Oven Baked Salmon
These moist, flaky oven-baked salmon filets are generously seasoned with a spicy kick and a lemony flourish. It’s one of those easy, never-fail-you recipes that packs a real flavor punch.
Spicy, lemony, moist—this recipe is everything you could ever want a salmon dinner to be! And honestly, any meal that can work for a fancy date night or a quick weeknight meal holds a special place in my heart.
Plus, this salmon is so tasty that you’ll probably forget it’s also incredibly good for you. Here’s to all the healthy foods that still taste like a treat.
Keeping Baked Salmon Moist
Moist, flaky salmon is pretty simple. The trick is to avoid overcooking it. Ten to fifteen minutes at high heat－400℉ (205℃)－works well for me. However, cook times will vary depending on how thick your salmon filets are.
Just start checking them around the 10-minute mark. When the fish loses all opacity and the thickest section flakes easily with a fork, it’s time to pull them out of the oven. They’re done!
How to Bake Salmon in the Oven
- Pat the salmon dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. (Photo 1)
- Melt the butter, then saute the minced garlic, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, parsley, and basil for 30 seconds to a minute. Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes so the flavors meld. Finally, add the lemon juice to the mix. (Photos 2-3)
- Brush the salmon with the spice mixture, covering every inch. (Photo 4)
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through, depending on the fillets’ thickness and your preference. When the thickest part of the salmon easily flakes with a fork, it’s perfectly cooked. (You could do this stovetop if you don’t want to heat the oven.) (Photo 5)
- Garnish with lemon slices and serve with your favorite sides. (Photo 6)
Recipe Notes
- Season the fish with soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, and a touch of honey for an Asian-inspired twist.
- Spread a layer of basil pesto over the salmon filets and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese before baking for an Italian take.
- Take a whiff. Fish should smell like the ocean, not fishy, and watch out for bruising. If you’re buying frozen filets, avoid packages that say “color added” or include non-natural ingredients.
- Feel free to use skin-on salmon, baking it skin down, which creates a barrier to hold in the juices.
- Setting a timer will prevent overcooking the salmon. Fish cooks fast, and it’s easy to forget about it when you’re busy making sides.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Salmon will stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, so feel free to make this dish ahead. Just let it cool and refrigerate or freeze it in an airtight container.
Thaw frozen salmon overnight before reheating it. Pop it in the microwave, air fryer, or your oven set to a low temp (325℉/160℃) for about 10 minutes or until just heated through.
What Goes With Oven-Baked Salmon
Oven-baked salmon goes with loads of sides. Enjoy it with garlic mashed potatoes or creamy orzo and bacon-wrapped green beans. Or serve it chilled over a strawberry spinach salad and top it with mango salsa.
More Sumptuous Salmon Recipes to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”VkWj59UL” upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 20:14:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Oven Baked Salmon” description=”Oven Baked Salmon – moist and flaky highly seasoned salmon fillets with a lemony and spicy kick. A perfect easy weeknight meal for busy folks or as a low-carb go-to Lenten meal. Spicy, lemony, and moist – everything you want a salmon dinner to be!”]
This blog post was first published in February 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Oven Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900g) salmon fillets
- 3-4 tablespoons (42-56g) unsalted butter
- 2-3 teaspoons (6-8g) minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon (7g) onion powder
- 1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon (1-2g) cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons (7-10g) fresh parsley or basil (minced)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) or more lemon juice
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF (205℃). Line a baking sheet with foil or baking paper, like I did, spray with cooking spray or lightly oil. Set aside.
- Make 4-5 slits in each salmon fillet with a sharp knife. Dab both sides of the salmon dry with paper towels, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a small pan over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, then add minced garlic, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and parsley or basil. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute. Let this mixture sit for a little bit, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
- Brush the salmon fillets with the mixture, covering every inch.
- Bake until cooked through, 10-15 minutes, depending on the salmon's thickness and your preferred doneness. The salmon is perfectly cooked when the thickest part easily flakes with a fork.
- Garnish immediately with lemon slices and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Season just before cooking to keep the salt from pulling out too much moisture.
- While the FDA advises an internal temperature of 145°F (62℃), most chefs and pro-home cooks prefer 125-130°F (50-55℃). The higher the temperature, the drier the fish.
- Let the filets rest for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. Residual heat will continue cooking it for a few minutes, and the juices will reabsorb into the meat.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I am always reluctant to try new things as I have VERY PICKY eaters at my home. This recipe sounded just the way I would like the seasoning to be and also the positive comments encouraged me to try it. So finally I made it today for lunch and my hubby LOVED it. He wont stop praising it. Thank you so much for such an awesome yet easy recipe.
BTW I used olive oil instead of butter and used griddle over my stove.
I’m so happy it turned out well for! I always feel that sweet triumph whenever picky eaters dig in my dishes. 😉 Thank you for your time!
This was definitely the best salmon recipe I have tried on Pinterest. I scaled it down to make one filet, eyeballing ingredients, but this will be my new go-to recipe for salmon! Yum! Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Julie! And thanks for dropping by.
Hi can I use olive oil instead of butter for the mixture ? How will it fare . Plan to cook this for dinner tonight
Hello!
Olive oil will do just fine. Hubby prefers olive oil to butter. Do let me know how it works out for you.
Thanks !
How do you think this will fare with dried parsley and basil, instead of fresh?
It will do just fine – reduce the amount of herbs in half .
Amazing! I love cooking salmon and i have 2 go-to recipes. I decided to expand and made this last night. It was the best salmon. Wonderful flavor, perfect amount of kick, great after taste. Next time i will make more so we have left-overs.
So happy it turned out great for you, Randi!
We had your baked salmon last night and it was the best oven baked salmon we’ve ever had! Just so moist and flavourful. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jane,
So happy to hear this. Thank you SO MUCH!!!
This was delicious!! I made this for dinner this evening and absolutely loved it, as did my husband. I used some of the sauce to cook some broccoli to go with it, and the broccoli was delicious, too!! Thanks so much for sharing a great recipe. Oh, and thank you also for teaching me to put little slits in the salmon. Not sure why that never occurred to me, but it worked great! 🙂
Yaaay! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
What Flavor! If I could give it a 10, I definitely would, served with broccoli and jasmine rice. My husband caught salmon in the Pacific Ocean. These flavors only enhanced such a beautiful piece of fish. Thank you!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Donna. Now you got me thinking on going on fishing with hubby. 🙂
Sweet! I just made some salmon fillets last night with honey glazed sauce but looking at your dish truly motivates me to try this recipe soon. I like that you used the cayenne pepper and paprika! Spicy is absolutely a plus for this dish
– Natalie Ellis
Yes it is Nathalie. Thanks for stopping by.
When did u add the basil and the parsley?
My bad . After the cayenne pepper .
First try with this one and wow what a hit! 5 hungry people…2.5 lbs salmon gone in minutes.
Thanks.
It’s always a hit, Maria! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. Have a great day! 🙂
I used your Baked Salmon recipe for our supper this evening and it’s a BIG HIT with my picky eaters! Thanks!
Yaaay! I always love hearing when my recipes are a hit to picky eaters. 😀 Thanks for letting me know, Janice!
Hi Imma! I’m so glad that I found your blog. I’ve been trying new baked salmon recipes lately and I found this one yesterday. I made it last night. It was so delicious to me! Not only that, but for my husband too, who ate all of it quickly. I didn’t have a cooking brush so I just placed all of the paste on top of each fish. I paired it with basmati rice cooked in chicken broth. We also ran out of pepper the night before, but this recipe didn’t need it, at all, since I put the max amount of cayenne and a little extra 😀 Thank you so much! I can’t wait to browse through and recreate more of your recipes. Quick question. Is this recipe a mix of African, Caribbean & Southern? If so, how so? I’ve only ever had Southern Creoles and Cajuns, never African or Caribbean so I’m curious to know what is what. Thanks!
Yaaay! Glad it came out well for you, Jami. I don’t think it’s a fusion of those three, but I’d say it’s more like of a creole with the presence of cayenne and parsley. Can’t wait for you to try other recipes on the blog. 😉
Thank you! I just made this recipe for a second time last night. Yum again lol
I made this salmon tonight and my husband and I love it! I used smoked paprika and fresh thyme because that’s what I had on hand and lots of lemon juice! Very good!,
Glad you love it, Loretta. This recipe here is truly a keeper. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Have you ever changed this recipe up and used your Creole Cajun Seasoning? I just made a ton of it and I am thinking that using 6 tablespoons to replace the spices in the recipe might be a bit much. Any thoughts? Love the site, thank you so much!
Hi Ian, Yes I have . 7 Tablespoons might be a bit too much. Start with 3 1/2 tablespoons – you can always add as needed.
Hey! This is is so simple and easy to made, I love to bake the salmon in this style, My family love this recipe. Thanks cooks for my help.
Glad to hear that your family love this one, Lonnie. It’s my go-to salmon recipe especially for busy weeknights.Thanks for dropping by!
Made this was really delicious and easy
Thanks for sharingi!!
I made this tonight! This is a great easy to make recipe. I was about to give up on salmon, but this tasty, spicy recipe was a hit! I have only been following your site for a month or so, but I am finding that your recipes are wonderful. I love to cook different types of ethnic food and I especially like spicy African, Caribbean, South American and Southern/Creole. You have another dedicated follower!
Glad you didn’t give up Don. Super excited to hear this worked out well for you. Happy to have you here.
About to make this now. Then another time make that other fish you had wrapped up foil paper!!!
Nice! Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks
That. Looks. AWESOME! Honestly this and allrecipes.com is the only recipes websites I’ll visit. So far I’ve made the chicken pumpkin soup, the Cajun chicken penne, peanut stew and the tostones, and this is next!
Thank you so much! So happy to hear the recipes are working out well for you.