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.
WOW! This was so good.
Great flavors that married perfectly with the salmon.
This is a keeper. Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks.
Thank you thank you thank you. Henceforth, this is my one and only salmon recipe. Even the hubby loved it, and he is no fan of seafood. I enjoyed mine with some homemade tzatziki sauce to cool down the spice a bit cuz I’m a wimp. And because “they” say Greek yogurt and salmon together fight belly fat ♀️
It was delicious. Husband loved it too! Will keep this easy recipe in the rotation for sure.
This is just delicious! We have had it many times now and we have enjoyed the results each time! Thank you
I’ve made this a few times. My absolute favorite recipe. Always comes out moist and delicious. I did add a few of my fav spices old bay (instead of paprika) and Jamaican easy spice and Italian seasoning. I’m soooo glad I’ve found your. site
I like salmon. This recipe is interesting and easy. I will give it a try. Thanks a lot.
Suggestions:
Add a pinch of orange peel, Old Bay, and Worcestershire to the sauce. Use a drawn better method to melt the ingredients. Add a tsp or two of capers to the top.
Bake in an iron, ribbed grilling skillet preheated on a baking stone. Grape seed oil. Bake 10 minutes. Broil 2 minutes on high to crisp the top. Stove top 2-3 minutes to crisp the skin
Hi Peter. Thank you for the suggestions.
Hi Peter.
Thank you for the suggestions!
Made this today and it was fantastic. My best salmon recipe till date. So moist and flavorful!
Hi Savvy. I am glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious, quick and easy!
Glad you loved it! Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve made this a number of times and it is delicious. My daughter is allergic to dairy so I use coconut butter instead. I’m sure it changes the taste dramatically, but we love it. Thank you!
In Canada you can get Vegan Becel. I’m also allergic to dairy. This is very tasty – almost like butter. A great substitute.
I am glad I tried this recipe. So easy and delicious. Perfect for my diet. I am going to try her other recipes.
I’ve made this salmon a couple times now and it is so good. Definitely recommend this recipe!
This is the first time I baked salmon. I chose this recipe because it got a five star rating and it did not disappoint. Delicious, I am making it again tonight.
This looks so delish!! Adding this to our menu this week!
Salmon is my favorite, I don’t usually cook myself, but this recipe is easy, I will try on this weekend, thanks for sharing.
SO happy I found this recipe! This will be my new go-to when I’m cooking salmon. It’s so easy and quick to make, yet it is still so flavorful and just perfect. The lemon is a necessity. I loved the seasoning so much I wished there was more. Thank you so much for this recipe and I can’t wait to try some of the others on this site!!!!!
I was introduced to your blog after having dinner at my friend, the same salmon dish they do is exactly the same, really delicious and perfect.
I will try to do the same as you and give my family delicious food
First time making salmon & I used this recipe . It was sooooo goooooddddd! Wish I could upload a picture!
It was delicious and the salmon was cooked perfect at 15 minutes! Thanks for sharing this!!
Found this recipe by accident and so happy I did because it was amazing. Thank you for sharing. This is my new go to salmon recipe.