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Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce

Baked salmon with lemon butter cream sauce delivers tender, flaky fillets smothered in a silky garlic lemon Parmesan cream sauce. The oven bakes fast at 400°F while the sauce simmers until smooth and glossy.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salmon
  • 4 salmon fillets 6 oz each
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Lemon Butter Cream Sauce
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 salt and black pepper to taste
Optional for serving
  • 1 steamed asparagus
  • 1 garlic mashed potatoes
  • 1 rice or pasta
  • 1 lemon slices

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 skillet

Method
 

Bake the salmon
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
  3. Brush the salmon fillets with olive oil.
  4. Season the salmon with garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
  5. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the salmon flakes easily.
Make the lemon butter cream sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
  2. Sauté the minced garlic for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream.
  4. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened, with small bubbles around the edges.
  5. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth.
  6. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped parsley.
  7. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  8. Spoon the warm lemon butter cream sauce over the baked salmon.
  9. Serve immediately with your chosen side dishes, such as steamed asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes, rice or pasta, and lemon slices.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, keep the heat at a gentle simmer after adding the cream—if it boils hard, it can separate. Store leftover salmon and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze the cooked salmon only for up to 2 months (sauce texture may change after thawing). To make it lighter, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and simmer 1–2 minutes longer until it coats the back of a spoon.