Quick and Easy Lemon Garlic Salmon Recipe

Quick and easy meals don’t have to be boring

I have been on a mission this year to make simple, tasty meals that are quick and easy to make. The aim was to create recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight.

We all struggle to make healthy and tasty meals while keeping on top of everything else in life.

This recipe is healthy, delicious, quick and easy to make; you can cook on a single tray in the oven. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes, that is all of the slicing, dicing and mixing.

Each meal is portioned to feed four adults.

A reminder of the past

For many years, I would make regular trips to Northland and had access to a lemon tree that produced more lemons than anyone could eat. For a while, I would bring home the abundance of lemons and make lemon curd. On one trip, there was an abundance of lemons at the end of the season, and I wanted to do something a bit different with them. I would share salmon as a treat with my former mother-in-law and thought combining the homegrown lemons with a slab of salmon was a match made in heaven. 

More goodies

When I first came up with this recipe, I could have taken the boring route and just sliced the lemons and baked them together, but I wanted to try something new. With herbs from the garden and a well-stocked pantry, I grabbed some parsley and garlic to mash with the lemons. Adding butter created a rich paste that spread easily over each salmon steak, giving it great flavour and a built-in dressing. While the memories of Northland lemons now are more bitter than sweet, I still love this recipe and the flavours it brings to the plate.

Lemon garlic herb crusted salmon recipe

Quick and easy lemon herb salmon ingredients. Salmon fillets, dill, chives, basil, garlic, lemon zest, butter, salt and pepper.

Ingredients

  • 4 Salmon fillets
  • 1 tbsp. dill
  • 1 tbsp. chives
  • 1 tbsp. basil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Zest of a lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • 85g Butter

Instructions

Line a baking tray with some baking paper or a silicone liner; and place the salmon fillets on the tray.

Salmon fillet
Salmon fillets on a lined baking sheet

Take the remaining ingredients and place them in a small saucepan or the microwave safe bowl.

Gently heat the ingredients in the saucepan over a low heat, stir everything together as the butter melts.

Or melt the butter in the microwave and add the herbs, lemon and garlic to the butter.

Melted butter
Minced fresh dill
Finely chopped fresh chives
Finely chopped fresh basil
Fresh herbs in a bowl with melted butter

When the herb butter is melted, mix it all together.

Minced fresh garlic was added to the herb and butter mix
Fresh lemon zest added to the garlic and herb butter
Well mixed herb butter

Spread the herb butter quickly over the top of each fillet evenly.

Herb butter on top of salmon fillets waiting to be spread
Salmon fillets with herb butter coating
Salmon fillets wrapped in baking paper ready for the oven

Bake the salmon at 200 degrees C/ 400 degrees F for 10 to 20 minutes, this will depend on the size of the fillets.

Serve with a fresh salad or greens.

Herb butter crusted salmon fresh from the oven ready to be served
Herb crusted salmon plated with fresh salad, cucumber and slaw

Lemon garlic herb crusted salmon

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

This simple meal is quick and easy to make and is a great way to make the most of seasonal lemons



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 4 Salmon fillets
  • 1 tbsp. dill
  • 1 tbsp. chives
  • 1 tbsp. basil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Zest of a lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • 85g Butter

Directions

  1. Line a baking tray with some baking paper or a silicone liner.  and place the salmon fillets on the tray.
  2. Take the remaining ingredients and place them in a small saucepan or the microwave safe bowl.
  3. Gently heat the ingredients in the saucepan over a low heat, stir everything together as the butter melts.
  4. Or melt the butter in the microwave and add the herbs, lemon and garlic to the butter.
  5. When the herb butter is melted, mix it all together.
  6. Spread the herb butter over the top of each fillet evenly.
  7. Bake the salmon at 200 degrees C/ 400 degrees F for 10 to 20 minutes, this will depend on the size of the fillets.
  8. Serve with a fresh salad or greens.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 402 calories; 31 g fat; 4 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein

Equipment

  • Zester 
  • Bowl
  • Fork
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper or a silicone liner
  • Spoon
  • Measuring spoons

Try this with

If you want something to dish alongside this recipe why not try:

Coodles

Cauliflower rice

Crunch salad

Courgette fries

If you love salmon you can find more recipes like this here

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.


Salmon cakes

Freezer meal

Hands up if you are busy. Who is way too tired to get in the kitchen to cook at the end of the day? Definitely me.

My days are filled with meetings, to-do lists, emails and telling people what to do; by the time I finish work, the last thing I want to do is get stuck into cooking a meal and cleaning up afterwards. I want to work out and do something fun before I crash. That is why freezer meals are my favourite solution to the challenge of a busy life. A few hours on the weekend, and you find yourself with a stack of options for dinner that can be thawed and cooked for a healthy, delicious meal that is good for you.

Meal prep on the weekend

Last weekend, I restocked my freezer and added a few easy meals to make life easier on those very busy days. Salmon was on special offer at my bulk store, so I picked up a side and decided that salmon cakes would be my easy-added protein option for salads over the next few weeks. I like a bit of variety when preparing meals, and these salmon cakes give me an easy option that doesn’t need to be reheated before eating and tastes fantastic. If you can get your hands on a lot of salmon at a price that doesn’t require you to sell a kidney, you can easily make a large batch and package them up for the freezer.

Salmon cakes recipe

Ingredients

  • 600g salmon fillets, cooked
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and ensure everything is well mixed. 

Take a small handful of the mixture and shape it into a patty; repeat with the remaining mixture. 

Fry the patties in some oil over medium heat until the cakes are crisp on the outside.

“Salmon

  • Rating: ★★★★★
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“Simple



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 600g salmon fillets, cooked
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and ensure everything is well mixed.
  2. Take a small handful of the mixture and shape it into a pattie; repeat with the remaining mixture.
  3. Fry the patties in some oil over medium heat until the cakes are crisp on the outside.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 192 calories; 8g fat; 5g carbohydrates; 18g protein

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Frying pan 
  • Spatula 

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.


One tray Thai salmon

Simple meals don’t have to be boring

I have been on a mission to make simple and tasty meals. I aim to create recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight. We all struggle to make healthy and delicious meals while keeping on top of everything else in life. So this recipe is designed to be healthy, delicious and easy to make. You can cook this meal on a single tray in the oven. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes and is portioned to feed four adults.  

Salmon and chilli = winning

I love all things spicy, the more chilli, the better if you ask me, this salmon has a beautiful balance of spice and sweetness. The vegetables add a perfect crunch and freshness to the salmon.

I like to add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes to the glaze for some extra heat, but this is optional. If you have to share your food with small people you can leave the extra chilli out.

One tray Thai glazed salmon recipe

One tray Thai glazed salmon ingredients

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 2 Carrots, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Thai sweet chilli sauce
  • ¼ cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
In a small bowl add the Thai sweet chilli sauce, coconut aminos and lime juice.
Add the ginger and chilli flakes.
Whisk well.
Line a baking tray.
Lay the salmon on the tray skin side down.
Add the carrots.
Add the onions.
Add the green and red peppers.
Add the snow peas
Add the sauce to the salmon but hold back 1/4 cup for later.
Add the remaining sauce to the salmon before serving.

One tray Thai glazed salmon

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

This one tray meal a great option for busy week nights or an action packed weekend.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 2 Carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup Thai sweet chilli sauce
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp. lime juice
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/ 375 degrees F and line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.
  2. Lay the salmon skin side down surrounded by sliced vegetables.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together Thai sweet chilli sauce, coconut aminos, ginger, lime juice, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Drizzle the sauce over the salmon, keeping a 1/4 cup of the sauce back.
  5. Cover the baking tray with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
  7. Spread the rest of the sauce over the salmon and vegetables and serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 346 calories; 21 g fat; 24 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Spoon
  • Small bowl
  • Whisk/fork
  • Baking tray
  • Spatula

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.


One tray balsamic salmon

Simple meals don’t have to be boring  

I have been on a mission to make simple and tasty meals. I aim to create recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight. We all struggle to make healthy and delicious meals while keeping on top of everything else in life. So this recipe is designed to be healthy, delicious and easy to make. You can cook this meal on a single tray in the oven. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes and is portioned to feed four adults.  

Balsamic salmon 

I’m a big fan of salmon, it is so easy to prepare, and it tastes great. This recipe is super easy to make, and everything cooks perfectly in 15 minutes. The balsamic vinegar adds a nice tart flavour to this dish that cuts through the richness of the salmon. 

One tray balsamic salmon recipe 

One tray balsamic salmon ingredients
One tray balsamic salmon ingredients

Ingredients

  • 600g skinless salmon, cut into 4 pieces 
  • 450g asparagus 
  • 2 cups courgette, sliced 
  • 1/2 red pepper, sliced 
  • 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced 
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped 
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil 
  • 1 tsp. rosemary 
  • 1 tsp. parsley, chopped 
  • 1 tsp. chicken seasoning 
  • 1 tsp. paprika 
Place the salmon steak on a lined baking tray
Place the salmon steak on a lined baking tray
Add olive oil and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to a bowl.
Add olive oil and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to a bowl.
Mix well.
Mix well.
Brush the salmon with the oil mixture.
Brush the salmon with the oil mixture. 
Season the salmon with the chicken seasoning, parsley and rosemary, sprinkle the paprika over the top. 
Season the salmon with the chicken seasoning, parsley and rosemary, sprinkle the paprika over the top. 
In a bowl add the courgette.
In a bowl add the courgette.
Add the green beans.
Add the green beans.
Add the peppers.
Add the peppers.
Add the asparagus.
Add the asparagus.
Add the remaining chicken seasoning.
Add the remaining chicken seasoning.
Add the garlic.
Add the garlic.
Add the remaining balsamic vinegar to the bowl.
Add the remaining balsamic vinegar to the bowl. 
Mix well.
Mix well.
Spread the vegetables out around the salmon.
Spread the vegetables out around the salmon.
Bake for 10 minutes
Bake for 10 minutes
Serve.
Serve.

One tray balsamic salmon

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

This one tray meal is easy to make and an excellent options for a weeknight meal



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 600g skinless salmon, cut into 4 pieces 
  • 450g asparagus 
  • 2 cups courgette, sliced 
  • 1/2 red pepper, sliced 
  • 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced 
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped 
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil 
  • 1 tsp. rosemary 
  • 1 tsp. parsley, chopped 
  • 1 tsp. chicken seasoning 
  • 1 tsp. paprika 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 210 degrees c/ 425 degrees f. 
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner. 
  3. Add the salmon to the baking tray
  4. In a bowl mix together the olive oil and one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, brush the salmon with the oil mixture. 
  5. Season the salmon with the chicken seasoning, parsley and rosemary, sprinkle the paprika over the top. 
  6. In a large bowl mix together the courgette, peppers and asparagus with the garlic. 
  7. Season the vegetables and add the remaining balsamic vinegar to the bowl. 
  8. Add the remaining chicken seasoning, rosemary, paprika and parsley.Add the remaining chicken seasoning, rosemary, paprika and parsley.
  9. Mix well to coat the vegetables. 
  10. Spread out the vegetables around the salmon. 
  11. Cover the baking tray with more baking paper or a silicone liner. 
  12. Bake for 10 minutes. 
  13. Remove the baking paper from the tray then bake for another 5 minutes. 

Nutrition

Per Serving: 213 calories; 5 g fat; 10 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Pastry brush
  • Baking paper or a silicone liner
  • Baking tray
  • Fork
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Scales

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.


One tray salmon and carrot bake

Simple meals don’t have to be boring  

I have been on a mission to make simple and tasty meals. I aim to create recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight. We all struggle to make healthy and delicious meals while keeping on top of everything else in life. So this recipe is designed to be healthy, delicious and easy to make. You can cook this meal on a single tray in the oven. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes and is portioned to feed four adults.  

Orange dinner anyone? 

I like to eat the rainbow as often as possible, but sometimes you just have to pick one colour and run with it, today I’m running with orange. This week my recipe is all of the orange foods, that aren’t actually oranges, in one meal. 

OK I know salmon isn’t really orange but it kind of looks orange with the carrots and sweet potato. 

One tray salmon carrot and sweet potato bake recipe 

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets 
  • 2 carrots, cubed 
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cubed 
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. thyme 
  • Salt and pepper 

One tray salmon carrot and sweet potato bake 

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

This one tray meal is easy to make and an excellent options for a weeknight meal



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets 
  • 2 carrots, cubed 
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cubed 
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. thyme 
  • Salt and pepper 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C/ 350 degrees F. 
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner. 
  3. Place the salmon fillets on the tray. 
  4. Add the carrots and sweet potato to the baking tray. 
  5. Sprinkle the garlic powder and thyme over the salmon and vegetables. 
  6. Bake for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. 

Nutrition

Per Serving: 367 calories; 18 g fat; 20 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein

Equipment 

  • Baking tray 
  • Baking paper or a silicone liner
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.