Lemon Butter Salmon With Dill
Updated Sept. 5, 2025
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1whole (2 to 2½-pound) salmon fillet
- Salt and black pepper
- ¼cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
- 3tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1lemon
- 3Persian (baby) cucumbers, scrubbed and thinly sliced
- ¼cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus fronds for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
219 calories; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 465 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place the salmon on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and sprinkle all over with salt (see Tip). If you'd like, refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour (or up to 4 hours) to draw out excess moisture and intensify its savoriness.
- Step 2
Combine 1 tablespoon honey, the vinegar, mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Zest the lemon over the mixture and whisk until well combined. Add the cucumbers and stir to coat well. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve (up to 4 hours).
- Step 3
Heat the oven to 425 degrees about half an hour before you’re ready to serve. If you've refrigerated the salmon, remove it from the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Wipe away any excess liquid from the pan as well.
- Step 4
Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon and whisk with the butter, dill and remaining ¼ cup honey until well blended. Season the salmon generously with black pepper, then spoon the lemon-butter sauce on top.
- Step 5
Roast until a thin paring knife inserted into the thickest part slides in easily and comes out quite warm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon any sauce around the pan over the fish, which will continue to heat through just past medium-rare.
- Step 6
Sprinkle with dill fronds and serve with the pickled cucumbers.
- Because the same weight of a salmon fillet comes in a range of dimensions, there isn’t a specific amount of salt called for here. Instead, cover the entire surface evenly. If you’re using a light, flaky kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal, which is less salty, be a bit more generous with your sprinkle, coating the fish more densely. For all other types of salt that are saltier — coarse kosher salt, any grind of sea salt, and fine table salt — season more sparingly while still covering the fillet.
Private Notes
Comments
This was delicious! My only complaint was that the sauce was too sweet for my taste; next time I will cut the honey in half and add a salty element, perhaps miso? The cucumbers, however, were perfect. My husband and I cleaned our plates! Served with asparagus, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, then roasted along with the salmon.
Thermoworks says: "The USDA says that salmon needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C) for food safety. If you have any immunity issues, that’s a good idea, but for the tastiest salmon, most chefs call for a pull temp of 125°F (52°C). "
What if you don’t like dill??
This salmon slaps - easy to make and even the kids ate it, which is RARE. Following the advice of some others, I halved the honey to 2 tbsp but also added 1/2 tbsp of white miso paste. I made the cucumbers as directed and they were a bit too sweet for me but my wife liked them. If I were to make them again, I think I'd probably halve the honey there too.
@ NYT Again I ask, where is the reply button? Especially for recipes- we have questions to ask.
Can you use oil instead of butter?