Gimme Some Oven

Baked Salmon

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All of my best tips for how to make the most perfectly baked salmon in the oven. This baked salmon recipe is easy to customize with your favorite seasonings, and takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Oven Baked Salmon Recipe

Today we’re moving on in our series about baked proteins from meat (chicken, steak, pork) to shrimp to…fish!

Specifically…baked salmon. 

When I took requests for this series, salmon was by far and away the most popular fish that you all wanted to learn about. And with good reason — it’s a fish that’s delicious, affordable, easy to find, packed with protein and omega-3s and other healthy nutrients, and it pairs beautifully with a variety of different seasonings and sauces.

It’s also incredibly easy to make baked salmon in the oven, which is my favorite way to prepare it. So since I’ve already shared two recipes here on the blog for how to make baked salmon wrapped in foil (for honey mustard and garlic lovers), I thought that today we could go back to the basics and talk about how to make classic baked salmon filets on their own. With a few simple tips, your salmon can be perfectly crispy on the outside, moist and tender and flaky on the inside. Then the decision will be up to you whether to serve it plain or add on your favorite sauces or seasonings. Trust me, it’s so simple.

So let’s talk about how to bake salmon!

BAKED SALMON RECIPE | 1-MINUTE VIDEO

 

How To Make Baked Salmon

 

Baked Salmon Ingredients & Cooking Tools:

First off, let’s talk grocery shopping. To make this baked salmon recipe, you will need:

  • Salmon: When it comes to purchasing salmon, I recommend looking for filets that are:
    • Good-quality: It’s important to me that any salmon I buy is wild-caught and sustainably harvested. I recommend looking for Pacific or Alaskan Salmon; there are many varieties of salmon to choose from. In general, look for salmon whose skin is bright silvery, and whose flesh is shiny and moist and brightly-colored. Also avoid salmon that smells too fishy; it should smell more like the saltwater of the ocean.
    • Skin-on: Even if you’re not a fan of salmon skin, I highly recommend purchasing your filets skin-on — if nothing else because it will help prevent the salmon from drying out while cooking. You can always eat around the skin.
  • Oil: Whatever your preferred high-heat cooking oil may be. I like to use avocado oil for this recipe.
  • Seasonings: For the most classic salmon recipe, I typically like to season my fish a simple garlic powder, salt (or seasoned salt) and black pepper seasoning blend with salmon. Then serve it up with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

You will also need (affiliate links included):

  • An instant-read thermometer: You guys know me and cooking thermometers. If you really want to ensure 100% accuracy with the doneness of your salmon, I highly, highly recommend investing in a cooking thermometer. It’s super-easy to use, and will help ensure that your salmon is not over- or under-cooked. I recommend either this:
    • Dual-probe wireless meat thermometer: which I also own and love because it can be used inside of a hot oven (especially helpful for baking pork, salmon, steak and chicken), and retails for about $24.99 on Amazon.
    • Instant-read cooking thermometer: which I have owned and used for years, and retails for about $9.99 on Amazon. (Only downside is that it cannot be used inside the oven.)
  • A fish spatula: This will be the most easy way to serve the fish. I own one similar to this.

Baked Salmon Recipe with Roasted Asparagus and Everyday Salad

How To Bake Salmon:

Alright, let’s talk about how to cook salmon. To bake salmon in the oven, simply:

  1. Bring the salmon to room temperature. Let your salmon filets rest out on the counter for 15-30 minutes, until they have (at least mostly) come to room temperature. This will help with even cooking.
  2. Season the salmon. Blot the salmon dry on all sides with paper towels. Then place the salmon skin-side-down on a foil-covered baking sheet (or in an oven-proof, non-stick skillet, such as a cast iron pan). If the ends of the salmon filets are really thin, just fold them under a bit for even cooking. Brush on all sides (except the bottom) with oil. Sprinkle with your desired dry seasonings. (I like a mixture of garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper.)
  3. Bake. Then bake at 450°F until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 140°F* (or I like to cook mine until it reaches 135°F*), about 4-6 minutes per half inch of thickness. You can also test for doneness by inserting a fork or knife in the salmon and twisting it a bit; the fish should be opaque and flake easily.
  4. Transfer salmon to a clean plate. Remove pan from the oven and transfer the salmon to a clean serving plate. Then sprinkle each filet with a good squeeze of lemon juice, sprinkle with fresh herbs if you’d like, then…
  5. Serve warm! And enjoy!

Once the salmon has been cooked, it can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Oven Baked Salmon Recipe with Roasted Broccoli and Everyday Salad | Gimme Some Oven

Salmon FAQ:

Is salmon skin safe to eat? Yep! Although you’re welcome to pass on it if you prefer. I just highly recommend cooking the salmon with the skin on. Then you can either serve it with the skin or without the skin. (To serve it without the skin, run your fish spatula just above the skin, and the salmon filet should lift right off of it.)

How to I prevent salmon skin from sticking to the foil? Make sure the salmon skin is completely dry before laying the filet on the foil.

Can I cook my salmon more/less than the recipe says? Definitely. Different people prefer their salmon to be more rare or more well-done. I like to take my salmon out of the oven when it reaches 135°F. But to be safe, the FDA’s answer to how long to cook salmon is to be sure that it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (measured with a cooking thermometer in the thickest part of the filet).

Salmon Seasonings, Marinades and Sauces:

When it comes to salmon seasoning, I’m a big fan of the simple garlic powder/salt/pepper mix in the recipe below, plus a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice, which goes well with just about any cuisine. But if you’d like to mix things up, feel free to add in any of your favorite dry seasonings. Or marinate your fish for up to 30 minutes beforehand. Or of course, feel free to also serve your salmon with any favorite finishing sauces as well.

Side Dish Recipe Ideas:

Looking for some side dishes to serve with this salmon recipe? Here are a few of my faves:

More Baked Protein Tutorials:

Be sure to check out our other baked protein tutorials here on the blog too!

Enjoy, everyone!

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How To Make Baked Salmon

Baked Salmon

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 36 reviews
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

This baked salmon recipe is easy to customize with your favorite seasonings, and only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 salmon filets, skin-on (about 68 ounces each)
  • 2 tablespoons high-heat oil, such as avocado oil or canola oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
  • fresh lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Let salmon rest on the counter for 15-30 minutes, until they have (at least mostly) come to room temperature.
  2. Heat oven to 450°F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (or use an oven-proof non-stick skillet).
  3. Blot the salmon filets dry on all sides with paper towels.  Place the salmon skin-side-down the prepared baking sheet (or skillet).  If the ends of the salmon filets are really thin, just tuck them under a bit for even cooking.
  4. Brush the salmon on all sides (except the bottom) with oil.  Sprinkle each filet with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper, along with any other dry seasonings you prefer.
  5. Bake until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 135-140°F*, about 4-6 minutes per half inch of thickness (measured by the thickest part of the filet).  You can also test for doneness by inserting a fork or knife in the salmon and twisting it a bit; the fish should be opaque and flake easily.
  6. Remove pan from the oven and transfer the salmon to a clean serving plate, either with the skin or leaving the skin behind.  Sprinkle each filet with a good squeeze of lemon juice, plus any extra fresh herbs or sauce that you prefer.  Then serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

*The FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F, measured in the thickest part of the salmon filets.  The salmon will continue to cook a bit more once it has been removed from the oven, so I would pull it out of the oven once it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.  Or if you like your salmon a bit less cooked (as I do), I would recommend pulling it out at 135°F.

Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

Baked Salmon Recipe | Gimme Some Oven

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52 comments on “Baked Salmon”

  1. I was one of the ones who requested this tutorial! I can never seem to get salmon right. ? Thank you!!!






  2. Want to get rid of the white stuff that comes out of the salmon when you cook it? It’s harmless but looks icky. Anyway, brine it for 10 minutes before cooking. 1 tablespoon salt in a cup of water. More info here:https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/30/white-stuff-salmon-how-to-avoid_n_6564634.html

  3. Salmon will always be one of my favorite meals!! :)

  4. Oh Ali! this is the perfect salmon recipe. My favorite salmon is Coho, but living in a very small town in the Southern CA desert difficult to find. I don’t eat any farm raised fish and discovered that all wild frozen fish mostly comes from China (a no-no for me) as well as the label clearly states that there may be bits or pieces of shellfish which would kill me since I get anaphylactic shock. One local market usually brings in wild King frozen, but today I found wild Coho from USA never frozen for $9.99/lb. A happy bargain! 1/2# to eat fresh tonight, 3.5# to vacuum pack and freeze in portions. In summer we BBQ or grill outdoors but come windy cold winters we use stovetop grill and oven. This is already in my recipe file. Thanks.






  5. This looks super great! I’ve been a big fan of the proteins series as I struggle to get fish and meat right. I’m wondering if you could say more about the freezing of the salmon. I generally only want to eat salmon once or twice a week but I’m also super busy and in graduate school right now. So if I could cook up a few filets and freeze them that would be great… How would I defrost them? Would I need to reheat them before using it? Does it taste ok? Probably these are basic questions but I’ve never done it! Thanks for your help :) love your blog!

  6. I have been baking salmon for many years, always getting a delicious result. Putting.into a 425 degree oven until temp reaches 120 or 125 at the most for a thick piece, one to one and one half inches. I think.140 is way too long,

  7. So simple and so delectable. This will now be my go-to recipe.






  8. I never seem to get salmon right so I tried this recipe today. Both my daughter and I loved it. So tender and flaky. Added mango glaze I got from the fish market and we were in heaven






  9. Simple foods can be most delicious and easy, love this recipe, and our salmon turned out perfect (we used the in oven thermometer), avocado oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper – our teenager added a squeeze of lemon before eating hers. We served it with brown rice made with chicken broth, and butternut squash baked in the oven before making the fish. Delish and warmed up the house on a cold winters night!






  10. My salmon turned out so perfect with this recipe! I did not have a thermometer that I could use in a 450oven so I just timed it 5 min. per 1/2 inch as you said. I ended up turning off the has oven for the last minute and just leaving it in the oven because I hate when it’s too dry! Also, I don’t use aluminum foil as its bad for us and for the environment. I baked fine directly on a oiled baking pan and didn’t stick at all. I will be using this again!! Thanks, Ali!






  11. I made this recipe and it was delicious. My fiance loved the garlic powder/salt/pepper mix that he saved the leftover for tonight’s dinner!






  12. Made this tonight. Baked t who filets in an oven proof skillet for 13 minutes. It turned out great!






  13. Great way to cook salmon, thanks! Your details about the right internal temp were very helpful. Now my salmon comes out perfect every time.






  14. I made this last night for dinner. I make salmon often and have tried many recipes. OMG! This may be the best salmon I have ever tasted. It will become my “go to” salmon recipe.






  15. I have been cooking salmon using this basic recipe for several years, always turns out great. Recently I have basted some light maple syrup on salmon and it turned out super. Bake it this way most of the time.






  16. Wonderful! I tried this and we ate right away. It was perfect!
    Question: can you detail how best to reheat this baked fish from the fridge so as not to overcook it? Is it best to again go very high heat or for reheating is a 350 or 375F better?
    And loose foil? Tent foil? No foil?
    The reheating thing is what always gets me.
    Thanks so much.
    Jeanette






    • Hi can uvtell me where you purchase your wild caught salmon filets? Thanks

    • Jeanette,

      I have always reheated most things in the oven at 200 it seems to heat it up slowly and doesn’t seem to dry it out as bad as reheating on a higher temperature.

  17. I learned from a fishmonger years ago to bake salmon directly on aluminum foil, but not to oil/spray it, because then when you serve, the skin sticks to the foil. Easy peasy!






  18. I followed loosely and did mostly my own thing but gr8 tips






  19. Thank you for a great simple recipe! Made it tonight with fresh caught King salmon and turned out GREAT. (added chopped scallion, a bit of fresh rosemary, fresh minced garlic and had limes instead of lemon) So good!






  20. Thank you! This is my favorite website for simple,delicious recipes! If I’m looking up a recipe online (like baked salmon, in this instance) and I see this website as an option, I have confidence that the recipe will be delicious and have a thorough explanation. I really appreciate the effort put in and the quality!






  21. How would you go about baking a salmon steak? Same temperature, but keep it in for longer? And would you need to oil the area touching the foil?

  22. actually, it has a really good taste and flavor






  23. I was looking for baked salmon recipes and yours was the first one thst came up on Google… And I’m in Singapore! Haha. Thanks for the recipe and hope you’re doing well!

  24. The instructions are so easy! My salmon came out perfectly the first time and I’m not that great of a cook






  25. Made this tonight and it was so crazy good! What a great recipe ??






  26. I love this recipe! It’s so easy and flavorful. I added a touch of white wine and it tastes amazing. I cooked the salmon in the air fryer (400 degrees for 13 min, mine doesn’t go up to 450). I will use this recipe again and again!






  27. This recipe sounds simple and good, I’m going to try this one. My husband likes his salmon with melted butter add a bit of lemon juice and sprinkle with dill. I wrap each one individually in foil and bake.

  28. Fabulous! Love your website and it’s improved my cooking massively! Thank you ?






  29. Thank you for another hit recipe






  30. Perfect fillets every time- thank you!






  31. I now know how to make salmon taste good. Thanks






  32. Best baked salmon to date!! I melted equal parts olive oil and salted butter. Brushed room temperature filets and sprinkling liberally with lemon pepper. Baked in preheated 450° oven for 7 minutes on foil covered cookie sheet. Moist, flaky, and flavorful!!






  33. I used a bed of celery sticks in a glass baking dish instead of aluminum foil. Worked perfectly, and I ate the celery with some rice in a nice curry sauce.






  34. salmon was delicious, but do think the temp needs to be lower to 400 degrees : )






  35. Good recipe. Clean and concise! Added a few twists of my own. Originally looked up to find out If skin side should be cooked up or down.






  36. My husband normally smokes the salmon on his pellet grill but it was pouring rain today so I looked for an oven baked recipe. This was perfect. Just used some avocado oil, black pepper and dry fish seasoning. The salmon came out juicy, tender and flavorful. I did not use a thermometer because I always seem to screw up (overcook) with those, but I took the fish out when it easily flaked with a fork. About 12 minutes for a thick center filet.






  37. Great simple recipe with accurate timing and temperature for the oven!






  38. Best oven baked salmon recipe by far. I have been grilling fresh salmon for many years (we live on the West Coast) but was looking for one to use in the winter. This is it. The only change is that I added soya sauce and minced garlic to a pre-cooking marinade. Also ’cause I can’t help myself, finished with a little sprinkle of brown sugar. 400 degrees for 14 minutes on a foil lined baking sheet. Awesome.

  39. You miss the most important thing! Cook skin down or up in pan! It is amazing isn’t it. Remember this in all things in life.

  40. Hello,
    If you only eat sustainable fish you shouldn’t be shopping on Amazon or even recommending to shop Amazon. Amazon is far from sustainable. Shop local.
    Thank you,

  41. GREAT RECIEPE!!!! FAMILY LOVED THIS SIMPLE YET GOURMETE DISH. A DEFFINITE MENUE ITEM.
    THANK YOU.






  42. I need to thank you. I’ve been using this info weekly for quite a while and it never fails. I used to always make salmon so dry. I really appreciate your sharing this!






  43. So easy and so good! I made it exactly as the recipe stated.






  44. I discovered an even better way to do it if you like crispy skin! Just keep a cast iron in the oven during it’s preheat. Make sure there is a thin cost of oil on the salmon skin or the skillet, then lay the salmon on the hot skillet instead of foil and bake until done!

  45. How do you get rid of the white stuff if you do it at 4:50 for 6 or 7 minutes the white stuff comes out how do you avoid that it looks terrible

  46. I have never commented on a recipe before but I HAD to comment on this one. This was by far the best salmon I have had EVER and it was so simple. I can’t believe it.






  47. This is the most fool proof recipe I’ve found for baked salmon. Works like a charm everytime.






  48. making it today