Garlic Butter Salmon Asparagus (Print Version)

Salmon fillets and fresh asparagus roasted in garlic butter for a flavorful spring main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on or skinless

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
03 - 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
04 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - Position salmon fillets in the center of the baking sheet. Arrange trimmed asparagus around the salmon in a single layer. Tuck lemon slices between salmon and asparagus.
03 - Whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - Drizzle the garlic butter sauce evenly over the salmon and asparagus.
05 - Roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes until salmon flakes easily with a fork and asparagus is tender.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter creates this glossy, restaurant-quality sauce that tastes like you spent hours on it when you really spent five minutes whisking.
  • Everything cooks on one sheet, which means cleanup becomes a non-event and you can actually enjoy dinner instead of scrubbing pans.
02 -
  • Salmon continues cooking after you pull it from the oven, so remove it when it's still just barely opaque in the thickest part—err on the side of underdone if you're unsure.
  • Room temperature butter whisks into a smoother sauce than cold butter, and the garlic distributes evenly instead of sitting in little clusters waiting to burn.
03 -
  • Let your oven preheat fully so the salmon hits a properly hot surface and develops that golden exterior while staying tender inside.
  • If you have fresh thyme or dill, toss a few sprigs into the pan before roasting because herb-infused butter is where dreams are made.
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