Basil & Lemon Baked Salmon in Foil

Basil & Lemon Salmon is wrapped in foil and then baked in the oven until tender and flaky.  This healthy, easy, and low-carb seafood recipe is full of fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice.  It makes a wonderful family and kid-friendly keto and Paleo dinner recipe for busy weeknights!

Want a few other healthy salmon recipes?  You might also enjoy this Honey Sriracha Glazed Salmon and this Blackened Salmon recipe.

Basil Lemon Salmon

When the Spring season starts, there is one thing I can never seem to get enough of…

LEMON!

Whether it’s mixed with dill in a Creamy Cucumber Salad…

Given a pop of confetti in these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins..

Roasted with garlic with this Roasted Asparagus…

Or served with fresh basil in this baked salmon in foil recipe you see here.

Ingredients

A big reason why this salmon recipe is so popular is how simple the ingredients are to find.

During the summer season you may already have all of these ingredients on hand – either in your pantry or in your summer garden!

If you’re not growing fresh basil, it’s also super easy to find these ingredients at your local grocery store.

• Salmon – A little over a pound of fresh, wild, salmon is used in this recipe.
• Lemons – Juice that has been freshly squeezed is a key ingredient.
• Basil – Fresh basil, not dried, is the other star of the show.
• Butter – A higher-quality butter, such as Plugra or Kerrygold, will take this dish over the top.
  • Feel free to use a non-dairy butter alternative such as vegan “buttery” sticks.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves give a wonderfully nutty taste.
• Salt and Pepper – Adjust these according to your taste preference.

Wild and Fresh

When you purchase salmon from your grocery store you will have a few options to choose from.

Fresh vs. Previously Frozen

Fresh means it has never been frozen and will have a better taste and texture.

Previously frozen is still a great option if you are not in the midst of salmon season.  (This is typically from May-August.)

Wild-Caught vs. Farm-Raised

Wild, versus farm-raised, is a healthier option since it was caught while in its natural habitat.

The salmon ate a more diverse array of microorganisms and has a richer nutrient profile.

Farm-raised will have a slightly better flavor and more fat versus wild-caught.

Learn more about wild versus farm-raised here.

Foil Packets

When this recipe was initially created in 2017 I was unaware of the potential harmful effects that foil can have on our food.

Since then, I have adopted a new method for first wrapping the salmon in parchment paper, and then in another layer of aluminum foil.

This double-wrapping technique gives you the benefits of a good, metallic heat conductor while also creating a healthy barrier between it and your fish.

There are two ways you can do this:

• Use regular parchment paper and aluminum foil.
  • Cut the paper a little shorter so you have foil hanging over the sides to easily roll up your packets.
• Wrap it up in this double sided parchment paper-foil.
  • It’s quick, easy, and super efficient to use.
  • The one downside to it is that it can be a little difficult to fold and hold in place.

Foil packets of food are great for easy cleanup and little hassle.  They also make wonderful camping meals!

If you like this recipe, you might also want to check out these Baked Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets.

How to Bake Salmon in Foil

Now that you have all of your ingredients gathered together, let’s start baking!

Step-by-step Instructions: (See recipe card below for more detailed information.)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk together melted butter, garlic, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 
3. Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet.  Layer a piece of parchment paper that is slightly smaller than the foil on top.  Lay salmon fillets on paper with a slight gab between each one. (Step 1 above.)
4. Pour half of the lemon-basil sauce over the fillets.  Reserve the remaining sauce for later.  (Step 2 above.)
5. Top each fillet with one lemon slice.  (Step 3 above.)
6. Close paper and aluminum foil around fish to make a packet.  Make sure there is some room for air ventilation. (Step 4 above.)
7. Bake for 14-16 minutes without undoing the foil packet.
8. Open the foil packet, pour remaining lemon-basil sauce over fillets.
9. Return to oven under a High broil for 5-7 minutes. Watch closely while broiling.
10. Remove from oven once salmon starts to brown slightly.

Other Variations

While this is already a low-carb, Paleo, whole30, and gluten-free dinner recipe, there are a few tweaks you can make:

• Try using dill or cilantro in place of basil.
• Switch up the citrus and try out limes or oranges!
• Not a salmon fan?  Another fish, such as mahi mahi or cod, will work great, too!

FAQs

Do I need to remove the skin before baking?

It is not necessary to remove the skin before baking it in the oven.  In fact, it helps retain the fat and flavor and is best if left on.

Can I use a non-dairy alternative in place of butter?

Yes, you can use coconut oil or a vegan butter substitute in place of the butter.  However, you will have a slightly different flavor profile.

Can I use frozen salmon?

If using frozen fish, make sure you defrost it completely before baking in oven.

If cooked directly from frozen you will end up with quite a bit more liquid (water) and it may not cook evenly.

Sides to Serve

This fish recipe is a great main dish and pairs well with a number of sides.

A few different dishes you can pair this with include:

Roasted Cauliflower

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Instant Pot Mashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

4.5 from 34 votes

Basil Lemon Baked Salmon in Foil

Basil & Lemon Salmon is wrapped in foil and then baked in the oven until tender and flaky.  This healthy, easy, and low-carb seafood recipe is full of fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice.  It makes a wonderful family and kid-friendly keto and Paleo dinner recipe for busy weeknights!

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Seafood

Keyword basil salmon, lemon salmon, salmon in foil

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 226 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ lbs. salmon skin on, cut into 5 fillets
• 5 Tbsp. butter melted
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 2 Tbsp. basil finely chopped, packed
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice divided
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 5 lemon slices
• See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #1

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Whisk melted butter, garlic, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Layer a piece of parchment paper that is slightly smaller than the foil on top.

   

4. Lay salmon fillets on paper with a slight gab between each one.

5. Pour half of the lemon-basil sauce over salmon fillets. Reserve the remaining sauce for later.  

   

6. Top each fillet with one lemon slice.

   

7. Close paper and aluminum foil around salmon to make a packet. Bake salmon for 14-16 minutes without undoing the foil packet.

   

8. Open the foil packet, pour remaining lemon-basil sauce over fillets and return salmon to oven under a High broil for 5-7 minutes. (Make sure you tear off or fold down any parchment paper that might be sticking up!)

9. Watch salmon closely while broiling. Once salmon starts to brown slightly, remove from oven and serve immediately.  See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #1

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Basil Lemon Baked Salmon in Foil

Amount Per Serving

Calories 226 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 78mg26%

Sodium 369mg16%

Potassium 478mg14%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 605IU12%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.