This Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon comes together in about 30 minutes and makes for a quick and easy dinner that your family will love! Plus, who doesn’t love that buttery, garlicky goodness?
Ingredients Breakdown
Before we dive into the cooking process, let’s talk about the star ingredients for this delicious dish. Here’s what you’ll need:
1.5 to 1.75 pounds of skin-on salmon fillet: The skin really helps keep the salmon juicy while cooking, so don’t skip it! Fresh salmon is best, but if you only have frozen, no worries. Just thaw it properly before cooking.
1 lemon (sliced into thin rounds): Fresh lemon slices not only add a zesty flavor but also look gorgeous on the plate.
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted): Butter is where the magic happens! Use unsalted here so you can control the saltiness.
3 tablespoons of lemon juice: You can squeeze it straight from that lemon, but if you want to get fancy, use fresh lemon juice to amp up that citrus flavor.
2 to 3 tablespoons honey: This adds a delightful sweetness that balances out the lemon’s tartness.
5 cloves of garlic (finely pressed or minced): I don’t mess around with garlic; it totally transforms the dish when added to that buttery mix.
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste): A couple pinches to season all the way through.
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste): Just enough to bring out all the flavors without being overwhelming.
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional for garnishing): Perfect for a fresh pop of color and added flavor on top!
How to Make Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon
Preheat your oven to 375°F. You want it nice and hot to get that salmon cookin’ perfectly!
Prep your salmon. Line a sheet pan with some aluminum foil, making sure the shiny side is facing up. Place the salmon on a sheet of foil, skin side down, and you want that longer side of the salmon parallel to the longer side of the sheet pan. Gently raise the edges of the foil, about 2 inches high. Trust me, you’ll thank me when that buttery goodness doesn’t leak everywhere.
Place lemon slices underneath the salmon: Nestle those cute lemon rounds underneath the salmon, spaced evenly around the fillet. This adds a lovely flavor while it cooks.
Melt the butter! In a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, toss in your butter and heat it on high for about 1 minute until it melts. So easy!
Mix it up. Now, stir in the lemon juice, honey, and garlic into that melted butter. It should smell absolutely divine at this point! Pour about three-quarters of the mixture over the top of the salmon; keep the remainder to drizzle later.
Season your salmon. Sprinkle a couple pinches of salt and pepper evenly over the salmon before sealing it up in the foil.
Seal it up nice and tight. You might need another sheet of foil for a secure seal. Just crimp or pinch the top and bottom of the foil together, make it air-tight, but perfection isn’t essential here.
Let it marinate (optional). If you have the time, it’s great to let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to soak up those flavors. Just give it a little break!
Get baking. Place the foil packet on your baking sheet and pop it in the oven for about 17 minutes. The aroma(!) that fills your kitchen is unreal.
Unveil the goodness! After 17 minutes, take the baking sheet out and carefully peel back the top piece of foil. Be cautious of the steam! You should see rosy salmon staring back at you!
Broil it up. Set your oven to Hi broil, and if you have a bit of that reserved buttery mixture, spoon it on top. You can gauge how much you need, it should be just enough to glaze without making it overflow. Broil the salmon for about 5 to 10 minutes until it’s golden and flaky.
Garnish and serve. Optionally, sprinkle on some freshly chopped parsley, and voilà, it’s time to dig in!
If you loved this Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon, be sure to check out my Crispy Rice Spicy Salmon or my Greek Yogurt-Marinated Salmon!
Why This Recipe Works
Quick & Easy
This incredible salmon dish comes together in under 30 minutes! Seriously, you can have a restaurant-quality meal on the table faster than it takes to order takeout.
One-Pan Wonder
I can’t emphasize this enough! Everything you need to cook is on one sheet pan, minimal cleanup, people! Just toss the foil and wash one pan. Perfect for busy families.
Comfort Food
With that buttery, garlicky, lemony goodness, this dish is loaded with tons of flavor. It hits all those comfort food notes while being light enough for a weeknight dinner.
Customizable
The secret to this dish? You can swap out the veggies or use frozen salmon if that’s what you’ve got. Love green beans? Go for it! Prefer broccoli? Toss that in too.
Family-Friendly
You know which meal your family is gonna love? This one! The combination of flavors wins over even the pickiest eaters in my household, and I can bet yours will too.
Serving Suggestions
Now, how to enjoy this beautiful meal?
Pair it with: Some roasted veggies on the side (think Brussels sprouts or green beans), a light salad, or their favorite rice makes for a full meal!
Storage: This salmon keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container!
Reheating Instructions: The best way to reheat is gently in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes until warmed through. You can also use the microwave, just be cautious as it may dry out.
Freezer-Friendly: Yes! You can freeze the leftovers, wrap the salmon tightly to save it for another day. When you’re ready to eat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
So, what do you say? Are you ready to whip up this delicious Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon for your next family dinner? I promise it’ll be a hit!
Food is really about bringing people together, you know? Every bite brings warmth and joy, and I can’t wait for you to share this with your family!
Happy cooking! And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.
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Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Pescatarian
Description
A quick and easy dinner that combines salmon with lemon, garlic, and butter for maximum flavor in minimal time.
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 1.75 pounds of skin-on salmon fillet
- 1 lemon (sliced into thin rounds)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
- 5 cloves garlic (finely pressed or minced)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional for garnishing)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Place the salmon on the foil skin side down.
- Place lemon slices underneath the salmon.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup for about 1 minute.
- Stir in lemon juice, honey, and garlic into the melted butter. Pour three-quarters over the salmon.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Seal the foil packet tightly.
- Let it marinate for 10 to 15 minutes (optional).
- Place the foil packet on a baking sheet and bake for about 17 minutes.
- Carefully peel back the foil and broil for 5 to 10 minutes until golden and flaky.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
This dish is customizable; feel free to add your preferred vegetables or substitute proteins as desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg