This Baked Salmon is my preferred way to cook fresh salmon from the grocery store, as it’s easy, delicious, and cleanup is a breeze. Serve it as the main dish for dinner, toss it in a mixed green salad, or shred it for picnic-friendly salmon salad. It only takes 15 minutes to make!

Baked Salmon - On a Plate with Tomatoes and Salad

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I make this recipe at least once a week. It’s an integral part of my meal prep and my family always loves eating salmon.

If I’m being honest about my favorite way to eat this popular fish, it’s hands down a pan seared Crispy Skin Salmon just like at the restaurant, where the skin is like a crunchy potato chip on top of the fish. However, that’s a more involved process that involves de-scaling the fish and perfecting the sear, and it’s only meant to be eaten right away.

This Baked Salmon Recipe is simple as heck to prepare, and you can enjoy the fish as is, with flavorings like dill, Dijon mustard, or lemon, or in other recipes altogether. I personally LOVE rubbing it with a little bit of homemade Cajun Seasoning (moistened with a touch of olive oil so the spices don’t burn). Leftovers also keep beautifully.

What’s nice too is you can make as little or as much as you want. When I’m serving a lot of people, I’ll cook a whole side of salmon, and the cook time is more or less the same.

Tips for Best Results

The type of salmon you use matters – Types of salmon vary wildly in terms of eating experience. Farmed species tend to be fattier (and therefore more moist) than wild-caught salmon as a rule of thumb, but even wild varieties vary tremendously from species to species. I discuss this in more detail below, plus my recommendations.

Try to get a center cut piece – Ask the fishmonger to cut you a center cut portion, if possible, that is even in thickness. This will help the fish cook more evenly, instead of having some overcooked or undercooked parts.

Aim for medium – Salmon is fully cooked at 140F, but can generally be eaten safely at 125F. This gives you a more moist interior and delicious eating experience.

Because I cook this fish so often, I’ve experimented with many different temperatures and cooking times. I find that oven baked salmon cooks best at higher temperatures for less time, and gives you moist pieces that flake gently. You can see the moisture shimmering on these salmon flakes right here:

A close up of a plate of food with a fork showing moist salmon baked in oven

Farmed vs Wild

As a rule of thumb, wild salmon is more prone to becoming dry and overcooked, as it generally has less fat than farmed. I’ve tried 8 different types of farmed and wild salmon, and my preference for wild is King salmon, but it’s also the most expensive.

My favorite budget option is Whole Foods Farmed Atlantic Salmon, which has great flavor and moisture. Sockeye salmon and Coho salmon species tend to be more dry, so be extra careful with overcooking. Avoid Chum salmon, which has an inferior flavor to other species.

Removing Bones from Salmon Fillet with Tweezers

Remove the Bones

Always remove the pinbones from your salmon fillets, as they are particularly big and thick, and a choking hazard. Sometimes the fishmonger has already removed the bones from the fish, but when you have to do it yourself, it’s easiest with tweezers. Trust me, you cannot pull the bones out with your fingers.

Because I make this recipe so much I bought these tweezers (affiliate), which is the best way to remove the bones. I’ve also been able to pull the bones out with tongs in a pinch, but it’s a little tedious and harder to grip.

To remove the bones, you can feel along the flesh to see where they are poking out, then grab them with the tweezers.

Next, season the fish with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper:

Seasoning Fish Fillet with Salt and Pepper

Sometimes if I have it, I’ll add fresh herbs like chopped dill. Other nice toppings are Dijon mustard mixed with pure maple syrup, teriyaki sauce, Cajun Seasoning, or simply a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

You may also brush with melted butter, but know that it will brown a bit at the temperature we’re cooking at.

If I’m using the fish for salads or other dishes, I’ll just leave it plain with salt and pepper.

Adding fresh dill to salmon fillet

Next, I like to prepare an aluminum foil lined or parchment paper-lined sheet pan to place the fillet on for baking.

I find that even if you grease the bottom of the pan with oil, the salmon skin always sticks anyway, and it’s a pain to scrub it off. So I make cleanup easy by lining my rimmed baking sheet.

On that note, I also do not bother patting any sides of the salmon dry with a paper towel, since we aren’t looking to accomplish much browning here.

Seasoned Salmon on Foil Lined Tray Before Putting Salmon in Oven

How Long to Bake Salmon

Timing definitely depends on the thickness of your salmon. Typically for a 1″ thick piece, about 12-14 minutes of baking time is perfect in a 425F oven.

Remember that the maximum temperature you want to cook the fish to is 140 degrees F, which is fully cooked (whereas chicken is 165F). I usually aim for an internal temperature of 125-130F, measured with an instant read thermometer at the thickest part of the salmon, so there’s still some pink inside. Slightly undercooking is the key to tender salmon.

If you’re using a wild variety, you’ll want to watch the fish more closely, as there’s less fat there and it’s easier for it to dry out.

How to Check for Doneness

I buy the same size piece from the store so I’ve learned what the timing is, but if you crack the oven door and look, you’ll see when the fish has changed from the deeper orange and shiny/glossy exterior, to the cooked lighter orange color and more opaque exterior. Once the shiny exterior is gone, it should be done within a minute or two, and you can double check with a thermometer.

Baked Salmon Fillet - On Plate with Salt and Pepper

How to Serve It

Serve the baked salmon immediately after removing from the oven, when it’s at its peak juiciness and moisture. You can serve it with light side dishes like Roasted Parsnips, Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, Greek Zucchini Salad, or Carrot Raisin Salad. A simple squeeze of lemon juice is also nice! You can serve it with lemon slices on the plate, so people can decide for themselves.

If you’d like to add a sauce, I recommend Basil Pesto, Romesco, or Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce. A simple lemon butter (equal parts by weight of both) is also a delicious sauce that’s easy to make quickly.

You can also use this as the main protein for salads like Cobb Salad or Kale Salad.

Next try my Salmon Cakes recipe. You can absolutely use leftover salmon here for the salmon patties in that post.

Recipe Tips and FAQ

How do you store leftover Baked Salmon?

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Try to finish in 3-4 days for optimal flavor.

Can you freeze leftover Baked Salmon?

Yes, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave in the refrigerator overnight.

How do you reheat Baked Salmon?

The best options are in the microwave or in the oven. For the microwave, do 30-second intervals at 50% power, until warmed through, being very careful not to overcook the fish. For the microwave, try 300F for 10 minutes, until warmed through.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Baked Salmon On a Plate with Tomatoes and Salad

Baked Salmon

Servings: 3
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Total Time: 17 mins
Baked Salmon is my preferred way to cook this popular and satisfying fish, as it's easy, delicious, and cleanup is a breeze. It can be enjoyed as the main course, or used in other recipes!
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb fillet of salmon *
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • Unless they've been removed already by the fishmonger, remove the pinbones from the fillet with tweezers.
  • Season the top of the fish generously with salt, about 1/2 tsp for a 1lb piece. I don't season the bottom of the fish, since I discard the skin.
  • Add freshly ground black pepper to the fillet, about 1/4 tsp, or to your taste.
  • Place the fish on the lined tray, and bake for 12-14 minutes, until the top is no longer shiny and the fish registers between 125-140F in the middle, depending on desired doneness. 125F is for medium, and 140F is for fully cooked.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*If you want to use a bigger piece, feel free, as the cook time should be about the same (so long as the thickness is consistent).
Salmon species: Different types of this fish vary tremendously in terms of eating experience. For wild species, King will be the most moist, but it’s expensive. I like the Farmed Atlantic option at Whole Foods for affordability, flavor, and moisture. Sockeye and Coho dry out very quickly, so be extra careful not to overcook them. Avoid Chum, which has inferior flavor to the other species.
Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: The best options are in the microwave or in the oven. For the microwave, do 30-second intervals at 50% power, until warmed through, being very careful not to overcook the fish. For the microwave, try 300F for 10 minutes, until warmed through.
Variations and Uses: Add leftovers to salads, or make Salmon Salad out of it (like a tuna salad, but with salmon). Feel free to add simple seasonings like fresh dill, dijon mustard, maple, teriyaki sauce, and more. My favorite preparation is rubbing it with a tablespoon or two of Cajun Seasoning, moistened with 1 tablespoon olive oil so the spices don’t burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal, Protein: 31g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 353mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug

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