Easy Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce
This delicious recipe has become one of my go to recipes for dinner guests on a busy day. Pair this salmon with a simple salad, rice and asparagus and everyone is totally in love.
Ingredients
EASY SALMON
- 4 6 oz (170 g) skinless salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Salt to season
- Cracked black pepper to season
- paprika to season
CREAM SAUCE
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup cream heavy, whipping or thickened
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley divided
Instructions
-
Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
-
Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and wine together in a small bowl. Rub salmon with the mixture and arrange in baking dish. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
-
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until salmon is opaque throughout.
-
While salmon is baking, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
-
Add mustard and let cook for 2-3 minutes until just starting to reduce. Add in cream and cook until sauce thickens slightly.
-
Take off the heat and stir through lemon juice and parsley.
-
Pour the sauce over the cooked salmon in the dish to mix through the natural pan juices released from the salmon while baking.
-
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
HOW LONG TO BAKE SALMON
Bake for 4 – 6 minutes per 1/2-inch (1 cm) thickness of fillet. Baking time depends on the thickness of your salmon fillets.
MEDIUM: 4 minutes PER 1/2-inch.
WELL DONE: 6 minutes per 1/2-inch.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN SALMON IS READY
Check the thickest part of your salmon fillets with a fork. When the flesh easily flakes or softly falls apart, it’s done.
You can also use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (61°C), which should be taken inside the the thickest part of the salmon.
Recently I had 8lbs of salmon that fit into a 9×13″ pan. It took 13 minutes to bake. I poured 4x the cream sauce recipe over the salmon just before serving and putting on the table. Served with rice and aparagus. SO EASY, and more than that delicious!
Leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Gently reheat in the microwave.