Oven baked salmon is a simple salmon recipe that has just 3 ingredients. With 3 simple ingredients and 20 (ish) minutes of cooking time, you can have this easy salmon recipe on the table in time for dinner while making a few easy sides to complete the meal. This simple baked salmon recipe has been a family favorite for many years, It has a quick prep, easy cooking, and tastes delicious!
Easy Oven Baked Salmon
Oven baked salmon is one of the easiest recipes ever and makes for the most amazing tender and flavorful baked salmon. I have been making this oven baked salmon recipes for years. My dad has made his baked salmon this same way for years also and that is where I learned this easy salmon recipe from.
This tasty salmon recipe takes about 5 minutes of prep work, letting the oven come to temperature and then baking the salmon in the oven. It can not get any easier than that! Which is perfect for a busy weeknight when you want an easy dinner that is healthy and flavorful.
This easy baked salmon recipe is one of my go to busy weeknight dinner recipes. I have taught all of my kids and tom this simple recipe so if I am not home to get dinner in the oven they can easily get it done. It is super easy to make a perfect salmon baked in the oven and with this easy recipe, you will have a healthy salmon recipe that you whole family will love and will be asking you to make often.
I promise you this is the best baked salmon recipe that will come out perfect every single time! It is easy enough for a week night dinner and tasty enough to make for a dinner party!
Can I use Salmon Fillets?
Yes, you can! I use a large piece of salmon because there are so many of us in my house, but you can also use pieces of salmon that are cut into portion sizes already.
What type of salmon can I use for this recipe?
I use whatever salmon I am able to find on sale at the grocery store. You can all types of salmon for this easy healthy dinner. You can use sockeye salmon, coho salmon, Atlantic salmon, and king salmon. My family much prefers thicker fillets, so I always look for a thick cut of salmon when I am going to be making this.
Do You Bake Salmon Covered or Uncovered?
We bake our salmon uncovered in a glass baking dish.
Do I need to remove salmon skin?
You can remove the skin if you want to, however it is a pain to remove and I find it easier to remove the skin after it is baked so I leave the skin on when we are baking ours. After it is done cooking the skin comes off easily when we are serving it.
What temperature do you bake salmon at?
For this baked salmon recipe, you will bake the salmon at 350°F. But you can bake it at 350°F, 375°F and 400°F. The different temperatures all have a different amount of minutes of bake time so be sure you pay attention to the time and temperature you choose to bake it at.
How Long to Bake Salmon
Baked salmon can take anywhere from 11 minutes to 30 minutes to bake depending on how thick the filet is and your oven. I personally like to get thick salmon filets, so that means it will have a longer cook time. If you have a thin salmon filet start at the lower end of the cook time and add more time if needed. It is best to check the thickest part of the salmon when you are checking for doneness.
How long will salmon take at 350°F?
If you are cooking salmon at 350°F it will take between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the thickness.
How long will salmon take at 375°F?
If you are wanting a faster cook time you can up the temperature and bake salmon at 375°F and it will take between 11 and 15 minutes depending on how thick the filet is.
How long do you bake salmon at 400°F?
Salmon filet will cook in 8-11 minutes when cooked at 400°F however I do not suggest baking it at this temperature because it can overcook quickly if you are not paying attention to it.
How to Know When Salmon is Done Baking?
Check the thickest part of your baked salmon to see if the fish is opaque and the salmon flakes easily. This is best done by testing the thickest part of the fillet. If you want to go with the temperature method, the FDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145°F.
How do you season salmon?
We love the salmon flavor so we tend to season lightly with garlic salt and then butter on top. The combination of butter and garlic salt along with the juices from the fish make the most amazing sauce that my kids like to put on top of the cooked garlic and butter salmon, rice, and veggies that we serve with it.
What is the white stuff that oozes out of salmon when baked in the oven?
The white stuff that comes out of salmon when it is baked is a coagulated protein known as albumin, it is completely harmless and there is nothing to worry about if your salmon has it when it is baked.
What to serve with baked salmon
There are lots of side dishes that pair well with baked salmon. Normally I serve salmon with rice and a green veggie. We normally stick with broccoli or green beans but just about any veggies, steamed, baked, or sauteed pairs well with salmon. If you are looking for veggie side dish recipes, check out some of our favorites.
When it comes to the rice, I serve what I have on hand. Sometimes it is brown rice, sometimes I make baked rice, sometimes garlic rice and sometimes I pull a bag of frozen rice out of the freezer and heat it up. If you are looking for rice recipes, check out some of our favorites!
We all love putting the butter garlic sauce that forms in the bottom of the pan on top of their rice and veggies, a few little spoonfuls and it adds a ton of flavor to the rice and veggies.
Storing Leftover Baked Salmon
Leftover salmon needs to be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days if stored properly.
Can baked salmon be frozen?
Yes. If you want to bake a large amount of salmon and then freeze it in portions that you will want to serve later.
How do you reheat salmon?
I find salmon is best reheated in the microwave, I do not like to reheat it in the oven as I find it dries the salmon out.
Ingredients Easy Oven Baked Salmon
- 2 pounds salmon Salmon Fillet
- 2-4 tablespoons Garlic Salt
- 1/2 – 1 cup of Butter
Directions for Easy Oven Baked Salmon
Preheat your oven to 375
In a glass baking dish spray it with non stick cooking spray. Remove your salmon from the paper wrapping from the fish counter and then rinse in cool water. You want to make sure there are not any random scales or slimy stuff on it.
Place salmon skin side down in baking dish, sprinkle the garlic salt on top of the salmon. you do not want to overload it but you want it to cover all areas of the fish but not be able to see it on there.
Slice the butter into tablespoon size pieces and place on top of the salmon filet. You can add more butter if you want to, my kids love to have the melted butter sauce that comes from making this baked salmon on top of white rice, so there are times when I up the butter to 1.5-cups of butter.
Bake the salmon in the baking dish for 25-35 minutes. The cook time depends on the thickness of the salmon filet and how your oven cooks.Â
Easy Seafood Recipes
- Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Shrimp
- Shrimp Alfredo Recipe with Zoodles
- Cajun Shrimp Boil
Easy Oven Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon Salmon Fillet
- 2-4 tablespoons Garlic Salt
- 1/2 – 1 cup of Butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375
- In a glass baking dish spray it with non stick cooking spray. Remove your salmon from the paper wrapping from the fish counter and then rinse in cool water. You want to make sure there are not any random scales or slimy stuff on it.
- Place salmon skin side down in baking dish, sprinkle the garlic salt on top of the salmon. you do not want to overload it but you want it to cover all areas of the fish but not be able to see it on there.
- Slice the butter into tablespoon size pieces and place on top of the salmon filet. You can add more butter if you want to, my kids love to have the melted butter sauce that comes from making this baked salmon on top of white rice, so there are times when I up the butter to 1.5-cups of butter.
- Bake the salmon in the baking dish for 25-35 minutes. The cook time depends on the thickness of the salmon filet and how your oven cooks.
Comments & Reviews
Lauren Lewis says
I really enjoyed this simple recipe. However, I did make a couple of changes. I placed a little oil on the flesh of the salmon. I scored it so that the seasonings would penetrate the fish. I rubbed chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and chopped fresh dill on the fish. Then I squeezed some lemon juice over it, followed by placing some lemon slices on top. It was a perfect blend of flavors. I did not use any onions. When the fish was almost done, I placed a small pat of margarine on top and let it finish cooking. Delicious!