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Garlic Butter Salmon

ByMilisa
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Garlic Butter Salmon is one of our favorite meals for a quick weeknight dinner that is also delicious enough for weekend get togethers. The preparation is really simple with just a few simple ingredients on the grill or in the oven and tastes gourmet!

Grilled Salmon and our Honey Pecan Salmon are always a favorite dinner and we love serving it with Grilled Vegetable Rice Pilaf and easy Grilled Garlic Bread for a complete meal. The delicious toasted garlic butter sauce is guaranteed to be a crowd favorite.

Garlic Butter Salmon slice with rice on a plate

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Salmon:

  • Salted Butter
  • Fresh Garlic Cloves
  • Ground Rosemary
  • Dried Thyme
  • Black Pepper
  • Brown Sugar
  • Salmon Fillet

overhead view of whole salmon fillet on a blue platter

How to Make Garlic Butter Salmon:

collage of making garlic butter with toasted garlic chips

  • First make the garlic butter. Add butter to a small skillet.
  • Slice garlic cloves thin. A mandoline works great for this. Add to the skillet with the butter.
  • Cook over low heat, stirring constantly. When butter is melted, add in ground rosemary, thyme and pepper.

toasted garlic chips in butter

  • Continue to cook, keeping a constant watch on the garlic, and stirring often until garlic is golden brown.
  • Remove from heat and set aside 5 minutes.

garlic butter with brown sugar in a skillet

  • Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.

Slicing salmon lengthwise

  • Place salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down. Add additional cracked pepper if desired.
  • Using a sharp knife, slice down the center of the salmon in the thickest part, but not all the way through to create a channel for the garlic butter to go down into the salmon.

pouring garlic butter over salmon

  • Pour garlic butter with toasted garlic chips over the salmon and spread evenly.

garlic butter coated salmon fillet ready to grill

  • Grill should be at about 325° using pecan or hickory for smoke flavor.

salmon fillet with toasted garlic butter on a grill

  • Place salmon, skin side down on the grill over indirect fire, cook with the grill lid closed.

Salmon on a grill

  • Grill for about 15 minutes and check with a digital meat thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon. Cook until salmon reaches 145°. The total cook time will be about 20- 25 minutes total depending on the thickness of your salmon.

Grilled salmon on a platter topped with garlic butter and toasted garlic chips

  • Remove from grill to a serving platter.
  • Serve immediately. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh herbs if desired.

Oven Directions for Garlic Butter Baked Salmon:

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Use a large piece of aluminum foil to line a rimmed baking sheet. Foil will make for easy clean up.
  • Place salmon over foil and top with garlic butter.
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°.

Salmon can be cut into individual salmon filets if you prefer. We find it easiest to grill the whole salmon filet in one piece. Individual salmon fillets can be made in foil packs on the grill or oven baked for easy clean up.

How to Store and Reheat:

  • Store cooled salmon in an airtight container or plastic wrap covered dish in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
  • Reheat in a skillet with melted butter or a little olive oil over medium heat. Flake salmon apart to heat quicker.

Biggest Tips for Cooking Salmon:

  • This easy salmon recipe cooks quickly so it’s important to keep an eye on it, using an instant read thermometer is the best way to cook it perfectly and not end up with over cooked salmon. The USDA recommends cooking fish to 145°. If you prefer your salmon cooked to medium, grill to 130°.
  • Grill salmon skin side down. The skin will protect the flesh from sticking to the grill and cooking too fast. 
  • There is no need to flip the salmon, it will cook through without being flipped. 
  • Smoke flavor is a delicious compliment for salmon. Try pecan, hickory or oak for amazing flavor.

grilled garlic butter salmon fillet on a blue platter

We have made this easy recipe a couple of times, once was for a family birthday celebration. Everyone gave it rave reviews and even the ones who thought they didn’t like salmon absolutely loved it. The toasted garlic butter adds a nutty and delicious flavor and texture to the tender salmon filets. It is seriously the best thing we’ve ever made with salmon.

More Grilled Seafood and Fish Recipes to Try:

plate of rice with salmon fillet

If you would like something different to grill this week, give this garlic butter salmon recipe a try. The flaky salmon and incredible garlic butter sauce makes it a flavorful and hearty meal that can be cooked in under 30 minutes. Great for busy weeknights and for entertaining guests.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND A FIVE STAR REVIEW, AND BE SURE TO HELP ME SHARE ON PINTEREST!

Garlic Butter Salmon slice on a plate with rice
Yield: 6 Servings

Garlic Butter Salmon

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Garlic Butter Salmon is really simple to prepare with just a few ingredients on the grill or in the oven and tastes gourmet!

Ingredients

  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 2 teaspoons ground rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 3 pounds salmon fillet
  • lemon slices, fresh parsley or thyme for optional garnishes

Instructions

  1. Prepare a grill fire to 325° with pecan or hickory for smoke flavor.
  2. Slice garlic into thin slices with a mandoline slicer or sharp knife.
  3. Add butter to a small skillet with the garlic slices.
  4. Place over low heat. As the butter melts, add in ground rosemary, thyme and pepper.
  5. Continue to cook, keeping a constant watch on the garlic, and stirring often until garlic is toasted and lightly browned. Do not burn the garlic.
  6. Remove from heat and set aside 5 minutes.
  7. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
  8. Place whole salmon fillet on a sheet pan, skin side down.
  9. Using a sharp knife, slice down the center of the salmon in the thickest part, but not all the way through. This creates a channel for the garlic butter.
  10. Pour garlic butter with toasted garlic chips over the salmon and spread evenly.
  11. Place salmon, skin side down on the grill over indirect fire with the grill lid closed.
  12. Grill for about 15 minutes, check with a digital thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon. Cook until salmon reaches 145°. The total cook time will be about 20- 25 minutes total depending on the thickness of your salmon.
  13. Remove from grill to a serving platter. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh herbs if desired.
  14. Serve immediately.

Notes

Oven directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Use a large piece of aluminum foil to line a rimmed baking sheet. Foil will make for easy clean up.
  • Place salmon over foil and top with garlic butter.
  • Cook for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°.


Store cooled salmon in an airtight container or plastic wrap covered dish in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Reheat in a skillet with melted butte over medium heat. Flake salmon apart to heat quicker.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 618Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 262mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 51g

Nutritional information is estimated and may not be accurate.

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© Milisa
Cuisine: American / Category: Fish & Seafood

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3 Comments

  2. Garlic and salmon are a match made in heaven! I’m supposed to be eating more fish so I’m excited to add this recipe into the rotation!

    Reply