Garlic Butter Salmon Asparagus (Printable Version)

Salmon and asparagus roasted in garlic butter, delivering a flavorful and elegant main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

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

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 pound fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
03 - 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
04 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 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 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
04 - Drizzle the garlic butter sauce evenly over the salmon and asparagus.
05 - Roast in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the asparagus is tender.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley before serving. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, making it ideal for weeknight dinners when you still want to feel accomplished.
  • Garlic butter does the heavy lifting—it transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes restaurant-quality without any fussy techniques.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and works beautifully for pescatarian guests, so it solves the dinner party puzzle of feeding different diets at one table.
02 -
  • Overcooked salmon becomes dry and mealy, so pull it when it still looks slightly underdone in the center—carryover cooking will finish it perfectly.
  • Don't skip mincing the garlic finely; coarse chunks won't distribute through the sauce and will taste too harsh, whereas fine pieces mellow into the butter as it roasts.
03 -
  • Pat your salmon dry before cooking; any moisture on the surface will steam instead of sear, so a quick paper towel pass makes a noticeable difference in texture.
  • Room temperature butter whisks into the sauce more smoothly than cold butter, creating a silkier emulsion that clings to everything it coats.
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