Baked Salmon with Dill (Printable version)

Succulent oven-roasted salmon enhanced by a creamy dill and lemon sauce, perfect for any occasion.

# What you need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets, approximately 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless
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:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease an oven-safe dish.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry and arrange them on the prepared baking surface. Brush each with olive oil and season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Cook salmon in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, or reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
04 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove from heat and mix in finely chopped dill. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Plate salmon fillets and spoon the warm dill and lemon sauce over them. Garnish with lemon slices and additional dill sprigs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in under five minutes while the salmon bakes, so you're never standing around waiting.
  • It tastes like something you'd order at a white-tablecloth restaurant, but you can make it in your pajamas.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste incredible flaked over rice or tucked into a grain bowl the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the salmon dry, wet fish steams instead of roasting and you lose that beautiful texture.
  • Pull the salmon out when it's just barely done, it will keep cooking on the plate and you want it tender, not chalky.
  • If your sauce looks too thin, let it simmer for an extra minute, if it's too thick, whisk in a splash of cream or a teaspoon of water.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, 63°C (145°F) is the sweet spot where salmon is cooked through but still moist.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, you can bake all the fillets on one large sheet pan and double the sauce recipe without any trouble.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference, bottled juice just doesn't have the same brightness or fragrance.

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