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Garlic Butter Salmon

Garlic Butter Salmon is the perfect healthy sheet pan dinner! Tender salmon filets are basted with garlic butter sauce and baked with vegetables for a flavorful, nourishing meal.

Salmon is a versatile protein that tastes delicious cooked all kinds of ways. You’ll love this Bruschetta Salmon recipe too! Or try this Garlic Butter Shrimp for another seafood recipe made with the irresistible combination of butter and garlic.

Garlic butter salmon served on a blue plate with roasted vegetables.

Why This Salmon is Best

Garlic Butter Salmon is the picture perfect example of how you don’t always need a trillion herbs and spices to season your protein. A simple sauce of garlic, butter, and a squeeze of fresh lemon highlights and complements the natural flavor of fresh salmon in this recipe.

  • One pan meal. Fewer dishes to wash are always a good thing in our house!
  • Easy preparation. Take a few minutes to toss it together then let it bake.
  • Succulent salmon. This salmon is tender, flaky and absolutely perfect.
  • Brushed with garlic butter. Garlic and butter make everything better and salmon is no exception!
  • Vegetables and protein in one. This meal is full of essential macro AND micronutrients. You can feel good about serving (and eating) this keto approved meal.

On busy nights, I love being able to put a sheet pan full of fish and veggies in the oven and have a healthy fresh meal on the table in no time. If you haven’t made sheet pan salmon before, or need a few new ideas for mixing up your menu, today’s easy garlic butter salmon recipe is just what you’re looking for.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed to make garlic butter salmon on a sheet pan.
  • Salmon filets – Make sure they’re fresh and even in size. Our filets were about 6 oz each.
  • Broccoli and bell pepper – These bake to tender perfection with slightly roasted edges in this recipe. Feel free to switch them out for other vegetables you have on hand.
  • Unsalted butter – You can use salted butter if that’s all you have, but I prefer being able to control the saltiness and amount of sodium in the dish.
  • Garlic – Always use fresh cloves of garlic for this garlic butter sauce!
  • Lemon – Squeezing lemon over the salmon before baking brightens up the flavors and adds a little tang.
Step by step photos showing how to make sheet pan salmon.

Tips and Tricks

  • Bake the salmon skin side down. It helps the fish retain its juices and cook more evenly.
  • Always open hot foil AWAY from your face after removing the sheet pan from the oven. The foil pouch holds a lot of steam that can cause burns (or at least some unpleasantness) if you’re not careful.
  • Serve garlic butter salmon with roasted radishes or over cauliflower rice for a complete keto meal.

Recipe FAQs

Can I bake salmon filets without skin?

Don’t worry if your salmon filets don’t have skin. Some grocery stores and seafood markets will remove the skin prior to selling. You can still bake the salmon with great tasting results!

How do I store leftover baked salmon?

Leftover garlic butter salmon can be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 2 days.

How do I know when salmon is fully cooked?

Salmon is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Note that this is less than meats like chicken or pork, so be careful not to overcook. Insert a meat thermometer into the filet to check the temperature for doneness.

Is salmon keto approved?

Salmon is a wonderful protein to include in your keto or low carb lifestyle. It’s rich in protein and essential nutrients with more heart-healthy fatty acids than meats.

Sheet pan with salmon and vegetables.

More Low Carb Seafood Recipes

Garlic Butter Salmon is the perfect healthy sheet pan dinner! Tender salmon filets are basted with garlic butter sauce and baked with vegetables for a flavorful, nourishing meal.

Garlic Butter Salmon

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Garlic Butter Salmon is the perfect healthy sheet pan dinner! Tender salmon filets are basted with garlic butter sauce and baked with vegetables for a flavorful, nourishing meal.

Ingredients

For the Salmon and Vegetables

  • 4 salmon filets (about 6 ounces each)
  • 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced and seeded

For the Garlic Butter

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
  2. Place the salmon filets with skin side down (if they have skin) on foil lined baking sheet. Arrange broccoli and peppers around salmon (not on top if possible).
  3. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with garli, parsley, salt, and pepper. Using a silicone basting brush, spread the butter mixture over the salmon filets. Squeeze lemon over the salmon and veggies.
  4. Cover the salmon and veggies with a second piece of foil, pinching the edges of each sheet together and rolling them up.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
  6. Remove from oven and open the foil (away from your face). Serve and enjoy hot.

Notes

  • Delicious served with cauliflower rice or roasted radishes.
  • Leftover salmon can be refrigerated and eaten within 3 days.
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 315Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 256mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 27g

Garlic Butter Salmon is a one pan low carb meal that takes almost no time to prepare with delicious good-for-you results!

Elise

Tuesday 29th of November 2022

Cooking time is 40 minutes or 15 minutes?

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