Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

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Baked salmon portions with lemon wedges, dill, and a spoonful of creamy sauce on a plate.

CATEGORY:

Mains

Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

Simple baked salmon with garlic, fresh lemon and plenty of dill for an easy weeknight staple.

5 mins active, 20 mins total

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free, High-Protein, No Added Sugar, Grain-Free

JUMP TO RECIPE

PREP

COOK

INACTIVE

5 min

15 min

0 min

TOTAL TIME

20 min

COOKING METHOD(S):

Oven

The Salmon Recipe to Keep in Your Back Pocket

This is the salmon recipe for nights when you don’t need dinner to be clever—you just need it to be good. Garlic, lemon and dill are classic for a reason, giving rich salmon plenty of freshness without overwhelming it.

The oven keeps the method simple and dependable. Pair it with roasted vegetables, potatoes, rice or a salad and you have an easy dinner that works just as well for family night as it does for company.

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Dad Man Tips & Hacks

How to Tell When Baked Salmon Is Done — No Thermometer Required

Forget the clock for a second and look at the fish. Salmon tells you when it’s ready.

Gently press the thickest part with a fork. The flesh should separate easily along its natural flakes, but still look moist and slightly translucent in the very center. If it’s completely opaque, firm and flaking apart everywhere, you’ve probably gone farther than you needed to.

You may also notice a little white stuff appearing on the surface. That’s albumin—a harmless protein being pushed out of the fish as it cooks. A little is perfectly normal. If your salmon suddenly looks like it’s been caught in a snowstorm, though, that’s usually a sign it’s cooking too aggressively or becoming overdone.

The trick is to pull salmon when it looks just a touch less done than you want to eat it. The residual heat will continue cooking the center for a few minutes after it leaves the oven.

Substitutions

Steelhead, trout or another rich fish can replace salmon with little change to the method.
Parsley, chives or tarragon can stand in for dill or added alongside.
Lime works in place of lemon for a different citrus note.
Ghee or olive oil can replace butter if you want the recipe dairy-free while keeping the fish moist.

Storage & Leftovers

Refrigerate cooked salmon in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a low oven or enjoy it cold in salads and bowls.
Leftover salmon also makes an excellent filling for salmon cakes or salmon hash on Saturday morning.

Make It Ahead

Mix the garlic, lemon and dill topping up to a day ahead and refrigerate it.
The salmon can be placed in its baking dish and refrigerated several hours before dinner; add the seasoning mixture shortly before it goes into the oven.

A Little Food History

Wild salmon has fed communities along the Pacific coast since time immemorial and remains a central food, cultural, and spiritual resource for many Indigenous peoples. Salmon traditions vary from place to place and include fishing, sharing, preserving, and serving the seasonal catch. Lemon, garlic, and dill give this baked version a familiar European-American flavor profile: dill has a long place in northern and eastern European cooking, while lemon brightens fish dishes across many cuisines.

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Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

CATEGORY:

Mains

SERVINGS

SERVING SIZE

1 piece

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 425°F.
Place salmon on a lined sheet pan.
Rub with the olive oil (or melted butter if not avoiding dairy), sprinkle with salt and pepper and then with garlic, zest from half the lemon, and the dill. Fresh dill is best but dry will do.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness.
Squeeze fresh lemon over the salmon and finish with more fresh dill.
Cut into roughly equal sized pieces based on the number of servings prepared if you are meal prepping and counting macros.

Jump to Recipe

Calories	202
Total Fat (g)	10.2
Sat. Fat (g)	1.9
Trans Fat (g)	0
Cholesterol (mg)	62
Sodium (mg)	188
Total Carbs (g)	1.8
Dietary Fiber (g)	0.2
Total Sugars (g)	0.3
Added Sugars (g)	0
Protein (g)	24.7

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Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

The Salmon Recipe to Keep in Your Back Pocket

Related Recipes

Dad Man Tips & Hacks

COMING SOON!

Nutrition Facts

Substitutions

Storage & Leftovers

Make It Ahead

A Little Food History

Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

The Salmon Recipe to Keep in Your Back Pocket

Related Recipes

Baked Wild Salmon with Garlic, Lemon & Dill

INGREDIENTS

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INSTRUCTIONS

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