Sometimes the more simple a meal is the better it tastes and that’s the case with this Baked Salmon with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce! This easy, fresh, flavorful and healthy dinner will be on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Monday night dinner at our house is about as simple as it can get. I generally don’t make dinner on Saturdays and Sunday I try to make a nicer dinner, although I have been known to just tell my husband to order a pizza.
When Monday night rolls around I’m pretty tired from getting caught up on work and back into the swing of things. It leaves me with little time to make dinner. One of my favorite go-to recipes for nights like this is Baked Salmon with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce.
My absolute favorite way to cook salmon is on the grill. There’s something about the open flame that adds extra flavor to it. However, when it gets dark at 5:00 and usually already in the 30’s, I’m not inclined to go stand outside. Luckily, baked salmon tastes amazing too, just don’t overcook it!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve overcooked fish in the oven. I’ll still eat it, but boy is it disappointing. I finally tried a new method which I read about in one of my Cooks Illustrated magazines. I gave the salmon fillets a quick 10 minute brine in salt water before putting them in the oven.
I don’t know if it was luck, but the salmon turned out better than I’ve ever baked it before. If was moist, fall apart flakey and downright delicious! The seasoning on the salmon was simply kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. After it came out of the oven I immediately squeezed fresh lemon juice over the fillets and sprinkled them with a little lemon zest and fresh dill.
To serve with the baked salmon I decided to make a lemon dill yogurt sauce. Along with salt and pepper that’s all there is in the sauce. The fresh flavors and the creamy Greek yogurt couldn’t have been a better match for the salmon!
This is definitely one of those meals that doesn’t sound all that impressive because of it’s simplicity, but trust me, the flavor will both surprise and impress you! Not only is this a great meal for a busy night, but it’s also a great choice for date night in or a special occasion dinner like Valentine’s Day.
Baked Salmon with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce
This easy, fresh, flavorful and healthy dinner will be on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
Baked Salmon
- 2 (4 oz) skin on salmon fillets, wild caught if possible
- Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh dill to taste
- 1 cup of water + 1 tablespoon kosher salt (optional)
Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce
- 6 oz. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the water and tablespoon of kosher salt. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish and pour the water salt mixture over them so that the fillets are submerged in the liquid. Brine for 10 minutes then remove the salmon and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet, brush or spray with a little olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Bake the salmon for 10-15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125° F.
- Remove the salmon from the oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle with lemon zest and fresh dill.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce and serve with the salmon.
Notes
*Brining the salmon is optional, but I did have great results with it.
I’ve been looking for some new ways to prepare salmon! I need to add this to our menu. Love the lemon dill yogurt sauce!