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.
LOVE this recipe!!!
Thanks Sherri.
Very tasty.
Thank you for trying this. I would say try more recipes and share your experince.
A really nice recipe, I liked this and I will make this again
Love this recipe.It was delicious!!
Delicious! Loved the flavor. Thank you.
Can you please tell me how I unsubscribe from this site. Not because I dont like your recipes. I am overloaded with emails and cant cope.
Hi Jacky! So sorry for that, how often would you like to receive an email from me thogh?
I LOVE THESE RECIPES SO VERY MUCH KEEP SENDING THESE RECIPES TO ME PLEASE!!!
Sure Angela! Are you subscribe to our newsletters?
This is the best salmon recipe if you like a little spice to your food. I follow the recipe exactly every time and it always turns out perfect ( I probably use a little more lemon than the recipe yields but I don’t measure the lemon so who knows). My kids now love salmon and request it often. Salmon is a little pricey, but it is always worth it when I use this recipe.
Hi Jessica! Thanks so much! This is really the easiest fave recipe. Another salmon recipe you might want to try (if you haven’t yet) is Orange Honey Glazed Salmon. Enjoy!
Thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Ingredients readily available in the pantry and easy and quick to make. Cannot wait to make again. This time, I will go easy on the lemon juice in the sauce. Mine was too watery. Next time I will ensure that it is more of a paste. But it still was good!
Yay! Glad you still enjoyed it, Wanda. Another hit salmon recipe of mine is Pan Seared Salmon, super easy to make, too! 🙂
Thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Ingredients readily available in the pantry and easy and quick to make. Cannot wait to make again. This time, I will go easy on the lemon juice in the sauce. Mine was too watery. Next time I will ensure that it is more of a paste. But it still was good!
This was great! We’ll make it again!
Yay! Thank you. Joan! This is easily one of the easiest and favorites among my readers 🙂 You can also give my Salmon Salad a try, this has also been a surprise hit 🙂 Enjoy!
This recipe was a huge hit at a dinner party. Seriously, people were commenting throughout the meal and the evening.
That is so sweet! Thank you for sharing and I’m happy that everyone of you enjoyed 🙂
Made this before and it was lush
I want to make this recipe, but would like to know how many servings. It would be helpful if you added that to the nutrition information.
Hi Cathie! This is for 4-5 servings 🙂
Make this recipe once a week. So Easy and is as good a Salmon dish as you will get in any restaurant. Wonderful with some log grain rice. Delish!!
Glad you enjoyed this, Matt! Thank you!
Five Stars! Absolutely delicious! Never had salmon sooooo good! I baked salmon two nights in a row. Then, too, it was so quick and easy. Thanks.
I LOVE your recipes!! They use ingredients that I usually have and they taste AMAZING!!
This is fabulous! I love the seasoning butter you created. I’ve never made salmon in the oven, I guess because I like cooking it in browned butter and it’s easier to keep an eye on the cooking progress. But I’ll have to try it your way!
The best!
Very delicious! My 6 year old couldn’t eat enough of it. She said it was the best fish she ever had! 🙂