Baked Salmon with Honey Butter Glaze, Creamy Dill Sauce & Holiday Tapenade

This Baked Salmon recipe is a show-stopping main dish featuring tender, flaky salmon brushed with a golden honey butter glaze, topped with creamy dill sauce, and finished with a vibrant cranberry-pomegranate holiday tapenade. Elegant yet effortless, it’s perfect for festive gatherings or an elevated weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Holiday

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Honey Butter Glaze

150 g unsalted butter cut into cubes
120 ml honey
3 cloves garlic finely minced

Creamy Dill Sauce

360 ml full-fat sour cream avoid low-fat, as it’s too watery
120 ml fresh dill finely chopped and lightly packed
0.5 eschalot (French onion) grated or finely minced
1.5 tbsp lemon zest
0.5 tsp kosher salt

Holiday Tapenade

1 cup dried cranberries
240 ml orange juice
1 cup slivered almonds toasted for extra crunch
20 g fresh parsley roughly chopped
0.25 tsp salt
0.25 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Finishing

1 pomegranate seeds only
15 g parsley chopped
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 lemons cut into wedges for serving

Method

Prepare the Creamy Dill Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, dill, eschalot, lemon zest, and salt until smooth. Chill while you prepare the other components to allow flavors to meld.
Make the Holiday Tapenade: Heat orange juice until steaming, then remove from heat. Add cranberries, cover, and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and mix with toasted almonds, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Let it sit at room temperature to develop flavor.
Bake the Salmon: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with foil and parchment. Place salmon fillet on top. Melt butter, honey, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbling; pour over the salmon. Season with salt and pepper, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 7–10 minutes until golden and caramelized.
Finish and Serve: Transfer salmon to a serving platter and let rest for 15 minutes. Spread the creamy dill sauce over the top, then spoon the tapenade and garnish with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and lemon juice. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

Notes

Use fresh dill for the brightest flavor. To make ahead, prepare the sauce and tapenade a day early. Resting the salmon before topping ensures it stays moist. For a light variation, replace sour cream with full-fat Greek yogurt. Add a pinch of chili flakes to the glaze for a touch of heat.