Baked Salmon Dill Lemon (Printable version)

Flaky salmon fillets baked and topped with bright dill and lemon sauce for a fresh, elegant dish.

# What you need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets, approximately 6 oz each, skin on or off as preferred
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped or 2 teaspoons dried dill
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Lemon slices
14 - Extra fresh dill

# How To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
02 - Place salmon fillets on the prepared tray. Brush with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - Bake the salmon for 12 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through and flaky.
04 - Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
06 - Incorporate chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper, then cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
07 - Plate the baked salmon fillets and spoon warm dill and lemon sauce over them. Garnish with lemon slices and extra dill if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in 30 minutes flat, no special skills required.
  • The dill-lemon sauce is silky and tangy without being heavy, the kind of thing that makes you want to scrape the plate clean.
  • Fish cooked this way stays impossibly tender, and the cream sauce makes it feel luxurious even on a regular Tuesday.
02 -
  • Salmon cooks faster than most people expect—overcooking it by even two minutes turns it dry and chalky, so set a timer and check early.
  • The sauce will seem thin while simmering but continues to thicken as it cools slightly; if you overcook it trying to thicken it further, it breaks and becomes grainy.
03 -
  • Buy salmon from a fishmonger if you can; they'll tell you when it came in and how long it's been on ice, which directly affects how tender and sweet it tastes.
  • Don't be afraid of the high oven temperature—it helps the salmon cook evenly without drying the outside while the inside finishes.

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