Tender Baked Salmon with a silky smooth Lemon Butter Cream Sauce is a quick and easy dinner recipe! You will be drinking the sauce straight out of the pan.
The kind of recipe perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t have time to cook, Baked Salmon with an incredible Lemon Butter Cream Sauce comes together so easily you won’t believe it when it’s done!
CREAM SAUCE FOR SALMON
A truly effortless 15 minute recipe, salmon is baked first with garlic, lemon and optional white wine, then drizzled with a crazy good sauce straight into the pan. The natural pan juices released from the fish while baking mix through the cream sauce to create one hell of a salmon dish!
Minimal ingredients you may already have in your kitchen cooks the most tender salmon fillets… Perfection!
BAKED SALMON
When salmon is cooked in the oven, it doesn’t get that sexy brightly seared orange colour with crisp edges, but what you DO get is tender salmon just about falling apart with each forkful. The only thing salmon needs is a good amount of flavour rubbed all over it before baking, PLUS a magic sauce to drizzle all over it.
Enter this salmon recipe. You’ll love and appreciate the decent amount of cream sauce to mop up with garlic bread or to pour over rice or creamy mashed potato!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Salmon fillets – middle pieces roughly the same size and thickness are the best for even cooking.
- White wine – can be omitted or subbed for dijon mustard. Wine adds that restaurant flavour.
- Garlic – just because.
- Cream – use heavy cream (or thickened cream) if you can. You can also use half and half (an American product using half milk and half cream).
- Butter – more flavour!
- Lemon – is salmons best friend.
WHAT TEMP SHOULD SALMON BE COOKED?
Bake your salmon, uncovered, at 425°F (220°C) on the middle shelf of your oven.
HOW LONG TO BAKE SALMON
Roast 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.
The salmon fillets pictured needed 11 minutes. Be careful not to over bake as salmon can become dry and unpleasant to eat when over-cooked.
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.
LEFTOVERS
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Gently reheat in the microwave.
MORE BAKED SALMON RECIPES
Crispy Garlic Parmesan Salmon
Honey Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil
Lemon Baked Salmon with Asparagus
Tender Baked Salmon with a silky smooth Lemon Butter Cream Sauce is a quick and easy dinner recipe! You will be drinking the sauce straight out of the pan it is so good! A salmon recipe perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t have time to cook.
Serves: 4 serves
Ingredients
BAKED 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 tablespoons dry white wine, (optional — can sub with 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard))
- Salt, to season
- Cracked black pepper, to season
LEMON BUTTER CREAM SAUCE:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine, (can sub with 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).
Pour in the wine 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!
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.
Leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Gently reheat in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 876IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
