Want to impress every single person in your life? Make my deceptively easy and foolproof slow-baked salmon, one of my favorite easy salmon recipes that feels elevated. It’s got a luxurious herb shallot compound butter that melts over the fish, infusing it with flavor as it cooks. The results are buttery, flaky, and absolutely rival your favorite seafood restaurant.
Featured Reader Review
Kristine says, “Absolutely hands-down the best salmon I have had in years outside of a restaurant!!!”
Here’s what I like to do: In the morning, before work, school, or whatever else life throws at you, pull a stick of butter from the fridge, remove the paper, then place it in a small mixing bowl. Add the remaining compound butter ingredients (finely chopped shallot, fresh lemon zest, salt, pepper, and lots of herbs), cover it with a piece of plastic wrap, then deal with it later.
This way you’re not fighting with cold butter, and more importantly, everything is prepped and ready for when you’re stressed at dinner time. A true weeknight hero!
Feeding A Smaller Group
I fully acknowledge that not everyone has a ravenous family of five or wants to cook a whole side of fish. No problem! You can easily use individual salmon fillets. Skin on or off, it’s your choice!
As for whether you should make a full batch of the compound butter? I vote yes. 😉 Any leftovers can be enjoyed over grilled steak, roasted potatoes, or any other seafood dish.
Make It A Complete Meal
Slow oven-baked salmon is absolutely the star of the show, but it needs a little supporting help from tried-and-true side dishes. I’m a big fan of crispy oven-roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary (though you can use any fresh herb you like) and crisp tender roasted broccolini with garlicky breadcrumbs. If you prefer something creamy, mashed potatoes are always a solid choice.
One of my best friends actually makes this weekly. Her go to side is this warm green bean salad with potatoes, an all-in-one side dish that keeps dinner simple.
What’s the white stuff on the side of the cooked salmon? Albumin is a protein that exists in salmon in liquid form when it’s raw. When salmon cooks, the flesh contracts, pushing out albumin to the surface. There, it turns white and thickens. 🤷🏻♀️ I frequently have to remind my daughter that, while it may not look appealing, it’s completely safe to eat.
Wine Pairing
To my fellow wine lovers out there, this is perfect with an oaky Chardonnay, especially a white Burgundy. This matches the creamy, buttery notes of the sauce beautifully.
Be sure to remove baked salmon from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120°F / 49°C, as it will continue to rise a few degrees as it rests. And the goal? Beautiful, medium-rare salmon.
I’m not one to make promises, but… I guarantee you’ll make this easy salmon recipe again and again. 💯
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Tender, Slow Baked Salmon with Compound Butter
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3½ lb salmon or arctic char, skin-in or off
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 Tbsp chives thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 2 tsp lemon zest, from 1 lemon, then cut lemon into wedges
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
Instructions
- Prep the salmon. Preheat oven to 275°F / 135°C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat salmon or arctic char dry with a paper towel, then place on the baking sheet.
- Make the herb shallot butter. In a small bowl, combine one stick butter, chopped shallot, 2 Tbsp chives, 2 Tbsp dill, 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Mix well, then spread evenly on top of the fish.
- Cook the salmon. Bake until barely cooked through, about 20-25 minutes (time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish—pull salmon out when it registers 120°F / 49°C in the center). Top with capers, then serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Tip: Leave the butter out in the morning so it’s perfectly room temperature when you assemble dinner later.
- Make ahead: Prep the compound butter ingredients earlier in the day, then quickly mix everything together when you’re ready to cook. You can also make the herb-shallot butter a few days in advance and refrigerate until needed.
- Leftovers: Let the salmon cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Seafood has a shorter shelf life than meat or poultry, so enjoy promptly.
This was so incredibly easy and the salmon came out perfectly cooked! I loaded up on the capers because we love them in our house. Everyone including my 5 year old gobbled it up.
We ADORE capers too! The brinier, the better! Your 5 year old is amazing! xo, Ari
Can’t wait to try this technique! One question, I’m not a big fan of chives. Is there another herb you could recommend that would also work? (not a fan of dill either 🙂 )
Hi Tracy! It’s SO easy — a perfect weeknight dinner! I would try subbing out those herbs for something like tarragon or chervil. They’re both a little different, but would work beautifully with the salmon. If those don’t appeal to you either, go with basil and parsley! xo, Ari
I love to cook and try new and exciting recipes, but my fiancé is the kind who finds a favorite recipe or way to cook a protein and wants to stick with it. Because of this I’m always cautious when I take a favorite of his (in this case salmon) and try something new, but this recipe exceeded all expectations for both of us!!! After the first bite he was asking where I learned to make salmon so flavorful and delicious! I think this is our new “go-to” salmon recipe! Cannot recommend this recipe enough! Thank you, Ari!!
Lindsey, this is amazing! I get it, trying new preparations can be stress-inducing. I’m so glad this worked out. Isn’t the salmon completely luscious?! Thanks so much! xo, Ari
Should I use fresh or dried herbs for the butter?
Fresh herbs! Will taste quite different with dried herbs (so if you ever do that, cut back on the quantity of each by at least half). If you are concerned about having extra fresh herbs around, you can always make another batch of the compound butter and then freeze it for the next time you make the dish! xo, Ari
This salmon is so flavorful and easy to make! It is going to be in my family’s weeknight rotation for sure! The salmon is perfectly cooked and so delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!
Thanks, Caitlin!! We love it too, so easy and quick, but has the best flavor! xo, Ari
This was delicious. I didn’t have capers so I added a little crumbled goat cheese on top before serving and it was a hit. I also didn’t have quite enough time to bake it at 275 so I raised the temp to 325 and cooked for about 18-20 minutes and it was still very very moist. My butter was frozen so I microwaved it for about 30 seconds and then added everything as suggested and consistency was good. Great easy recipe.Thank you!
Love that you adapted it to work for you! Agree, such a moist salmon recipe! xo, Ari
Holy Jesus, was that good. Never had capers before, what an amazing touch. Wife is raving about this!! I’m a total fan of low and slow salmon!!
Right?! It is so simple, but super luxurious. Thanks for the feedback! xo, Ari
Truly the most delicious salmon recipe I’ve ever made! And this review is coming from someone who is NOT a cook and can barely navigate my way around a kitchen. When I want to impress (kids included!), this is my go-to salmon recipe, perfect for lunch, dinner, brunch, “make-ahead and bake while you’re welcoming guests!” Great for non-salmon lovers (yes, that’s what guests tell me A-L-L O-F the T-I-M-E!). You will be so pleased you tried it. Thanks, Ari!
Thank you, thank you!! A total crowd pleaser all around! xo, Ari
Absolutely hands-down the best salmon I have had in years outside of a restaurant!!!
Thank you, Kristine!! It is my forever favorite! xo, Ari