Garlic Butter Salmon Asparagus

# Ingredient List:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets, 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed

03 - 1 lemon, sliced into rounds

04 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

07 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard

09 - 1/2 tsp salt

10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

02 - Place salmon fillets in the center of the baking sheet. Arrange trimmed asparagus around the salmon in a single layer. Tuck lemon slices between salmon and asparagus.

03 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

04 - Drizzle the garlic butter sauce evenly over the salmon and asparagus.

05 - Roast in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the asparagus is just tender.

06 - Garnish with chopped parsley before serving. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

Everything cooks on one pan, so cleanup is refreshingly minimal and you're not juggling multiple pots.
The garlic butter creates this silky coating that makes even the skeptical salmon eaters at your table sit up and take notice.
Thirty-five minutes from start to finish means you can pull off a restaurant-quality dinner on a busy weeknight.

02 -

Don't overcrowd your pan or the asparagus will steam instead of roasting—if you're doubling the recipe, use two sheet pans and give everything space to breathe.
The garlic mincing matters more than you'd think; I once used a garlic press and the bigger pieces actually burned while the sauce was drizzling, teaching me that consistency is everything here.

03 -