Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon (Printable version)

Salmon fillets baked with lemon garlic butter and tender asparagus for an elegant meal.

# Ingredient list:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets, skinless, 6 ounces each

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Sauce & Seasonings

04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon slices, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or foil.
02 - Place salmon fillets on one side of the prepared baking sheet and arrange asparagus spears on the other side.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
04 - Drizzle the lemon garlic butter mixture evenly over the salmon and asparagus, gently tossing the asparagus to coat thoroughly.
05 - Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the asparagus is tender-crisp.
06 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over the salmon and asparagus, then serve with fresh lemon slices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in 25 minutes, which means you can make it on a Tuesday without losing your mind.
  • That lemon garlic butter sauce is so good you'll find yourself pouring it over everything, and everyone thinks you spent hours on it.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and elegant enough to serve guests, but casual enough to eat in your kitchen while wearing sweatpants.
02 -
  • Don't skip zesting the lemon before you juice it, or you'll be fishing lemon juice-soaked zest out of the bowl and cursing yourself.
  • Overcooked salmon becomes rubbery and disappointing, so start checking at the 12-minute mark—a minute or two makes all the difference.
  • If your asparagus is thicker than a pencil, cut the larger spears in half lengthwise so everything cooks at the same pace.
03 -
  • If you want a golden, crispy top on the salmon, turn the broiler on for the last 1 to 2 minutes, but watch it like a hawk because it can burn in seconds.
  • Frozen salmon works perfectly fine here—just thaw it completely and pat it dry so it cooks evenly and doesn't release too much water into the pan.

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