Baked Salmon with Lemon (Print Version)
Flaky salmon fillets baked with lemon and herbs for a bright, flavorful main course.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Fish
01 - 4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets
→ Marinade & Flavorings
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 tsp lemon zest
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - 1 lemon, thinly sliced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Arrange the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
04 - Brush the mixture evenly over the salmon fillets.
05 - Place lemon slices on top of each fillet.
06 - Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is just opaque in the center.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The salmon stays impossibly tender and flaky while the lemon keeps everything bright and never bitter.
- You can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes without feeling like you rushed it.
- It tastes restaurant-quality but requires almost no technique, which means less stress and more confidence in the kitchen.
02 -
- Overcooked salmon is impossible to fix, so start checking at 15 minutes and be ready to pull it out; it finishes cooking as it rests.
- Fresh lemon juice makes an actual difference here, not the bottled kind that tastes like chemicals and regret.
03 -
- Take the salmon out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking so it comes to closer to room temperature and cooks more evenly.
- If your fillets are uneven in thickness, tuck the thinner edges under slightly so everything cooks at the same pace.