Name: Oven Baked Salmon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
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

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. 💥

Oven Baked Salmon fresh from the oven and topped with a lemon slice

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. 🤩

Content…

How to Keep It Moist
Recipe Ingredients
How to Bake It
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
Serving and Storage Instructions
What to Serve
More Sumptuous Salmon Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It

Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth oven baked salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts

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

Prep fillet, make seasoning, season, and bake

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.

Flavor-packed fish on a white platter decorated with lemon slices

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.

A tasty oven baked salmon fillet with roasted Brussels sprouts on a white plate

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.