Baked Salmon Garlic Butter Dill (Printable)

Tender baked salmon topped with creamy garlic butter and fresh dill sauce for an elegant, simple dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garlic Butter

05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
06 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - Zest of ½ lemon

→ Dill Sauce

09 - ½ cup sour cream
10 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry and place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
03 - Mix melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture evenly over each salmon fillet.
04 - Bake salmon for 14 to 18 minutes until just cooked through and flaky, with an internal temperature of 145°F.
05 - Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh dill, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste.
06 - Serve baked salmon hot topped with the dill sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter melts directly into the salmon, making it impossible to overcook or dry out.
  • Your kitchen smells incredible, and the whole meal is ready before your guests even ask what's for dinner.
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day when you actually spent fifteen minutes prepping.
02 -
  • Salmon continues cooking slightly after it comes out of the oven, so pull it out when it looks almost done rather than completely opaque—this is where most home cooks fail.
  • Fresh dill makes or breaks the sauce; if you only have dried, use half the amount and accept that it will taste slightly different but still be good.
03 -
  • Buy your salmon from a fishmonger if possible; they'll tell you if it's fresh, will remove the skin if you ask, and might even share their own seasoning secrets.
  • Keep the lemon juice off the salmon until just before serving if you're plating ahead, since acid begins to cure the fish and changes its texture over time.

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