Easy Baked Salmon Recipe

This delightfully easy Baked Salmon Recipe is topped with a creamy dill sauce that’ll make you want to lick your plate clean.

A few weeks ago my husband and I went out to dinner at a local restaurant and I ordered the baked salmon. It came with a delicious creamy dill sauce on top and I could not get enough of it. Hence… I had to create my own version to share with you.

This recipe is a super quick weeknight dinner using fresh salmon that bakes up nice and flaky and is tender and juicy and not dry.

Easy Baked Salmon Recipe

• Super simple! Start by bringing your salmon to room temperature for about 15 minutes on the counter. This will help with a even cooking.
• Use paper towels to blot any moisture from the salmon.
• Place skin-side down on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with oil, then season with salt and pepper.
• Bake for just 7 to 10 minutes, or until salmon reaches 140 degrees F in the thickest portion.

What Temperature Should Salmon Be Cooked To?

It’s recommended that salmon should be cooked to 145 degrees F. So why would we stop baking at 140 degrees F? The heat of the pan will continue to cook your salmon while it rests, bringing it up to that perfect temperature without overcooking it.

How Do I Know The Salmon Is Cooked? If you haven’t invested in an instant read meat thermometer yet, here are some visual cues for you too look for.

• Salmon will be red and transparent looking when raw.
• As the salmon cooks the color will change to an opaque, pink color.
• The perfect salmon will be opaque on the outside while still slightly transparent in the thickest portion.
• The salmon should flake easily when cooked.

Skin On or Skin Off?

Most salmon filets that you will find still have the skin on them and that’s just fine! I personally think that the salmon cooks better with the skin on. It acts as a buffer between the meat and heating surface, helping it cook perfectly.

When cooked, the salmon will come right off the skin so there really is no need to try and take it off before cooking.

Salmon without Lemon

Lemon and salmon are commonly paired together, but I wanted to create a salmon recipe without lemons… simply because my husband does not like lemons with salmon.

However, if you don’t mind the taste of lemon, feel free to squeeze a bit of lemon over the salmon before topping with the creamy dill sauce. It’ll help brighten up the flavors just a bit.

Creamy Dill Sauce Recipe

This creamy dill sauce is served warm over the baked salmon. The sauce comes together in minutes while the salmon is baking and consists of butter, garlic, flour, milk, dill and dijon mustard.

While this recipe comes together in about 30 minutes, it really tastes quite elegant, light and fresh.

What To Serve with Baked Salmon

• Vegetable Rice Pilaf
• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
• Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Garlic Butter Mushrooms

You’re going to enjoy this super easy baked salmon recipe!

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Easy Baked Salmon Recipe

This Easy Baked Salmon Recipe is quickly cooked until flakey and then topped with a warm and creamy dill sauce.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Calories: 415 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

• 2 pounds salmon fillets, fresh
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• salt and pepper

For the Creamy Dill Sauce:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
• Place salmon out on counter for 10 to 15 minutes, to bring to room temperature. Use a paper towel to blot and remove any moisture from salmon.
• Place salmon on foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with oil, covering top and sides. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until salmon reaches 140 degrees F at the thickest portion.

Creamy Dill Sauce:

• While the salmon is cooking, prepare the quick pan sauce. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add in the butter. Once melted, stir in the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
• Whisk in the flour, cooking for about 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk, until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the dill, dijon and salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat until the salmon is ready, stirring occasionally.
• Serve salmon while hot with the creamy dill sauce drizzled over top. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 1172mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 254IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg

Keywords: Baked Salmon, Creamy, Dill Sauce, Easy

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