Ever stood in your kitchen, staring at a hunka salmon, wondering if you could whip up something fancy without making it complicated? Yeah, me too. The baked salmon with garlic butter recipe is my go-to when I’m short on time but still want to eat like I’m in a five-star restaurant (without the price tag, duh). If you’ve tried stuff like this baked flounder with lemon garlic butter or maybe even peeked at baked salmon in foil with asparagus and lemon garlic butter sauce, you’ll know how game-changing that simple combo can be. I promise – give this garlic butter thing a shot, and folks will think you secretly went to cooking school. 
How to Bake Salmon In the Oven
Okay, here’s the skinny: Baking salmon is way easier than people make it sound. Seriously, half the job is remembering to preheat the oven first (I forget every time, sigh). Set your oven to about 400°F. That’s the magic number for baked salmon with garlic butter in my opinion.
Now, don’t go slapping the salmon straight on the pan. Line a sheet tray with foil or parchment. Easier cleanup = more time eating. Smush a little garlic into soft butter, toss in a little lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Smear that stuff all over the salmon – like you’re giving it a fancy spa treatment.
Pop the salmon in – skin side down. Bake for 12-15 minutes if your fillet’s thick. The sides should flake a little if you poke it with a fork. That’s it. No flipping. No fussing. Set the table while it bakes and you’ll look like you planned this out all week.
I tried this baked salmon with garlic butter after a long workday and wow, it was delicious and crazy easy! My husband actually licked his fork. — Jenny T.
What Side Dishes go with Baked Salmon?
Y’all, the side dishes are almost as important as the main event. I keep it simple but delicious because that’s my motto (you know me). Here’s what works with baked salmon with garlic butter:
- Garlic butter rice recipe – Super flavorful, and let’s be real, who doesn’t love buttery rice? Makes the meal feel complete.
- Buttery garlic green beans recipe – Gets a veggie in there and hey, it actually tastes good.
- Roasted potatoes or asparagus – Can never go wrong with those, quick to prep.
- Wanna try something different? Baked shrimp casserole with buttery crumb topping is a fun change, trust me!
Have fun and mix it up. The salmon’s the star, but these sides? They make a scene too. 
How do you know when Salmon is cooked?
This one trips up even some good home cooks. Here’s my not-so-expert but totally effective trick: grab a fork and gently press into the thickest part of the salmon fillet. It should flake apart easily and look kinda opaque instead of see-through. No thermometer needed (though if you love gadgets, 145°F in the thickest part is what the food pros say).
If the salmon’s still glossy and jiggles weirdly, give it another two minutes. The garlic butter adds extra moisture, so even if you slightly overdo it, it won’t be dry as a desert. And honestly, that buttery crust? Gets even tastier.
Tips for Making Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon
Alright, time for my best cheat codes for baked salmon with garlic butter. First – use fresh garlic if you can. The jarred stuff isn’t bad, but it’s honestly not mind-blowing. Same with lemon juice, fresh is better but don’t stress if you only have the bottle kind.
Another hot tip: pat the salmon dry before adding the butter. Sounds boring but it helps the sauce stay on instead of sliding off like a slip-n-slide.
If your salmon has skin, cook with the skin down. It gets a little crispy, helps keep stuff moist, and you don’t have to fight it off later. If you wanna get wild, sprinkle a bit of smoked paprika or toss on fresh herbs at the end. No wrong way here, just more delicious ways.
You can peek at different spins on this like the baked parmesan garlic herb salmon for some fresh inspiration.
Just don’t overthink it. Salmon, garlic, butter, lemon. Oven. It’s almost too easy.
How to Choose the Best Salmon!
So, you’re at the store and – whoa, decision overload. Wild-caught, farm-raised, thick pieces, skinny pieces, whole fillets. I get lost too, not gonna lie.
What matters most with baked salmon with garlic butter? Go for bright pink, shiny, no fishy smell (unless you like that sort of thing, but… eh). Wild-caught salmon’s got a richer flavor, but farmed salmon’s usually more buttery and forgiving. For baking, thicker fillets work well since they don’t dry out so fast.
If your store’s only got frozen, don’t sweat it. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, and it honestly works just as good as fresh for this recipe. My best advice? Don’t overpay. Salmon’s going to shine with all that garlic butter magic anyway.
Common Questions
Q: Can I use frozen salmon?
A: Absolutely, just let it thaw overnight in the fridge first. Works just fine for baked salmon with garlic butter.
Q: What if I don’t have fresh garlic?
A: You can use the jarred minced kind or even garlic powder. The fresh stuff is punchier, but any garlic makes the butter taste amazing.
Q: Should I remove the salmon skin?
A: Nope, you really don’t need to. It helps hold the fish together and keeps things moist during baking. You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want, though.
Q: Lemon or no lemon?
A: Lemon brightens everything, but honestly, if you hate it or don’t have it, just skip or use a splash of vinegar.
Q: Can I make extra garlic butter?
A: Heck yes! It’s great on veggies, steak, or stirred into those garlic buttered noodles you’ve been eyeing.
Ready to Feel Like a Kitchen Rockstar?
So, that’s kind of my whole baked salmon with garlic butter spiel (and it’s a dish that never lets me down). If you want something that feels fancy but takes, like, 20 minutes of your life and barely any dishes, this one’s for you. Don’t be afraid to riff off it, peek at recipes like Garlic Butter Baked Salmon – Fox and Briar, Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon (Sheet Pan Recipe) – Averie Cooks, or check out this super flavorful Garlic Butter Baked Salmon – Foil Packet and Full of Flavor if you want more ideas. Promise, it’ll taste so good you’ll want to brag about it at the next block party.
Go on – try it tonight, and let me know if you don’t feel a tiny bit chef-y.
Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter
Ingredients
For the garlic butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced, fresh preferred
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh preferred
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp pepper to taste
For the salmon
- 2 fillets salmon skin-on preferred
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a sheet tray with foil or parchment for easier cleanup.
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the garlic butter mixture generously over the salmon fillets.
Baking
- Place the salmon fillets skin side down on the prepared tray.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
