Lemon & Dill Salmon

This Lemon Dill Salmon is one of the best and easiest recipes for baking it in the oven!  Salmon filets are placed in a baking dish, coated with a butter sauce full of garlic and fresh dill, topped with lemon slices, and then baked in the oven until perfectly flaky.  This low-carb, keto, Whole30 and Paleo-friendly recipe can be ready and on your dinner table in under 20 minutes!

Lemon Dill Salmon Recipe

How could something so simple be so LOADED with flavor?!

This is a question I often ask myself whenever I make salmon of any kind. (Lemon Basil Salmon, Salmon Curry, Blackened Salmon…)

Now this Lemon Dill Salmon has absolutely stolen my heart.  And I have a feeling it’s going to win you over, too.

With it’s super flaky flesh, fresh dill flavor, hints of garlic and butter, and then JUST enough lemon juice to balance it all out.

Even those loved ones of yours who didn’t think they liked salmon before will soon be humming a different tune.

And you, my dear one, will be over-the-moon excited to learn how EASY this recipe is to make!

Yup, I’m talking slice up some filets, plop them in a baking dish, coat them in a 5-ingredient butter sauce, and then bake it in the oven.

Unlike other baked salmon recipes, this one is NOT wrapped in foil – so it’s much healthier for you.

The entire process, from start to finish, will be done in less than 20-minutes!

Not to mention, this simple baked salmon recipe is also low-carb, keto, Whole30, and Paleo approved – so just about everyone at the table can enjoy it.

Ingredients

The ingredients needed for this lemon dill salmon recipe include:

Salmon.  You will need one pound of salmon.  It’s preferable if you can find a center cut in order to make all of the filets similar in size.  (The tail end tends to taper out and become less thick.). Also, wild salmon is the healthiest option for you while fresh salmon will taste the best and have a better texture.  However, farm-raised and previously frozen salmon can both be used.

Dill.  Fresh dill is finely chopped and then whisked together into a butter garlic sauce.  The dill is a wonderful complement to the savory butter and the pungent garlic.  Dried dill can also be used, but only use 1 teaspoon of it.  Other herbs may also be substituted such as rosemary, thyme, or even basil.

Garlic.  Crushed garlic cloves are a key component to the garlic butter sauce.  When you’re drizzling the sauce over the salmon, make sure the garlic is spread out over all of the filets.  If not, someone may end up getting a big ole’ bite of too much garlic!

Butter.  Just a few tablespoons of butter are needed to create the simple sauce.  Salted butter was used when testing this recipe, but unsalted can be used if you’d like to adjust the sodium to your preference.  Feel free to substitute with a dairy-free butter alternative, olive oil, avocado oil, or even ghee.

Lemons.  One lemon is cut into 4 slices and then baked in the oven.  It’s best if you keep the lemon in slices so the juices slowly release while baking.  Mixing lemon juice into the sauce will give the finished dish a more pungent flavor.

Cutting Salmon into Filets

While you can bake the whole piece of salmon, it cooks up faster if it is cut into filets before baking.

Also, do not remove the skin!  It’s actually much easier to remove salmon skin after it is cooked.  It will literally peel right off with very little effort!

Cut the piece of salmon into four 4-ounce portions.  It gets a little challenging to cut once you get to the skin, so it’s best if you use a relatively sharp knife.

Garlic Butter Dill Sauce

The sauce for this baked salmon recipe is incredibly easy to make and only takes five ingredients.

Simply whisk together the melted butter, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Pro Tip:  Make sure the butter is melted so the sauce mixes together easily.

How to Bake Lemon Dill Salmon

Once you have the salmon and the sauce prepared, it’s time to bake it in the oven.  Here are the steps to make this baked lemon dill salmon recipe:

1. Place salmon filets, skin-side down, into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Make sure they each have a little space in-between them so they cook up evenly. (step 1 above)
2. Drizzle equal amounts of the butter sauce over all of the filets.  Spread the sauce all over the filets so the garlic and herbs are evenly dispersed. (step 2 above)
3. Place one lemon slice on top of each piece of salmon.  Try to use a lemon that is about the same diameter as the filets are thick. (step 3 above)
4. Cover the baking dish with a piece of aluminum foil and bake in the preheated 425°F oven for 13-15 minutes.  You’ll need less time for filets less than 1-inch thick and slightly more time for filets that are more than 1-inch thick. (step 4 above)
5. Remove the aluminum foil during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking and return it to the oven.  Doing this allows the edges to crisp up slightly.

Dietary Modifications

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

Dairy-Free.  Use olive oil or a dairy-free butter alternative in place of the butter.

Whole30.  You can use one of the alternatives above for the butter or you can also use ghee.

Meal Prep and Storage

To Prep Ahead:  Whisk together the sauce and prep the salmon in the baking dish.  Leave off the lemon slices until just before baking.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.

To Store: Baked salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3-4 months.

To Reheat:  The best way to reheat this baked lemon salmon is to pop it back into a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes.  You can also heat it up in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes.

FAQs

Do I need to remove the salmon skin before baking?

You do not need to remove the skin from salmon before baking.  In fact, the skin will peel off much easier from the salmon filets after it is baked in the oven.

What type of salmon is best?

Wild salmon is the healthiest option while fresh salmon will taste the best.  You will normally only be able to find wild and fresh salmon during it’s peak season months.

When is salmon in season?

Salmon is typically in season from early May until late September, with its peak fishing months from June to August.  This is when you have the best chance to find both wild and fresh salmon in your grocery stores.

How do I know when my salmon is cooked?

Salmon is cooked through when the thickest portion reaches an internal temperature of 145°F and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Pro Tips and Tricks

• Use wild and fresh salmon when available.  Wild salmon is healthier than farm-raised while fresh has more flavor and a better texture than previously frozen.
• Keep the skin on the salmon.  The skin becomes much easier to peel after the fish is done baking.
• Cut the salmon into filets.  Smaller portions of salmon cook much faster and more evenly than cooking a whole pound of salmon at one time.
• Add in a little lemon zest to the butter sauce.  This will add an even bigger punch of citrus flavor to the sauce!
• Switch out the herbs in the sauce.  Dill is the best herb to use with salmon, but fresh basil, rosemary, and thyme will all work great.

Make it a Meal

This lemon dill salmon is the star of the show, but any good main attraction needs a few accompaniments.  So here are a few side dish ideas that go well with baked lemon salmon:

Air Fryer Broccoli with Parmesan

Roasted Cauliflower

Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Instant Pot Mashed Red Potatoes

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Lemon Dill Salmon Recipe

This Lemon Dill Salmon is one of the best and easiest recipes for baking it in the oven!  Salmon filets are placed in a baking dish, coated with a butter sauce full of garlic and fresh dill, topped with lemon slices, and then baked in the oven until perfectly flaky. 

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword easy, low-carb, seafood

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 194 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 1 lb. salmon cut into 4-oz filets
• 2 Tbsp. butter melted
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 Tbsp. dill fresh
• 4 lemon slices
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Leaving the skin on, cut salmon into four 4-oz. filets.
3. Whisk together the butter, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Spray a large 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon filets into it, skin-side down, with a little space in-between each one.
5. Drizzle equal amounts of the butter sauce over all of the filets and place one lemon slice on each one.
6. Cover the baking dish with a piece of aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
7. Remove the aluminum foil during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking to allow the edges to crisp up slightly.
8. Serve salmon immediately with additional fresh dill and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can also use olive or vegetable oil in place of the butter if avoiding dairy.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Dill Salmon Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 194 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 76mg3%

Potassium 594mg17%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 142IU3%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

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

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