Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon in Foil

Simple ingredients yield delicious results in this easy Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon recipe, which can be made in 30 minutes or less! Salmon fillets are drizzled with a citrusy garlic butter, topped with fresh lemon slices, wrapped in a foil packet, and oven-baked until tender and flaky. This healthy and low-carb seafood dinner shows that elegant weeknight dinners don’t always have to be complicated.

When winter thaws and the spring season starts, there’s one thing I can never seem to get enough of as the warm weather sets in… the bright, acidic taste of fresh lemons!

And soon enough, there always follows an abundance of fresh, wild-caught salmon at the grocery store. With recipes like Lemon Dill Salmon and Air Fryer Fish coming into season, it’s hard not to take advantage of the match made in heaven that is fresh lemons and even fresher seafood. 

With this recipe for Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon, these two bright, refreshing ingredients meet rich butter and aromatic garlic and basil, to make a delicious dish all wrapped up to bake in aluminum foil. 

By wrapping the salmon in foil – otherwise called the “foil packet” method – heat and moisture stay trapped inside with the food, and that gorgeous fillet of fish is able to baste in the lemon-garlic butter as it bakes.

For those who prefer not to use aluminum foil, no worries – this method works equally well with parchment paper!

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make this Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon recipe include:

• Salmon. A little over a pound of fresh, wild salmon is used in this recipe, as it has the best taste and texture, but previously frozen or farm-raised Atlantic salmon will do as well. Wild salmon is healthier and has the benefit of a richer nutrient profile from its natural habitat, and farm-raised salmon will have a slightly better flavor and a higher fat content.
• Lemons. Freshly-squeezed, natural juice from a lemon is a key ingredient, bringing acid and bright, tart flavor to the salmon as it cooks. Avoid pre-squeezed, bottled lemon juice – it’s extremely tart, not nearly as fresh, and often contains preservatives. For a different taste, limes or oranges may be used as a substitute.
• Basil. Fresh basil, not dried, is the other star of the show. Sweet basil is preferred but Thai basil may also be used, as can dill or fresh cilantro for a different flavor profile.
• Butter. A good-quality butter, such as Plugrá or Kerrygold, will take this dish over the top with its rich flavor and high fat content. Feel free to use a non-dairy butter alternative such as vegan “buttery” sticks.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves give a wonderfully aromatic taste. You can substitute with garlic powder, at ⅛ teaspoon for each clove, but the flavor will be significantly less fresh.

Note: If using currently frozen salmon, ensure that it has time ahead of baking to fully defrost, and that any excess liquid is patted dry from it before seasoning. If cooked directly from frozen, too much extra liquid will be generated from the melting frost and the salmon may not cook evenly. 

How to Bake Salmon in Foil

The basic steps for making Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon are simple to follow:

Slice the Salmon

Begin preheating the oven to 375 °F. 

If your salmon was purchased in a whole fillet as opposed to pre-sliced salmon steaks, leave the skin on to help ensure that the delicate meat of the fish holds together during slicing and cooking. Once it is cooked, it is easy to separate the meat from the skin for eating.

When cutting salmon, it is extremely important to use a very sharp knife, both to avoid injury and to make clean cuts. A light, flexible filleting knife designed for cutting delicate fish thinly is ideal for this, but any freshly sharpened knife will do.

Going crosswise into the salmon, cut the fillet into 1½-2 inch portions, depending on weight and preference. A single portion of salmon generally lands between 3-5 ounces in weight.

Prepare the Packet

On a large baking sheet, lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil, big enough to wrap around all of the salmon at once. Place another sheet of parchment paper, only slightly smaller than the foil, on top. 

By double layering the foil packet with a sheet of parchment paper as well, the delicate fish steaks are further insulated during cooking. They are also protected from direct contact with the aluminum, which can cause it to stick. 

Alternatively, a double-sided parchment paper “foil” packet may be used instead, to avoid the use of aluminum entirely. This is more difficult to fold and keep closed, but works just as well for baking the salmon.

Lay the sliced salmon fillet out on top of the material for the packet, with a small amount of space left in between the individual steaks.

Season the Salmon

In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic, fresh basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Spoon half of the lemon-garlic butter over the salmon, spreading it generously across and between the steaks, for full coverage. Save the other half of the sauce for later, when the salmon is finished cooking.

Top each salmon steak with a thin slice of fresh lemon. This gives the salmon a little bit of an extra lemony kick while cooking, and provides a lovely garnish effect for the final dish.

Seal and Bake

Carefully close the parchment paper and aluminum around the fish to create a packet, folding and sealing the edges as much as possible. Make sure that there is nowhere for the lemon-garlic butter to leak out of the packet, and that there is still some room left inside the packets for air ventilation.

When the sides of the foil packet are sealed, bake it for 14-16 minutes without opening it. This gives the fish time to steam and baste in its own juices, achieving that lovely, bright flavor and tender texture.

Pull the salmon from the oven, and open the foil packet, pouring the remaining sauce over the fillets. Ensure the open packet is still folded to keep the butter mixture contained, and return it to the oven under a high-heat broiler for 5-7 minutes.

Broiling the salmon after baking helps give it a last high-intensity flash of cooking which will give it a lovely surface browning, without overcooking it. Watch the fillets closely as they broil, to ensure they don’t burn. 

When the salmon has just slightly browned at the surface, remove it from the oven and serve!

Meal Prep & Storage

• To Prep Ahead: The sauce can be prepared and the raw salmon cut to size ahead of time. These can be stored separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers for up to 24 hours.
• To Store: The baked lemon-garlic butter salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• To Freeze: This dish can be frozen in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag for up to 3-4 months.
• To Reheat: The best way to reheat this baked salmon is to pop it back into a 300 °F oven for 5-7 minutes. It can also be heated up in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free, low-carb, keto, Paleo, and Whole30 as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Dairy-Free: Substitute the butter for coconut oil or a vegan butter alternative. Be aware that the coconut oil will yield a slightly different flavor profile, however.
• Paleo and Whole30: Replace the butter with ghee.

FAQs

Pro Tips and Tricks

• Pack it in. This recipe showcases the salmon being baked in a foil packet on its own, but other vegetables like tomatoes, asparagus, potatoes, and much more can often be baked alongside it too.
• Don’t overdo it. Over-cooking salmon, even in a moisture-retaining method like a foil packet, can turn the fish dry and stringy instead of tender and flaky.
• Go for the fresh stuff. Wild salmon is healthier and more nutrient-dense than farm-raised, while fresh has more flavor and a better texture than salmon that has been previously frozen.
• Portion it ahead. By slicing a larger cut of salmon into smaller portions before cooking, it ensures the sauce can fully penetrate the fish, and that it can cook much more quickly and evenly than a big cut.
• Get a little zesty. To really amp up that lovely lemon flavor, try grating just a little bit of fresh lemon zest into the butter sauce before cooking.
• Try different herbs. Basil tastes great with salmon, but so do many other herbs, including fresh dill, rosemary, parsley, oregano, and thyme.

Make it a Meal

This fish recipe is a great main dish and goes very well with a number of sides. A few different healthy vegetable dishes you can pair this with include:

• Roasted Cauliflower
• Oven Roasted Broccoli
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer Asparagus

More Salmon Recipes

Make the most of fresh, wild salmon being in season with even more of these amazing recipes:

• Blackened Salmon
• Lemon and Dill Salmon
• Teriyaki Salmon
• Honey Sriracha Glazed Salmon