s talk about the herb butter really fast. I don’t typically butter my salmon, but I will on special occasions because it adds a deeper richer buttery flavor. I was going to make a lemon butter sauce, but I would have just been repeating some recipe I found on youtube.
I prefer this because it keeps longer, can be made ahead (I actually froze this for Christmas), and is less fussy than sauce. You’ve got a couple options you can make the salmon and butter like I said in the directions, then give people the option to combine at their own will (this is what I will be doing).
You can make the butter and bake the salmon with dollops of butter on top of it. Or, you can make the salmon as described, and skip the butter. If you do that, sprinkle the parsley and thyme on top of it along with the other seasonings. I would also bake it with the lemon wedges on top to get the lemony flavor. Okay? Okay.
Remember Omega 3’s rich in salmon are the best way to fight inflammation in the diet and promote good hormone health!
Baked Garlic Dill Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 2 lb salmon fillets
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dill crushed
For the lemon butter:
- 8 ounce salted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme can sub 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
Instructions
For the salmon:
- Pre-heat the oven to 375F.
- Season salmon by lightly sprinkling garlic and dill over the each fillet. I used about 1/2 teaspoon, you can adjust per your taste preference.
- Wrap seasoned salmon in salmon packet (see this video, starts at 1:43*)
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until flaky. (If you use frozen salmon, bake for 45 -50 minutes.)
- Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.
For the Lemon Herb Butter:
- Best to leave butter out for a few hours to soften, but if you don't you can still use the food processor to whip it, just might be a bit difficult.
- Mix softened butter with remaining ingredients, transfer back to the fridge to harden. If you softened your butter you can hand mix with a fork or whisk. If you used the food processor then just use that to mix in the remaining ingredients.
Notes
Nutrition
Need more ideas? Check out the recipe index or try one of these recipes!
- Hempseed Crusted Baked Cod
- Almond Crusted Fish Tacos
Gorgeous! I forget that I could use foil for salmon… we need to try that. My husband’s really into making herb butters lately. It started with a steak/potato dinner he wanted to make, and now he thinks we should have some in our fridge at all times!