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GET IT NOWThe Oven Baked Salmon Recipe I Make For Every Occasion
Oh, baked salmon. It’s the healthy dinner that can — and does — do it all. It’s my busier-than-ever-weeknight dinner. It’s my I-have-guests-over dinner. It’s my I-want-something-light dinner. It’s my I-don’t-feel-like-cooking dinner. Sometimes it’s even my holiday dinner. Here’s why this oven baked salmon recipe is the every possible occasion staple that I make over and over:
- Tender, flaky salmon texture – I won’t deny that pan searing salmon is the best way to get crispy skin, but baked salmon more than makes up for it with its juicy, tender flakes. There are a few ways my recipe makes this happen, but the key is my tips (below) for the perfect cook time.
- Bright and fresh flavors – Lemon, olive oil, and fresh herbs bring out the natural taste of the fish. I have a sweet variation below if that’s your thing, but this is the combination I come back to again and again.
- Just 6 simple ingredients – With minimal staples you can find at any grocery store, my baked salmon recipe proves that flavorful meals can be simple. And simple is how I love it most.
- Quick and easy – Busy weeknights are no match for salmon in the oven. It takes only 15-20 minutes — which is mostly hands-off — and even beginners can nail it. (Then, you can branch out to other types of fish, like my baked cod, baked halibut, rainbow trout, and even sea bass.)
If you need a simple, classic baked salmon recipe you’ll make on repeat for every occasion under the sun, you’ve found it. Make it with me!
“Made this at a girls’ weekend pickleball getaway and it was amazing. Everyone loved it and asked me to share the recipe. I did give it to them and told them about this great website. Love your recipes!!!”
-Sandra
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy baked salmon recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Salmon Tips:
- I recommend skin-on salmon if you can — it gives the fish the best flavor, even if you don’t eat the skin. But skinless is just fine if that’s what you’ve got.
- You can make baked salmon recipes with pretty much any species of salmon. Sockeye or farm-raised Atlantic salmon is the most affordable. I love using wild-caught pink salmon, Coho salmon, or for a treat, king salmon is the very best. You can even use steelhead trout, which is similar.
- Though you can bake a whole salmon fillet, individual 6-ounce fillets are my favorite way to bake salmon in the oven, because they cook more evenly — and a little faster, too.
- If you have the kind with bones, I recommend my salmon steak recipe instead.
Other Ingredients:
- Olive Oil – Ensures that the fish stays moist and flavorful. Sometimes I use avocado oil or even unsalted melted butter instead.
- Lemon Juice – I try to use fresh lemons for this, as I place extra slices on top of the fish for a flavor boost and presentation. You can use bottled for convenience, though.
- Garlic – You can mince or crush fresh garlic cloves, or use the jarred kind (I always have some in my fridge). If you don’t have either, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, though I think it’s a downgrade.
- Fresh Herbs – I used fresh dill and fresh parsley in my baked salmon recipe. Thyme would also go nicely. I don’t like dried herbs here, but if that’s all you have, use 1 teaspoon of each instead.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Sweet Variations:
- Honey – Whisk 1-2 tablespoons of honey (or my natural sugar-free honey) along with the olive oil and lemon juice.
- Maple – You can add the maple syrup like the honey above, or if you have time, use my sweet salmon marinade instead.
- Gochujang – My most recent favorite glaze mixture! I first used it on my sockeye salmon recipe (I have instructions listed there), but it’s delicious on any kind of salmon.
How To Bake Salmon In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the oil, lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs. Just stir or whisk them together in a small bowl.
- Brush it on the salmon. Place the salmon in a baking dish (I use this one) or on a baking sheet, with space between the fillets. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel, then brush with olive oil mixture on both sides. I season with salt and pepper at this point (rather than mixing them into the oil mixture), because these are so important to be evenly distributed. If you like, place thin lemon slices on top of each fillet.
- Bake salmon. Place the salmon in the oven and bake until it flakes easily with a fork. (For best results, see my tips and temp chart below!) I like to sprinkle more fresh herbs on top for serving, and drizzle with the sauce from the bottom of the baking dish. It makes the fish even more moist!
My Recipe Tips
- Choose fillets similar in size and thickness. This will help them cook at the same rate. If one of my pieces is very thin, I just fold it over.
- Dry well before seasoning. I do this with all proteins to keep moisture locked in. People often forget this step, but I find it makes a noticeable difference.
- Cook within 10 minutes after seasoning. Since the mixture contains acidic lemon juice, your fish will start to turn into ceviche if you don’t cook the baked salmon recipe right away.
- Be careful not to overcook. Many people recommend 145 degrees F for fish, but I actually aim for 135 to 140 degrees F, which gives you extra moist results. (See below for more on why I choose this temperature and how I perfect the timing.)
- Although I recommend thawing first, you can bake frozen salmon. Simply cover it with foil and bake for 5-10 minutes, until thawed. Brush on the seasoning mixture, then continue baking (now uncovered) for 10-20 more minutes, until it reaches your target temperature below. The total cook time is 20-25 minutes. You can also air fry frozen salmon!
How Long To Bake Salmon?
Salmon bake time will depend on thickness, but a good estimate for individual fillets is 10-15 minutes. I always start checking at 10 minutes just in case. 400 degrees F is my optimal salmon oven temp, because it’s high enough to cook the fish quickly without drying it out, but low enough to prevent burning.
You can check to see if the fish is done by flaking it with a fork, but to make my baked salmon recipe perfectly, check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer (I use this one) inserted into the thickest part of the salmon.
Below is my temperature guide to know when it’s done to your liking. I highly recommend 135-140 degrees F for moist, flaky fish, as higher than that turns out dry.
| Doneness | Internal Temperature |
|---|---|
| Medium rare | 120-125 degrees F (48-52 degrees C) |
| Medium | 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) |
| Medium well (my recommendation) | 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) |
| Well done | 140-145 degrees F (60-63 degrees C) |
Baked Salmon Recipe (Easy & Flaky!)
My easy baked salmon recipe is flaky, moist, and flavorful! Make it in just 15 minutes with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and parsley.
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Arrange the salmon fillets in a baking dish or on a baking sheet, with space between them. Use paper towels to pat them dry.
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Brush the salmon fillets on both sides with the olive oil mixture. Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper. If desired, place a thin lemon slice over each piece of fish.
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Bake salmon for 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness: 120-125 degrees F (48-52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) for medium well, or 140-145 degrees F (60-63 degrees C) for well done. (I recommend 135-140 degrees F for perfectly moist, flaky salmon!)
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 salmon fillet
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips and time chart above to help you get perfectly moist, flaky baked salmon every time.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. They aren’t as good as fresh, but I still enjoy them for lunch! I usually use them for a salmon bowl, or add a baked salmon fillet as a protein over any of my salad recipes. If the fish seems dry, make my creamy salmon salad to avoid reheating it.
- Meal prep: Mix the olive oil mixture ahead and brush it on right before baking, or fully bake salmon in the oven and then portion into individual containers to simply reheat later.
- Reheat: Reheating salmon in the air fryer is my favorite method to avoid drying it out (about 3 minutes at 325 degrees F), but you can also cover it in foil and pop in the oven (at the same temp). It’s also delicious chilled or at room temperature. I don’t like microwaving fish because it gets dry easily, but you can if you need to.
- Freeze: Wrap the fish in plastic wrap, then place in a zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before you reheat.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Baked Salmon Recipe
Serving Ideas
My easy baked salmon recipe goes with almost anything — it’s one of the reasons it’s my every-occasion dinner! Since it’s so simple, though, equally simple sides work best:
- Vegetables – Let me be real, half the time I just roast asparagus or zucchini on the same sheet pan I use for oven baked salmon and call it a day. (You can also saute zucchini or air fry asparagus while you’ve got the salmon in the oven instead.) But this time I was feeling fancy, so I made my green bean almondine recipe, pictured above. If you want something different, my roasted brussels sprouts or roasted broccoli also make solid options, but you’d have to get them started earlier since they take longer.
- Salads – This fish has such bright, fresh flavors, so I love it with a crisp salad! One of my oldest faves is tomato cucumber avocado salad, but Caprese salad or quinoa salad also works well.
- Starches – For a more filling meal, add my roasted potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, or your favorite rice or noodles. You can even make Instant Pot baked potatoes (which are also very hands-off) while your salmon bakes. I like lighter options, so I go for cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles more often.
More Baked Salmon Recipes
If you like my baked salmon recipe but want to take it up a notch, you’ll love some of my more unique ways to bake it:
You can also try my other cooking methods: grilled salmon, broiled salmon, or air fryer salmon. I make this fish all the ways!
122 Comments
Barbara
1Our salmon turned out delicious. Easy preparation and made clean up quick. We made it on our stoneware baking dish 11 x13 with 1 inch sides. We baked our whole salmon filet with skin side down. We added a sprinkle of paprika.This was a good healthy recipe.
Whiteflower
1I normally don’t like salmon, but this recipe changes everything! The fish was awesome on its own, but I added a creamy lemon sauce (mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic powder and sweetener) which took it over the top! Hubby ate seconds and said it was worthy of a five star restaurant – high praise indeed!
Thanks, Maya – this one is a home run!!
Subo
0Followed the recipe exactly and it is sooo good! The lemon, garlic and dill are such a good combination of flavors that all work together to create an easy tasty dish. We had fresh garlic from the garden so it really had such a great flavor. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Fresh garlic from the garden must have made it extra flavorful, Subo! I love hearing that the recipe was easy to make and turned out so well.
sandra.depue
0Made this at a girl’s weekend pickleball getaway and it was amazing. Everyone loved it and asked me to share the recipe. I did give it to them and told them about this great website. Love your recipes!!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Sandra, that makes me so happy to hear! Sounds like such a fun weekend. Thank you for spreading the kind words about my site!
Sally P
0Super!
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks, Sally! So glad you liked it!
susan
0Delicious! 1st time I’ve cooked fish that was great per the fish lovers served. Recipe is foolproof with fast prep. Thanks for making my day.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad to hear that, Susan! Congrats on your first time cooking fish. And thank you for making my day, too.
Anna Hynson
0I’ve made this many times, it’s so delicious !
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe many times, Anna! Thank you.
Irene Hesson
0I have made this salmon recipe for my family many times over the years. It’s delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s awesome, Irene! I’m so glad your family likes this salmon recipe.
Cathy Pearson
0I left out the “sweet” but followed everything else exactly. It was SUPERB!! My family loved it!
Georgia Anne
0I loved how the salmon stayed juicy and flaky, and the cooking tips were spot on—especially drying the fillets and not overcooking. It’s definitely going into my regular meal rotation. Highly recommend for an easy and delicious dinner!
Bonnie
0I made this last night, and it was incredible! The fresh dill and parsley added so much flavor. My family loved it, especially with the lemon juice drizzle.
Linda S
0I had to improvise a little since I was out of lemon. I used orange instead along with a little zest and it was divine. Even my 9 month old and 3 year old devoured it. I can’t wait to try it with lemon. Thanks for the great recipe.
Melissa
0This is our go-to recipe. Easy to put together and so delicious!
Sha
0This is so simple and easy yet incredibly delicious! I could eat this baked salmon all day!
Kristyn
0Baked salmon is my favorite!! Your recipe makes the most buttery, soft, & tasty salmon!! We love making it for date night in!
Nola
0What temp. Is the oven?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Nola, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. You can find this info in step 1 on the recipe card.
Sharon
0I’ve been using mango chutney as a glaze for baked salmon fillet. Very easy and very good.
Clarice
0Love this recipe… it is so much easier to get your family to eat more fish when you have these terrific recipes… the lemon shrimp is awesome too. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes.
Roxy
0This is so simple & so delicious! This is rotated every week on our menu! Hubby approved! Super Yummy! Thank you! ?
Terri
0I have thin sliced salmon what would I bake that at and for how long? And do I use the same seasonings as above?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Terri, Is it just a little thin or actually thinly sliced? I have never heard of thin sliced raw salmon… is your salmon already smoked? If it’s just pieces on the thinner side, I would fold them over.