Baked Salmon with Dill Lemon (Printable)

Succulent oven-baked salmon enhanced by a creamy dill and lemon sauce, perfect for easy elegant meals.

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets, skin-on or skinless, about 6 ounces each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sauce

04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon slices for serving
12 - Extra dill sprigs

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Brush evenly with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place the salmon in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
04 - While the salmon cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in chopped dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Transfer salmon fillets to serving plates. Spoon the warm dill and lemon sauce over each piece. Garnish with lemon slices and additional dill sprigs.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • The sauce comes together while the salmon bakes, so you're never juggling too many steps.
  • Even if you overcook fish sometimes, the creamy dill sauce forgives almost everything.
02 -
  • Don't walk away while the garlic sautés—it goes from golden to bitter in seconds.
  • If your salmon is thicker than usual, add 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time and check the center with a fork.
  • The sauce will thicken as it cools, so serve it right away or thin it with a splash of cream when reheating.
03 -
  • Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking so it cooks more evenly.
  • If you want a little color on top, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes, but watch it closely.
  • Use the finest holes on your grater for the lemon zest—you want the fragrant oil, not the bitter white pith.

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