Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce
Flaky oven-baked salmon topped with a rich, bright lemon butter cream sauce with garlic and herbs. Fast, cozy, and weeknight-friendly.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet or baking dish
- Small saucepan or skillet
- Whisk
- Instant-read thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each, skin on or off
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder optional
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard optional
- 1 tsp lemon zest from 1 lemon, yellow part only
- 2 tbsp lemon juice add up to 3 tbsp to taste
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped, or chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line a sheet pan.
- Pat salmon dry, place on the pan, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (and garlic powder if using).
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness) until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily. For USDA guidance, cook to 145 F in the thickest part.
- While salmon bakes, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk in heavy cream and gently simmer 2 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in Dijon (optional), lemon zest, and lemon juice to taste.
- Spoon sauce over the baked salmon and finish with parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
- For the smoothest sauce, keep the heat moderate and avoid a hard boil.
- Add lemon juice gradually so the sauce stays balanced, not overly sharp.
- Reheat leftovers gently on low heat; add a splash of cream if the sauce thickens.