Lemon Butter Salmon

Jake's note

"This lemon-butter method highlights the richness of the salmon while letting the citrus and sweet onion shine. It’s perfect for a low-fuss dinner that feels special — pair with rice, roasted vegetables, or a crisp salad."

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and season

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towel, then drizzle with olive oil and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

   For this step

   • 4 filletsSalmon fillets (skin-on or skinless)
   • 1 tbspOlive oil
   • 1 tspKosher salt
   • 1/2 tspBlack pepper (freshly ground)
   
2. 2

   Sear the fillets

   Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the salmon, skin-side down if applicable, and sear 2–3 minutes without moving to crisp the skin; flip and sear the other side 30–45 seconds to color.
   
3. 3

   Top with lemon, onion and butter

   Transfer the fillets in the skillet (or move to a baking dish) and arrange lemon slices and a few thin white onion slices atop each fillet. Place a butter pat (about 1 tbsp) on each piece so the butter will melt over the fish while baking.

   For this step

   • 1 medium (sliced)Lemon, sliced
   • 1/2 medium (sliced)White onion, thinly sliced
   • 4 tbspUnsalted butter, sliced into pats
   
4. 4

   Bake until just cooked

   Place the skillet or baking dish in the preheated oven and bake 8–10 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (internal temp ~125–130°F/52–55°C for medium).
   
5. 5

   Rest and finish

   Remove from oven and let rest 2 minutes so juices settle. Spoon the melted lemon-butter and onion juices over the fillets and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

   For this step

   • 2 tbspFresh parsley, chopped
6. 6

   Serve

   Serve one fillet per person (about 200g). Optionally squeeze extra lemon over each portion and pair with rice, potatoes or a green salad for a complete meal.
   

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towel, then drizzle with olive oil and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the salmon, skin-side down if applicable, and sear 2–3 minutes without moving to crisp the skin; flip and sear the other side 30–45 seconds to color.
3. Transfer the fillets in the skillet (or move to a baking dish) and arrange lemon slices and a few thin white onion slices atop each fillet. Place a butter pat (about 1 tbsp) on each piece so the butter will melt over the fish while baking.
4. Place the skillet or baking dish in the preheated oven and bake 8–10 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (internal temp ~125–130°F/52–55°C for medium).
5. Remove from oven and let rest 2 minutes so juices settle. Spoon the melted lemon-butter and onion juices over the fillets and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
6. Serve one fillet per person (about 200g). Optionally squeeze extra lemon over each portion and pair with rice, potatoes or a green salad for a complete meal.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

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