Elevate your next salmon dinner with this baked lemon garlic baked salmon recipe! Made with simple ingredients like fresh garlic, paprika, avocado oil or olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. It is out of this world flavorful, easy-to-make, cooked to flaky perfection, and just as good for a busy weeknight dinner as it is for a dinner party. A terrific 25-minute wonder!

Perfectly cooked baked salmon filets on a cream colored plate, topped with fresh herbs. — There is nothing so satisfying as salmon that is cooked perfectly! The tender texture and light & bright flavor of this recipe make it one that we come back to time and again.

The BEST baked salmon without butter

This baked dairy-free salmon is our go to salmon recipe that fits into dinner plans for just about any night of the week.

It’s wholesome, SUPER flavorful, so easy to throw together, and ready in less than 30 minutes!

All you need to add to make it a complete meal is a few side dishes. We love to pair it with our favorite quick oven-roasted broccolini and some rice. And bonus: it’s also impressive enough to serve to guests for a special occasion – would be so delicious served on top of a creamy risotto or pasta!

Oven baked recipes are always a hit at our house because they take a minimal amount of effort and yield excellent results.

The addition of lemon, garlic, and butter in this salmon recipe take it to the next level without much extra work. After all, it’s often the little things that make a recipe great, isn’t it?

These recipes for Maple Pecan Glazed Salmon, 30-Minute Garlic Ginger Glazed Salmon, Baked Buffalo Salmon, and Baked Chicken Breasts are also oven-baked favorites! Or take a peek at our library with TONS of other dairy-free main dishes!

But today we’re chatting all about this delightful salmon recipe without butter that yields consistently flavorful, flaky, and moist results EVERY time!

Close up of a plate of perfectly cooked salmon filets, a bite flaked out with a fork. — The FLAKINESS! It get’s me every time in the best possible way.

Ingredients for baked salmon on various sized ceramic plates and bowls, on a light cream colored background. — You’ll wanna grab 4 salmon filets (we like skin-on – once cooked the salmon will slide right off the skin – but you can also use skinless!), chop some garlic, measure out your cooking oil, measure spices (just paprika, salt, and pepper), and juice a lemon! And fresh parsley and fresh dill play so nicely with all the other flavors.

How to make dairy-free lemon garlic baked salmon

This recipe is so hands off and so incredibly easy to make!

How to make baked salmon: Avocado oil, garlic, lemon juice, and spices in a small bowl before mixing together. — Start by mixing the spices into your cooking oil with the lemon juice…

How to make baked salmon: Avocado oil, garlic, lemon juice, and spices in a small bowl after mixing together. — Start by mixing the spices into your cooking oil with the lemon juice…

Oven baked salmon in a baking dish topped with fresh parsley, dill, and lemon wedges. — Sprinkle the chopped, fresh herbs over the top of the salmon as soon as it comes out of the oven and serve alongside some lemon wedges.

Oven baked salmon fillets on a cream colored ceramic plate, topped with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.

Close up of a plate of perfectly cooked salmon filets, with a fork picking up a bite of salmon..

A plate of oven baked salmon with a fork resting next to a partially flaked fillet topped with fresh herbs and lemon wedges. — With this recipe dreamy, tender salmon can always be on the menu and served in such a variety of tasty ways!

My top tips for perfectly cooked salmon!

Keep the skin on to help hold in moisture and maintain the structure of the fillets.
Place the salmon flesh side up in the baking dish with a fair amount of space between each piece of fish so that it cooks evenly.
Bake at 400° F – not too hot that it dries out but hot enough that it cooks quickly.
For extra unctuousness (what good a word, ha!) brush the fillets with a little olive oil or melted ghee just before serving.

Serving suggestions

This salmon is so incredibly versatile and can be served in many different ways!

Here’s some ideas:

With a side dish or two. Cilantro lime rice, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, quinoa, roasted asparagus, broccoli, garlic green beans, sautéed spinach, or roasted sweet potatoes would all be delicious side dish options to serve with this salmon!
On top of a salad. Baked salmon is a perfect way to turn a hearty salad into a complete meal. Would be especially delicious on this apple walnut salad.
With pasta or risotto. Garlicky baked salmon over creamy dairy free penne alla vodka has date night written all over it.
In a hearty bowl. A hearty grain, a drizzle of Tahini Dressing and some marinated vegetables plus this salmon would be such a delicious and satisfying meal.

If you enjoyed this baked salmon recipe we’d love it if you would take a moment to rate and review it below! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 It’s also a great place to get your questions answered, and helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!