Easy Lemon Salmon with Dill

Lemon salmon with dill is ready in less than 30 minutes, it’s healthy, flavorful and so ridiculously easy to make. Perfect for weeknight dinners or guests!

I love salmon a number of different ways, but this is hands-down Ben’s favorite way to eat salmon, so it’s the one I default to most of the time. It’s also Whole30 compliant which is a bonus.

Ben loves walnut crusted salmon too, but because of the kids’ allergies, we don’t ever eat that one (cue all the tears – it’s a favorite of mine, too). Another one of my favorites is my baked salmon with maple mustard glaze – it’s completely irresistible!

Lately we’ve been loving pesto salmon in parchment. It’s a full meal all wrapped up in a package. It’s easy to make, easy to clean up, and each packet can be customized so everyone gets what they like.

Lemon salmon is the perfect recipe for a romantic dinner, if you don’t mind fish breath. Baked salmon with lemon and dill is healthy so you have more room for decadent chocolate desserts like flourless chocolate cake and that glass (or two) of wine, or maybe even a love potion cocktail (I bet that caught your eye!).

Pair it with an easy Caesar salad with homemade Caesar croutons, quick sautéed sugar snap peas, and a ridiculously easy chocolate tart — dinner is DONE!

If you’re more into pasta as a side, try my favorite “pink pasta“, with fresh tomato cream sauce and angel hair pasta. Creamy lemon orzo with spinach is another great choice.

About This Recipe

One reason I love to make this recipe is because I always have dried dill and fresh lemons on hand. I know that if I buy salmon from the store, I’m good to go with the other ingredients.

Can you use fresh dill? ABSOLUTELY. It is delicious! But dried dill is also delicious and it’s really easy, so that’s the way I typically go, especially during the cold winter months.

I’ll do a quick run-through of the recipe here with extra tips and information. If you prefer, the printable recipe card can be found near the bottom of the post with complete instructions and nutrition information.

What You’ll Need

• Fresh Salmon: This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled, depending on how many people you’re serving and how much salmon you like for each serving. A serving can range from 3 oz. to 8 oz. If you’re serving a lot of side dishes, go with the smaller amount.
• Dill: Use either fresh or dried. If using fresh dill, you’ll use a bit more. If you really love dill, go ahead and add lots more!
• Lemon: A thick slice of lemon is roasted on top of each salmon fillet. Don’t discard that lemon after the salmon is baked! Squeeze the juice on top of the fillet.
• Salt and Pepper: Season the salmon according to your taste.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Rinse salmon with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Place on sheet pan – I like to line it with parchment for easy clean-up and to prevent the salmon from sticking.

1. If desired, cut salmon into fillets. It’s easier to serve if the fillets are cut before roasting.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then a good coating of dill. We like a LOT of dill but you can use as much, or as little, as you like. Finally, top with lemon slices.

1. Bake at 400°F – you’ll know it’s done when it’s flaky, or you can check the internal temperature with a thermometer (my Thermapen is my right-hand man in the kitchen). I like to cook salmon to an internal temperature of 140-145°F.

1. Enjoy immediately (squeeze the lemon on it before digging in!).

FAQs

What You’ll Love about this Recipe

• You can scale it to feed as many people as you need. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
• It’s so easy! It only takes about five minutes to prep and less than 20 minutes to bake.
• There are only a few simple ingredients: salmon, lemon, dill, salt and pepper. While you’re at it, make easy yogurt tzatziki sauce, which includes many of the same ingredients and tastes great with this salmon. 
• Salmon is great leftover – try it flaked on top of a salad!
• You can make it into a sheet pan dinner. I often throw some asparagus onto the pan in the last ten minutes of baking for an easy meal. See how to roast asparagus for more detailed instructions. If you’d like to add potatoes to the menu, too, try my salmon and asparagus sheet pan dinner. The creamy lemon dill sauce is just so good!
• This recipe can be grilled if you’d rather not turn your oven on.
• Lemon salmon is Whole30 compliant (check out my collection of Whole30 dinner recipes). This recipe is also dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and low carb.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Leftover salmon can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments or until heated through. Salmon is good cold, too.

Leftover Love

Leftover salmon can be flaked and added to a salad. Try it on this Mediterranean green bean salad or substitute it for the shrimp in shrimp salad with mango and avocado. Keep it classic with a simple arugula salad.

More salmon recipes

If you are a novice to cooking salmon, don’t be intimidated. These recipes are pretty fool-proof and are really delicious. Try a couple and I think you’ll agree!

• Air Fryer Salmon – easy, fast, and turns out great!
• Slow Roasted Salmon with Lemon Pepper – you have to try this, it’s unbelievably good!
• Grilled Salmon in Foil with Garlic Butter
• Best Grilled Salmon Recipe and Marinade
• Salmon with Tomatoes & Fennel (sheet pan meal!)
• Salmon with Spinach Poblano Cream Sauce
• Parmesan and Almond Crusted Salmon – the coating on this salmon is so crunchy!
• Soy Glazed Salmon Recipe
• Salmon and Asparagus Sheet Pan Dinner with Potatoes