Easy • weeknight dinners
Lemon-Garlic Butter Salmon with Asparagus
Flaky salmon and tender asparagus baked together on one sheet pan with a glossy lemon-garlic butter.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Advertisement
Salmon and asparagus might be the easiest "looks impressive" dinner in the rotation. Everything bakes together on one sheet pan, swimming in a lemony garlic butter that doubles as a sauce. It's ready in under 25 minutes, and the only real skill is not overcooking the fish — pull it out the moment it flakes.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or off
- 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh dill or parsley, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
Whisk together the melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, and Dijon. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 3
Spread the asparagus on the pan in a single layer. Drizzle with about a third of the butter mixture and toss to coat.
Step 4
Pat the salmon fillets dry, season with salt and pepper, and nestle them on top of or beside the asparagus. Spoon the remaining butter over the salmon and top each fillet with a lemon slice or two.
Step 5
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the asparagus is bright green and just tender.
Step 6
Shower with fresh dill or parsley and serve immediately, spooning the pan juices over the top.
Tips
- Thicker fillets need closer to 15 minutes; thin ones can be done in 10. When in doubt, pull early.
- Skinny asparagus cooks fast — skip the early start if your spears are pencil-thin.
- A side of rice or warm crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the lemon butter.
More recipes you'll love
A creamy, mildly spiced coconut chicken curry that comes together faster than takeout — and tastes better.