Garlic Butter Salmon Asparagus (Printable)

Salmon fillets roasted with asparagus and garlic butter for a flavorful and elegant dinner.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

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 salmon in a single layer. Tuck lemon slices between salmon and asparagus.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until combined.
04 - Drizzle garlic butter sauce evenly over salmon and asparagus.
05 - Roast in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork and asparagus is tender.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy enough for guests but comes together in under 35 minutes, leaving you time to actually enjoy company instead of being stuck at the stove.
  • The garlic butter crisps the asparagus while keeping the salmon impossibly moist, so you get textural contrast without fussing with multiple pans.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and adaptable, so you're not juggling special diets or apologizing for limitations.
02 -
  • Overcooking salmon by even two minutes turns it from silky to dry, so test it earlier than you think you should—the flesh should still have a tiny bit of resistance when you flake it.
  • Don't skip whisking the butter and seasonings together; it's the difference between a sauce that clings to the food and one that slides off into the pan.
03 -
  • Pat the salmon dry with paper towels before cooking—moisture is the enemy of browning, and you want the top to get just slightly golden.
  • If you have fresh dill instead of parsley, use it without hesitation; the anise notes are extraordinary with salmon and lemon.
Go Back