Name: Baked Herb and Garlic Salmon with Panko Breadcrumbs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 120ml / 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 lemon (zest only); 1 tsp lemon juice; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp chopped dill; 2 tsp chopped chives; 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 4 salmon fillet pieces

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Possibly the poshest fish finger you’ll ever have the pleasure of eating, baked herb and garlic salmon with Panko breadcrumbs is fit for a royal family. It’s slender pink fillets, topped with luxurious herb and garlic sour cream, crowned with a crunchy, golden crumb. This fancy fish dish is 10 minutes prep time and 10 minutes to cook.

Use up any leftover Panko breadcrumbs by topping a baked macaroni cheese or flex your culinary muscles with a crunchy coated classic chicken Parmesan.

Close up shot of three salmon fillets on a baking sheet

Baked salmon recipe

If like me, you cannot bear frying fish, you will love this baked salmon recipe and others like maple mustard glazed salmon, or teriyaki salmon. Oven cooking salmon fillets is fast and convenient, meaning a nutritious meal on the table in minutes, any night of the week.

It can be a little anxiety inducing, cooking fish. A couple of minutes too long and you’ve missed your mark resulting in dry salmon flakes. So, as a rule of thumb, and a lover of slightly underdone fish, I always take a minute off the package cooking instructions. Better to be under than over, I say!

However, any cooking indiscretions in this herb and garlic salmon can be cleverly masked with a thick and velvety sour cream sauce. I prefer the tanginess of sour cream, but you could use mayo or crème fraiche.

I add freshly-squeezed lemon juice and zest, a little garlic and plenty of fresh herbs- a mix of uplifting dill and oniony chives bring out the best in both fish and cream, respectively.

Slather the sauce on the fillets and top with the Panko crumbs before oven-baking for just ten minutes. Did I say that already?? I always make enough sour cream sauce to serve on the side too, just in case. But if your fish is cooked to flaky perfection, you can use it to dunk potatoes or fries in instead.

Top down shot of a salmon fillet baked with garlic and panko

Recipe Tips and Notes

If you’re a home that prefers crème fraiche to sour cream, go for it. Just make sure what you use is full fat.
Mayonnaise is a good dairy-free alternative to the above. But you can leave out that pinch of salt, mayo will already contain it.
I love dill. It is my favourite herb and salmon is its best friend. Dill’s not your thing? Parsley will make a worthy pal in its place.
Using a slightly smoked salmon fillet will take the flavour to restaurant-worthy. But smoked or not, you’ll still have a delicious dish.
I always use Panko breadcrumbs. You don’t need to add too much fat to get a tantalisingly crispy, golden crumb.
Lastly, don’t overcook the fish.

Top down shot of garlic baked salmon fillets on a baking sheet with a bowl of garlic dip

Serving suggestions

Any kind of potato will go well, but I strongly recommend one that can be daintily dipped into the sour cream sauce served on the side. I’m talking fries, new potatoes, even roast potatoes.

If you’re looking for something that will bring a little more luxe to the table, this oven-fried potatoes and mushrooms dish is herb heavy and sweet with caramelised onions.

You can keep greens simple with lemony tenderstem broccoli or green beans, or try roasted asparagus and radish for a pleasingly unusual side.

Process shots of raw salmon fillets and sauce ingredients before being laid on a baking sheet to bake

Storage and leftovers

Salmon fillets are a perfectly portioned per person, so you probably won’t have leftovers to deal with. Your sour cream sauce on the other hand, can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days and added to a breakfast bagel sandwich with smoked salmon or crab cake sandwich.