Baked Salmon Lemon Dill (Printable)
Tender salmon fillets baked and dressed with a bright, creamy lemon dill sauce for easy elegance.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salmon
01 - 4 skinless or skin-on salmon fillets, 6 oz each
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 lemon, sliced
→ Lemon Dill Sauce
06 - ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
07 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried dill)
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt
13 - ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it lightly.
02 - Arrange the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then season evenly with salt and black pepper. Top each fillet with a lemon slice.
03 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
04 - While the salmon cooks, whisk together sour cream or Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
05 - Remove the salmon from the oven, plate the fillets, and spoon the lemon dill sauce over the top or serve alongside. Garnish optionally with additional dill or lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The salmon comes out impossibly tender and flaky while staying moist, not dry like so many baked versions.
- That lemon dill sauce tastes restaurant-quality but takes five minutes to whisk together in a bowl.
- It's naturally gluten-free and hits that sweet spot between weeknight easy and special-occasion elegant.
02 -
- Don't overbake the salmon or it becomes rubbery. The carryover heat will finish cooking it after you pull it from the oven, so pull it out when it still looks slightly underdone on the very inside.
- Make the sauce ahead of time if you want to simplify your evening. It actually tastes better after an hour in the fridge, letting all the flavors get cozy together.
03 -
- Pat your salmon dry with paper towels before seasoning. Dry fish gets golden edges and cooks more evenly than wet fish.
- If you don't have fresh dill, a pinch of tarragon or chives in the sauce keeps things interesting and equally delicious.