A dish that features regularly on my families dinner table is my Garlic Butter Oven Baked Salmon. I use a whole side of salmon, brush it with garlic butter, then sprinkle with a delicious brown sugar spice mix before baking to perfection in the oven.
Garlic Butter Oven Baked Salmon
I have a few oven baked salmon recipes on my website, but wanted to include a recipe for garlic butter oven baked salmon in foil.
The reason I cook garlic butter baked salmon in foil is that the foil helps to stop the salmon sticking to the pan. It also stops the garlic butter from evaporating all over the base of the pan, leaving you with a lovely garlic butter to spoon over the salmon once it has cooked.
Salmon not only tastes great, but it is a really healthy addition to any diet. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, can help raise good cholesterol levels, lower bad cholesterol levels, reduce risk of heart disease, help with weight management, and help reduce inflammation.
If you are looking to increase the amount of oily fish in your families diets, then my garlic butter salmon is the recipe for you.
For a healthy side dish, try these Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes, they are crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside!
If you need a salmon appetizer for a party or gathering, this smoked salmon canapes recipe from At The Immigrants Table is delicious. Prepared using just 4 ingredients, this recipe is also gluten-free, grain-free and keto friendly.
Oven Baked Salmon Ingredients
- SALMON: I always use a whole skin-on side of salmon. I like to because it’s much harder to overcook vs single fillets. Feel free to use 4 cut fillets though, and bake them for 10-15 minutes instead.
- BUTTER: I use melted butter, salted or unsalted will both work. If you follow a dairy free diet, you can replace the butter with olive oil.
- GARLIC: If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use 1 extra teaspoon of dried garlic powder.
- SUGAR: a little brown sugar adds the perfect balance of sweetness.
- ITALIAN SEASONING: I love the flavor this adds, but feel free to leave it out or use a different dried herb (oregano is delicious, so is rosemary).
- SEASONING: I add ground paprika, garlic powder and salt to the brown sugar spice mix.
How to make Garlic Butter Oven Baked Salmon
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Place a large piece of foil on rimmed baking sheet, place salmon fillet on top (skin side down, pink side up). Crimp edges of foil around salmon to make a little “boat”.
- Combine melted butter and minced garlic. Brush half of mixture over salmon.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, evenly sprinkle over salmon.
- Drizzle with remaining garlic butter.
- Place the pan into the hot oven and bake the salmon for 20-22 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon fillet (to reach internal temperature 145°F).
- Baste salmon with juices halfway through baking, if desired.
- Once done, remove salmon from oven and rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
Flavor variations
- I have used a side of salmon, but this recipe would also work well with other fish, just try to get skin on filets which help stop the fish sticking.
- I’ve used Italian seasoning, but feel free to add any other herbs like oregano, rosemary or thyme.
Also consider trying this delicious Oven baked blackened salmon recipe from Lauren from Scratch. Tender, moist, and a little spicy – this baked blackened salmon is an impressive but easy salmon recipe!
Serving suggestion
When serving salmon I like to serve it with a couple of easy vegetable sides. Try my Roasted Green Beans, Sheet Pan Roasted Broccoli, or Cheesy Potato Casserole.
For an alternative to potatoes, try my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, or Lemon Basil Orzo Pasta Salad.
This also pairs very well with cheesy olive bread. It is the perfect combination of salty and smooth heaven. It can be served as an appetizer for any celebration, we love to have it with salmon!
Recipe hints & tips
- Remove the fish from the refrigerator 15 minutes before you are ready to start cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- I like to stir the garlic into the hot, just-melted butter for the best flavor. I let the butter sit on the counter for 5 minutes to make it cool down a little and get a little thicker in texture to make it easier to brush onto the fish.
- I appreciate that some of you may not want to use aluminum foil, but please know that cleanup can be a real chore if you choose to skip it. You will also potentially lose some of the garlic butter due to more evaporation when it runs all over the baking sheet.
- I do highly recommend a food thermometer (affiliate link) for controlled cooking. They are cheap and effective, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since I started using one a few years ago. I even use it to check the internal temperature of cake. Well worth the small investment!
We love to eat this with Instant Pot rice pilaf, it’s so good! It’s simple to make, and healthier than plain white rice.
FAQs
The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F minimum for all fish.
It will depend on the thickness of the filets. If cooking a whole side I’d say 20-22 minutes of baking usually puts a whole salmon fillet at around 145°F. Cut that back to 15 minutes for individual filets.
This is a quick cook and the salmon is not in the oven long, it is also covered in garlic butter adding extra moisture. For these reasons I recommend leaving the salmon uncovered while it cooks.
Try some of my favorite salmon recipe here at When is Dinner:
Oven Baked Salmon
Use a whole side of salmon, brush it with garlic butter, then sprinkle with a delicious brown sugar spice mix before baking to perfection in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 (2-pound) whole salmon fillet skin-on preferred
- 3 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Place a large piece of foil on rimmed baking sheet, place salmon fillet on top (skin side down, pink side up). Crimp edges of foil around salmon to make a little “boat”.
- Combine melted butter and minced garlic. Brush half of mixture over salmon.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, evenly sprinkle over salmon.
- Drizzle with remaining garlic butter.
- Place the pan into the hot oven and bake the salmon for 20-22 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon fillet (to reach internal temperature 145°F).
- Baste salmon with juices halfway through baking, if desired.
- Once done, remove salmon from oven and rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
Salmon: I always use a whole skin-on side of salmon. I like to because it’s much harder to overcook vs single fillets. Feel free to use 4 cut fillets though, and bake them for 10-15 minutes instead.
Internal temperature: The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F minimum for all fish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 334mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 9g
Please note that nutritional information provided is approximate and for guidance only.