Oven Baked Salmon
Oven Baked Salmon – These moist and flaky 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. 🤩
How to Keep Baked Salmon Moist
Keeping baked salmon moist is pretty simple. The trick is to avoid overcooking it. Ten to fifteen minutes at 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!
Recipe Ingredients
- Salmon – Fresh or frozen salmon filets will work beautifully for this recipe. My only recommendation here is a high-quality filet. The better the quality, the better the flavor.
- Seasonings – You’ll make a kind of paste to coat the filets that starts with butter as a base. Along with the butter, you’ll need garlic, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, fresh parsley, and basil.
- Lemon – The juice adds a nice tang to the salmon, and a few thinly sliced lemon rounds make for a pretty garnish, too! 🍋
How to Bake Salmon in the Oven
- Preheat – Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 400ºF (205℃). Line a greased baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (like I did), then spray with cooking spray or lightly oil. Set aside.
- Prep the Salmon – Using a sharp knife, make about 4-5 slits on the salmon. Dab dry both sides of the salmon with paper towels—season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Combine the Seasonings – In a small pan set over medium-low heat, add butter, minced garlic, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, parsley, and basil. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute. Then let the mixture sit for a little bit—about 5 minutes— so the flavors meld. Finally, add the lemon juice to the mix.
- Season – Brush the salmon with the spice mixture, ensuring it covers every inch of the salmon.
- Bake – Bake until cooked through, 10-15 minutes, depending on the fillets’ thickness and your preference for doneness. When the thickest part of the salmon easily flakes with a fork, it’s perfectly cooked.
- Serve – Garnish with lemon slices and serve with your favorite sides.
Recipe Variations
- Soy-ginger baked salmon. Combine soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, and a touch of honey. Marinate the salmon in this mixture before baking for an Asian-inspired twist.
- Get tropical! Mix coconut milk, lime juice, minced ginger, and a touch of chili flakes and pour it over the salmon before baking for a refreshing twist. Maybe top it with mango salsa? 🤤
- Go Italian. Spread a layer of basil pesto over the salmon filets and then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese before baking. That adds a rich and herby flavor. Mama mia! 🤌🏿
Tips and Tricks
- To get the freshest possible filets, choose nice and pink salmon, not pale. Make sure it doesn’t smell bad or fishy, and watch out for brown spots or bruising. If you’re buying frozen filets, avoid packages that say “color added” or include non-natural ingredients.
- Keeping the skin on the salmon is another way to keep it nice and moist. Just be sure to bake it skin down, which creates a barrier to hold in the juices. 💦
- Set a timer to avoid overcooking the salmon. Fish cooks fast, and it’s easy to forget about when you’re busy making sides. I always set a kitchen timer to avoid drying out my salmon.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Salmon will stay good in the fridge for a few 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 or your oven set to a low temp (325℉/160℃) for about 10 minutes or until just heated through.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve oven-baked salmon fresh from the oven with all your favorite sides. You could also serve this salmon chilled over a salad with fresh greens. Refrigerate leftover salmon fillets in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
What Goes With Oven Baked Salmon
Oven-baked salmon goes with loads of sides. Try serving it with garlic mashed potatoes, creamy orzo, or bacon-wrapped green beans. Or serve it chilled over a strawberry spinach salad. 😋
More Sumptuous Salmon Recipes to Try
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 initially 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:
- To get the freshest possible filets, choose nice and pink salmon, not pale. Make sure it doesn’t smell bad or fishy, and watch out for brown spots or bruising. If you’re buying frozen filets, avoid packages that say “color added” or include non-natural ingredients.
- Keeping the skin on the salmon is another way to keep it nice and moist. Just be sure to bake it skin down, which creates a barrier to hold in the juices.
- Set a timer to avoid overcooking the salmon. Fish cooks fast, and it’s easy to forget about when you’re busy making sides. I always set a kitchen timer to avoid drying out my salmon.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
So easy and good. I used frozen salmon from Aldi’s. Will make again !
Awesome!Thanks so much.
Really delicious, eating mine now. I only had about 1 1/2 lbs of salmon, but made the full amount of seasoning mix, including 1 tsp Cayenne. The resulting thick covering is wonderful! Thanks for this!
The salmon was delicious and I will be making it again. Thanks for recipe.
That is so good to know! Thanks for stopping by!
Really easy and tasty and I was out of the thyme and onion powder ( I just added chopped onion and sautéed it with the other ingredients).
I’ll be checking out your other recipes!
what is the purpose of cayenne pepper? Why should we use it?
You sholdn’t. It’s just a suggestion. You can use whatever you want.
This recipe is excellent. My family loved it. Thank you for your simple lucid style of explaining the recipe. Great job!
This salmon was fantastic! I accidentally added garlic salt instead of onion powder, then realized my mistake. I threw out half the butter mix and started over with onion powder, so it was saltier than called for but I loved it anyhow! Added a dash of smoked paprika too. Mmmm. Went perfect with fluffy white rice and sauteed bok choy. Will make again for sure!
Salmon perfection! Follow this recipe to a tee and it your salmon will be delicious! I added one tsp of cayenne and it gives it just the right amount of heat. Even my three year old granddaughter loved it! We all loved it!
Awesome!So happy to hear that your grand daughter enjoyed it too- Thanks for taking the out to share this with us kristine.
Came out great! I added some pepper flakes and mixed melted butter from the microwave with the dry ingredients instead of cooking over a stove. Popped it in the grill and it was exceptional, going to try it on the bbq next time.
I have made this several times and always a winner!
I don’t know where to buy cayenne pepper? So much lemonade for what? Thank you
Hi Melissa! Ground cayenne pepper should be at most grocery stores but if you can’t find it you can substitute with red pepper flakes or something of that source if you’re a heat seeker! The lemon adds a tang complements the salmon well but if you don’t like it you can certainly omit!
Dollar Store.
Thank you so much , it’s great I will give you a 5star
This recipe is great! I’ve prepared it twice now and it’s our new family favorite. I’ve added some capers for an extra pop of flavor and my kids use the leftover butter mix on steamed veggies. I’m willing to bet it’s great on chicken too. Thank you for such a yummy recipe 🙂
Interesting way to cook the salmon, I’ll try.
Thanks for sharing.
This recipe is easy and fantastic. Even my hard to impress sister said it was the best salmon she’s ever had! I’m so happy to have come across this.
Awesome! Happy to hear it worked out well for you Alicia. Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts with us .
I love to cook and I’m always looking for new recipes for my menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Today’s my lucky day, Oven Baked Salmon is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like it. Thanks for your sharing
Googled ‘baked salmon’ and this recipe was one of many to show. And the tastiest sounding. I cut my salmon into 1-2 ounces pieces so each side would be covered and baked barely on the underdone side as I would be freezing for salads. The BEST salmon ever! I’ll be checking for more recipes. Thank you!
Thanks dear it looks yummy will try
This is the first time I did a salmon with the seasonings myself and was looking for something simple but flavorful. I made this for my meal prep. I didnt have the cayenne pepper so I used chipotle chili powder and it came out really good and smokey. Will definitely be making this again
Can you eat this cold with salads?
You sure can.
The best salmon I’ve ever had! Since discovering this about a month ago I think I’ve made it about 6 times… it’s my favourite meal of the week! I make it with roasted tomato/garlic/onion recipe from Jamie Oliver and some rice to soak up all the flavour… delicious!