Buttery Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon
If you know me at all, you’ll know it’s no secret that I am a straight carnivore. I loooove meat!
I eat poultry like it’s my job, pork is basically a love language in my family, and I strongly identify with that little girl from the viral video who eerily says, “I smell like beef,” and who has affectionately been nicknamed “Beef Baby”. If you don’t know which video I’m referring to, just watch —->
Okay, so how are we going to get from talking about beef to somehow getting a recipe for Buttery Lemon Garlic Salmon?? Easy. I DO NOT like seafood. BUT, somehow, I scarfed down this salmon like it was my last meal.
It’s true, I’ve never been a seafood eater. The texture, smell, and thought of it used to give me chills. But that all changed when I started dating my boyfriend, Arjuna, who happens to be a Pescatarian (aka he ONLY eats fish...basically). At first, I thought this would pose potential problems for our dinner date nights, but I quickly learned that it truly didn’t matter. When you live in a major city like L.A., which we do, you can find restaurants with every type of cuisine and many restaurants that have both really great surf and really great turf options!
The only snag was when it came to cooking dinner at home. I didn’t feel like always making my own separate dish, and my boyfriend making his own when we wanted a high-protein dinner, but what could we do?? Our protein intakes come from two completely different species.
So, because my boyfriend has personal and unwavering reasons for being a Pescatarian, I took it upon myself to start a journey of finding seafood options that I actually like! It couldn’t possibly be that difficult when there are so many options, right?? At the beginning of our relationship, Arjuna would have me taste samples of his seafood dishes to get a sense of which types of fish I could tolerate and potentially even like! After a couple of months, Arjuna had an entire fish criteria made, specifically for me. It listed all of the qualities I need in my future seafood endeavors.
The fish needs to be cooked medium to well done - NO RAW FISH
Sahara prefers fish that are less gamey and have a firmer texture
No heads, eyes, or skin visible
Fish that Sahara tried and didn’t hate - Tuna, Salmon, Halibut, and Mahi Mahi.
That’s a pretty good list, so it’s time to try it out. Here comes the Buttery Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon recipe!
Because I really enjoyed the salmon I tried from Arjuna, I figured that would be a good fish to start with! I went online, found a tasty-looking recipe, grabbed my ingredients from Trader Joe’s, and got to the kitchen!
I followed the recipe loosely, and mainly focused on giving my salmon the perfect blend of butter, lemon, garlic, and rosemary! I’m used to cooking so I never pay too much attention to specific measurements. I mixed my ingredients, dressed the fish, placed the it on the pan next to our sides of potatoes and veggies and popped it into the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Mind you, I cook my fish a little longer than most, because I want to make sure it’s COOKED COOKED.
After I took it out of the oven, I let it cool for a bit and then proceeded to plate. Grabbed my fork, dug in, and took a hopeful bite….
BAM!
Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!!
The salmon was sooooo good! It was so lemony and savory! I ate every, last piece!!
I did it, y’all! I finally made a piece of fish I didn’t hate! And you know what? I think I’m gonna do it again!
So, for all of you fish-lovers and those weary of seafood, I give you my fool-proof recipe for Buttery Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon, guaranteed to make a fish-easter outta anybody!
Buttery Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon
Ingredients:
2 Slabs of Boneless, Skinless Fresh Salmon
4-6 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
2 Juicy Lemons
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dash of Salt
½ Tbsp. Lemon Black Pepper Seasoning
4 Cloves of Garlic - minced
6 Tbsp. Butter - melted
Any additional herbs you’d like!
How To Cook:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grab your high-rimmed baking sheet and either cover it with a nonstick spray or place a baking mat down. Place your salmon on the baking sheet.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine your butter, garlic, lemon black pepper seasoning, EVOO, salt, and the juice of 1 ⅓ lemon until well combined.
Grab your baking brush and brush the contents of your bowl onto the salmon until they are thoroughly coated. Use any excess mixture to coat your sides & veggies.
Then, slice your excess lemon and place the slices on top of your salmon slabs.
Now, add your Rosemary swigs onto the salmon slabs, around the lemons.
Place your vegetables and sides evenly on the pan alongside the salmon and place it into the oven on the middle rack.
Cook for about 18-25 minutes, depending on your preferences.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, let sit for 3 minutes, serve, and enjoy!