Baked Salmon with Lemon Recipe - Dress up your juicy salmon fillet with a simple lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper for an easy, flavorful dinner that is sure to impress!
This baked salmon recipe is exactly why people sometimes say simple is best! I love how it takes just a few simple ingredients to bring out the natural flavor, juiciness, and tenderness of a beautiful piece of salmon!
Lemon garlic salmon baked in the oven is one of my favorite go-to recipes for a quick and easy weeknight meal that pairs well with things like mac and cheese pasta, fried rice with green onion, or baked potato casserole. When I want something lighter, I have it with salad.
All you need is some avocado oil, salt and pepper, garlic, and fresh lemon to bring out the best-tasting salmon. Gather your items and make it for dinner tonight!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This baked salmon fillet is ready in a total of 12 minutes! Talk about a quick meal.
- Achieve fall-apart, tender, flaky salmon with delicious flavor.
- It’s an elegant meal that is great for serving guests as well as for casual family dinners.
- An easy way to incorporate more fish into your weekly menu.
Cooking Tips & Variations
- You can use frozen salmon; just make sure to thaw it in the fridge overnight first.
- To test whether your salmon is done, flake it with a fork at the thickest part. It should come away easily.
- I bake my fish with the skin on just to keep it moist and hold it in place, and then remove it before serving.
- Bake the salmon with lemon pepper seasoning if you don’t have any fresh lemons. It is salty, so you don’t need to add any extra seasoning.
- If you want to add any extra seasoning, you can! Italian or Greek seasoning blends are both great options.
Ingredients Needed
- Salmon fillet: You’ll need 1 lb. salmon fillet, which will give you about 4 servings. I prefer to use wild caught salmon, however, this recipe will work with whichever type you buy.
- Avocado oil: Helps the seasoning stick, prevents the fish from sticking to the pan, and keeps it nice and moist.
- Garlic: Finely chopped fresh garlic pairs well with the lemon flavor for the best taste.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
- Lemon: Thin slices of lemon placed on top of the fish as it bakes impart a beautifully zesty, tangy, citrusy flavor. Lemon juice and fish are always a good idea!
How to Make Baked Salmon with Lemon
Step 1: Make sure your fillet is clean and any little bones have been removed. Pat it dry.
Step 2: Brush the salmon with avocado oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the garlic on top.
Step 3: Place lemon slices over the top and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes until the salmon is baked through.
Serve garnished with greens of your choice, and enjoy with rice, potatoes, zucchini noodles, pasta, or all by itself.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely! Salmon is a great source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and an abundance of other nutrients. Once or twice a week is all you need to reap the benefits.
This recipe requires the use of parchment paper to line your baking tray (however, foil is just fine), so the length of bake time is the same either way.
You’ll cook it for about 10-15 minutes. A good rule of thumb is to bake salmon for 4-6 minutes for every ½” of salmon.
You always want to line your pan, pat your fish dry, keep the skin on, and season it to your liking.
After that, deciding on the temperature you are using to bake the fish will determine how long you cook it for.
This comes down to personal preference. I prefer cooking my salmon at 400, but if you choose to use 350, you’ll need to increase the baking time to 20-25 minutes.
Using slightly higher heat gives you a better chance of crispy skin, if that’s something you look forward to.
Keep salmon stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day. You can even have your leftovers cold!
Cut up your fillets and use the pieces in a salad (a simpler version of my salmon kale salad), in a sandwich or wrap, in salmon chowder, a salmon bowl, casseroles, or to make salmon fritters!
Serve baked salmon with these easy side dishes:
- Sliced Cucumbers in Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- Best Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Avocado Salad Avocado Salad Dressing
- Caesar Salad Recipe with Salad Dressing from Scratch
- The Best Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Other Salmon Recipes
- Crispy Salmon Tempura Sushi Tacos
- Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast
- Asian-inspired Salmon Bowl
- Salmon Sushi Balls
When YOU make this Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe please tag us @munchkintimeblog on Instagram, we would LOVE to see your creation!
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📖 Recipe
How to Bake Salmon in the Oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fillet wild caught
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 lemons sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brush salmon fillet with avocado oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle garlic on top.
- Place lemon slices over the top and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until salmon is baked thru. Garnish with any greens of your choice.
Video
Notes
- If using frozen salmon, let it set in the fridge over the night to thaw.
- Pat dry salmon with paper towels before oiling and seasoning salmon.
- Store leftovers in airtight container inside the fridge till next day.
Nutrition
Quote of the Day
Bon Appetite!!!
This recipe was updated on May 4, 2025.
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