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Close-up of a perfectly cooked Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon fillet topped with herbs, resting in lemon butter sauce.

Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon

This recipe for Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon is a quick and flavorful dish perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner. The simple marinade infuses the salmon with bright lemon and savory garlic notes, resulting in a flaky and delicious fish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Oven Preheat 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 fillets
Course: Dinner
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Lemon Garlic Butter
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 2 freshly cracked black pepper plus extra to serve
  • 1 2 chilli (red pepper) flakes optional
For the Salmon
  • 4 skin-on salmon fillets
For Serving
  • Freezer-friendly mashed potato
  • Steamed greens or leafy green salad sprinkled with parmesan (optional)
  • Fresh lemon slices
  • Fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley finely chopped

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Roasting tin

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). Ensure the oven is preheated for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Make the lemon garlic butter. Mix together the melted butter, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, honey, paprika, oregano, sea salt flakes, black pepper, and chilli flakes (if using).
  3. Marinate the salmon. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in a roasting tin. Spoon the marinade as evenly as possible over the top of the salmon.
  4. Cook the salmon. Bake the salmon for 12 minutes. Turn the oven grill (broiler) to high and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until caramelised and cooked to your preference.
  5. Serve the salmon with mashed potatoes, steamed greens or a green leafy salad. Garnish with extra black pepper, fresh lemon slices, and a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

This recipe also works well with trout, barramundi, snapper, or other firm-fleshed white fish like cod or sea bass. Adjust the cooking time for thinner fillets to 8–10 minutes. If using frozen salmon, ensure it is completely thawed and pat it dry before baking for the best texture.
The lemon garlic butter marinade can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Thaw frozen salmon in the fridge overnight before cooking.
Store any leftover salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It is not suitable for freezing. To reheat, warm gently in the oven at 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) for 5–7 minutes, in a pan over low heat, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts until heated through. Leftover salmon is also great cold in salads, sandwiches, or pasta dishes.

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