Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

You’re in for a real treat with this easy to bake Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon drizzled with an irresistible Creamy Lemon Dill sauce. This easy salmon recipe is bursting with flavor and is cooked to juicy perfection in the oven so there’s no messy oil splatters on your stove. It has a crispy parmesan and garlic crust on top and pairs perfectly with the easy to make tangy sauce. It’s an impressively hands off recipe to cook with huge flavor results that feels like a chef made it.

My favorite fish is salmon. I love it because it’s slightly fatty, which keeps it juicy and tasty!  One of my long time go-to salmon recipes is my Lemon Garlic Pan Seared Salmon recipe which is so tasty. This recipe is right up there though and is becoming a family favorite in our house. Even Zoe loves it and she’s currently in her fussy toddler phase. BONUS!

I love the salty flavor from the parmesan crust which ads a bit of crunch on top. Plus the butter in the crust helps keep the fish juicy as well. This is one of those restaurant quality recipes that’s versatile enough to serve as a weekly family dinner or for a special occasion.

This impressive salmon recipe is low-effort and can be prepped in the morning to bake for dinner making it a no brainer if you want to be organized for dinner.

Juicy Baked Salmon That’s Big On Flavor!

And crunch from that crispy parmesan crust! There are so many things to love about this flavorful baked salmon.

• Easy to make – The entire thing is baked in the oven which makes it super hands off! No messy oil splatters on your stove.
• Can be prepped in advance – prep this in the morning and bake at night for dinner for easy meal prep!
• Crispy parmesan crust – the garlic and parmesan crust on top ads so much flavor to this juicy baked salmon and a bit of crispy texture!
• Creamy lemon Dill Sauce – the tanginess shines through in this dill sauce and helps cut through the natural fat in the salmon making it and irresistible flavor combo.

Fresh Or Frozen? My Tips For Buying The Best Salmon!

The number one thing to look out for when buying any fish is freshness. It’ll make a difference to the flavor of your dish.

Personally, I like using fresh salmon that hasn’t been frozen. I think it has the best flavor results. I buy mine from a fish monger that I like because their salmon is really fresh and tastes amazing. When buying salmon it should be bright in color, glossy and firm to touch. Also, use your salmon the day you buy or the next day at the latest. You can use frozen salmon fillets for this recipe as well. Those are frozen almost immediately after being caught and retain freshness. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before using.

Some more simple tips for making sure you’re buying the best salmon!

• Use wild caught, sustainably sourced salmon. Not farmed salmon which is often packed full of hormones and doesn’t taste as good as wild caught.
• Rise your salmon under cold water and then pat dry before using to ensure it’s clean and doesn’t smell too fishy.
• Check for bones by running your fingers over the salmon and using boning tweezer to take them out. You can also use a knife to cut them out.
• Don’t buy vacuum sealed supermarket salmon! It’s almost always never fresh and pretty bad quality.

You’ll Love The Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce. It’s Amazing!

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love the Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce for this salmon recipe. The two go so perfectly well together. In fact, I made a stan alone recipe post for it because I use it on everything! It’s tangy, packed full of delicious dill and gets better in flavor the next day!

It uses simple ingredients:

• Sour cream – although you can use Greek yogurt or mayonnaise.
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic – always use freshly minced!
• Dill – I go overboard and use an entire bunch because I love it!
• Lemon – adds fresh tang!
• Salt and sugar – little bit sweetness and some saltiness.

Once you’ve got everything in the bowl, all you have to do is mix it up and it’s good to go! You can prep this the day before and have it ready to serve if you’re short on time. It all comes together to make a thick sauce that you slather on top of your salmon once it’s baked and crispy. I love using this as a dipping sauce for chips, Crispy Chicken Tenders, Fish Fingers or even dip some veggie sticks in it as a snack as well!

How To Make Baked Garlic Parmesan Salmon!

• Rinse your salmon under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in the fridge.
• Melt your butter and allow to cool. Then add to a bowl with all the parmesan crust ingredients. Mix to combine. Add to the top of your salmon and spread evenly. Bake.

• Mix the Lemon Dill sauce together.
• Drizzle on top of baked salmon and serve!

Tips And Tricks To Get The Best Results!

• Buy from a reputable source – this is the best way to ensure your salmon is fresh which will give you amazing flavor results!
• Rinse your salmon and pat it dry before using. I like running it under cold water and just using my hands to go over it. Let excess water drip off before patting dry with paper towels. This helps get rid of any fishy smells.
• If using frozen salmon fillets, thaw them in the fridge overnight, then give them a wash under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels before using.
• Measure out using kitchen scales – measuring ingredients out by weight and not cups is the best way to get consistent results every time! I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales!
• Garlic! Use fresh garlic and mince is by finely chopping it. I prefer doing it this way because you end up with best the best flavor over mincing it with a mincer which gives you garlic breath.
• Don’t overcook! Overcooking can cause your salmon to become dry and tough. Make sure you’re using the right oven temp. Even if your salmon looks undercooked when it’s finished baking, the residual heat from the oven will finish cooking it to perfection.
• Internal cooking temp of your salmon will be 60C / 135F.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baked Garlic Parmesan Salmon

Can I prepare this in advance?

Yes! You can put it all together, ready to be baked and store in the fridge up to 12 hours in advance. So if you’re serving it for dinner, you can prepare it and leave it in the fridge the morning of.

How do I store cooked salmon?

Simply store in a container, in the fridge for up to a day.

Can I reheat the salmon once it’s been cooked?

Yep! Reheat any leftovers in a preheated oven until heated through. About 5 minutes should do it. You can also reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

Can I use smaller salmon fillets for this recipe?

I used one large piece of salmon, but you can use 4 salmon fillets.

Does the thickness of your salmon matter?

If using salmon fillets, look for fillets roughly the same thickness all along the fillet so that everything cooks at the same time.

Should I use salmon with skin on or off?

I opt for skin off salmon, but skin on will work as well. The skin is going to be baked and so it won’t go crispy.

How do I know if my salmon is cooked?

To ensure your salmon is cooked through properly, make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 60C / 135F. Once cooked, it will be flakey pastel pink in color and will go from being translucent to opaque.

Why is this recipe is in grams and not cups?

The short answer is accuracy! It is far easier, more accurate and you get more consistent results when you measure ingredients by weight. A gram will be the same in my kitchen as it is in yours. I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales!

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Looking for more fish recipes? Check these out!

• Oven Baked Fish Fingers
• Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl
• Beetroot Cured Salmon (Gravlax)
• Lemon Garlic Pan Seared Salmon
• Smoked Salmon Quiche

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!