Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
This simple weeknight-friendly salmon is made special thanks to a quick and creamy sauce made from sour cream, fresh dill, and lemon juice.
Serves4
Prep10 minutes
Cook8 minutes to 12 minutes
Salmon makes a year-round appearance at my dinner table, although I alter the preparation depending on the season. This lemony version, made bright with a creamy dill sauce, is my absolutely favorite way to enjoy salmon through the spring. Pretty pink fillets are baked with lots of garlic and lemon, then topped with a luxe sour cream and dill sauce. It’s simple and understated, yet oh-so satisfying.
Mustard Is the Secret to the Best Creamy Dill Sauce
The sauce for this baked salmon really couldn’t be easier, but it’s the small details that make it stand out. Sour cream is so rich and flavorful it hardly needs any tinkering besides stirring in lots of sweet dill. But add just a bit of Dijon mustard, and suddenly it’s pure magic. The sharp bite of the mustard cuts through the rich sour cream while mingling perfectly with its tang. Add a bit of lemon juice to mirror the seasoning of the salmon and to thin out the sauce a touch, and dinner is something to cheer about.
Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
This simple weeknight-friendly salmon is made special thanks to a quick and creamy sauce made from sour cream, fresh dill, and lemon juice.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 8 minutes to 12 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 cloves
garlic
- 4
(6-ounce) skin on or skinless salmon fillets
- 1
medium lemon
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1
small bunch fresh dill
- 1/2 cup
sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, marinate the salmon and make the sauce.
Mince 2 garlic cloves and place in a baking dish large enough to fit the 4 salmon fillets in one layer with a bit of room in between each piece. Halve 1 medium lemon and squeeze the juice from one half into the baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and whisk with a fork to combine. Add 4 salmon fillets, turning them over gently a few times to evenly coat in the lemon-garlic mixture. Arrange in a single layer skin-side up if there is skin. Cover and refrigerate.
Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon half into a small bowl. Set aside a few fresh dill sprigs for garnish if desired, then finely chop more dill until you have 2 tablespoons. Add the chopped dill, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
When the oven is ready, uncover the salmon and roast until cooked through and easily flaked, 8 to 12 minutes. An instant-read thermometer into the middle of the thickest fillet should register 120°F to 130°F for medium-rare, or 135°F to 145°F if you prefer it more well-done. Serve topped with the creamy dill sauce. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
Storage: Leftover salmon and sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days.