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.
Very delicious, moist, pretty. Leftovers warmed up well the next day.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Gerri.
This was a simple and straightforward recipe that worked perfectly, thanks! It was also delicious!
Wonderful! Glad you loved it Pat!
This was an easy and delicious recipe, thanks so much! We all really enjoyed the results!
Awesome! Glad to hear!
Made this for Good Friday and since I don’t make salmon often(tilapia or halibut)and wanted to make something different,I really wanted to try this recipe. To say the least, it’s the best I have ever tasted. I made a dill sauce to go along with it as well but this recipe can stand on its own. I served it with rice and steamed asparagus.
Thank you for trying out my recipe, Rhieka! I am so glad you loved it :)!
I’ve never cooked salmon before and I sure hope I don’t mess it up. This recipe sounds delicious and I will fix a salad and asparagus with it. Thanks for sharing this recipe. **
Hi Judy,
Cooking salmon for the first time can be an exciting experience, and it sounds like you’ve chosen a great recipe to start with. Watch out for the cooking time s
I make Salmon almost every week. This was a good recipe quick, easy and very different than what we usually do. Family said they all liked it ok. Will make again for a change of pace.
Thank you Debbie. I’m so glad you’re family approved.
Made this recipe for dinner tonight. It was delicious, my husband and I both enjoyed it. Made some dill sauce which turned out great too. Served with rice and fresh asparagus. Will definitely make it again.
Thank you, . Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
My go to salmon recipe!
Oh great to hear that. Thank you so much!
I’m going to try this tonight with baked asparagus.
Awesome! Do let me know how it turns out!
I mike this at least once a week for my fiancé. It’s my go to. Amazing job
You are more than welcome. And if there’s a recipe you’d love to see, please let me know. Thanks:)
This recipe was outstanding according to my husband. It was easy to make too. It was very tasty and spicy. Love the spices for this fish.
Oh great to hear that. Thank you so much!
Amazingly delicious recipe! My husband couldn’t stop saying how delicious and moist the salmon was. This recipe is definitely a keeper for our family!
Thank you, Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
This has become my go-to salmon recipe. It is deliciously flavorful, yet easy to make. Thank you Imma!
You are more than welcome. And if there’s a recipe you’d love to see, please let me know. Thanks:)
Delicious- i will be making extra of this sauce to put on everything!
Amazing!!!!! That absolutely delicious!! Glad you loved it. Looking forward to you trying more of my recipes.
Iloveitvery much
Thank you so much Peola. Stay tuned, and try some recipes… Boom You are a great chef!!!! Much Love:)
Yeah… it’s as good as the hundreds of other reviews here claim. As usual, I cooked a couple of extra dinner portions so that there would be leftovers to bring to work for lunch the next day. This salmon was SO tasty that my partner couldn’t stop eating it — and there was none left for lunch!
Hahahahah Great to hear that. I am super happy to read your comment. Thank you so much for your feedback:)
This was delicious! The salmon was a bit overdone but I’m still new to cooking fish and I think my fillets were somewhat thin, so I’ll start checking earlier next time. Definitely making this again!
Yayy, happy to see you are improving your cooking skill. Try some more recipes from the blog I am sure you will become a professional chef:)
This salmon was the best!! I did omit cayenne and used fresh dill instead of parsley. But amazing and so easy!
Glad you like it and you can adjust it as per your taste and preference:) Stay tuned to have more easy and quick recipes:)
How long do you bake it. I know it depends but how long did YOU bake it?
This easy dish doesn’t take that long in the oven. Simply bake these salmon here in a preheated oven at 400 F for about 10-15 minutes. Don’t forget to share how it goes:)
Great recipe! I omitted the cayenne pepper, I can’t do spicy.
Yeah, you can adjust as per your taste. Thank you for your feedback!!!
This recipe was very delicious! Very flavorful. Will definately make it again
Great to hear that. Thank you for your feedback.