The best baked salmon recipe. Perfectly cooked salmon in the oven. Salmon for dinner anyone? All hands go up in my house when I’m cooking up salmon. Probably the only type of fish that is popular in my house although I personally love eating fish anyway! That succulent flaky fish is so hard to resist. Cooked to perfection in the oven to get that tender and juicy bite. It’s definitely the perfect and easy dinner for the family to enjoy.

As well as enjoying Salmon for the great taste it has there are many other reasons to have fish like salmon in your diet. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. This in turn helps to reduce inflammation, low blood pressure and decrease risk factors for disease.

Salmon is also rich in high quality protein, which helps to heal and protect bone health. All in all salmon provides many health benefits and getting two servings of salmon per week can help you meet your nutritional needs.

More about the best baked salmon recipe

This yummy salmon recipe is super easy to make and requires minimal prep time as well as cook time. I usually go for salmon fillets skin on. Keeping the skin on helps to lock in the moisture without drying the fish out. Of course you can very easily take off the skin once it has been cooked.

Now about salmon serving portions. Its always best to get salmon fillets as you don’t have to deal with the bones and it’s just much more easier to cook and eat. If you get a whole piece of salmon fillet cut the salmon into 2 inch pieces (6 oz) or even get your fish monger to cut it up for you. 1 piece per serving is a good portion. Or you could just use the whole fillet for a platter style dinner but that would increase the cooking time.

The ease of cooking the salmon in the oven makes the whole process simpler and stress free. No need to turn the fish over, less mess and fish that’s cooked perfectly all the way through. Also fish like salmon only require a few simple ingredients to bring out the best of its flavors. So in this recipe all you are using is the fish, salt, pepper, olive oil and fresh lemons.

How to prepare the fish

Before preparing the fish bring the fish to room temperature. Pat dry the salmon fillet pieces with a paper towel to remove any excess water, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle on some good quality extra virgin olive oil, gently rub the oil over the fillets. This will also help to keep the fish nice and moist. For a even better taste, slice up some lemons and place them over the salmon fillets. This gives the salmon a mild citrus flavor as well as a fancy look!

For a deeper flavor you can leave the salmon to marinate for 15-20 minutes. The salmon is then placed on a baking tray which is lined with foil. Place the salmon fillets skin side down. Cooking the salmon in foil also helps to lock in the moisture and ensures perfect cooking giving you perfect flaky fish all the time!

Salmon cooking time

Bake these babies at 320 degrees Fahrenheit/160 degrees Celsius for exactly 15 minutes. Be sure to preheat your oven. You know when the salmon is cooked as it will change color, almost opaque and definitely not translucent. You can use a fork to check and the fish should flake away easily. Remember not to over cook the fish, this will change the texture and taste of the fish totally. For a piece of mind you can use a food thermometer, which should give you a internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the salmon is cooked, cover with foil and let it rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Sides to go with baked salmon

You can choose from a range of sides like roasted vegetables. Roasted or pan fried asparagus goes really well with salmon. Or even just simple mashed potatoes and green peas are also a great combination.

This best baked salmon recipe is pretty much a no fuss and fool proof recipe that you really can’t go wrong with!! Even if you haven’t baked or cooked fish before don’t be afraid to try this recipe out!

Perfectly cooked Salmon in the oven

Recipe by Shema Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Baked Salmon Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 fillets of salmon, 6 ounce pieces

• Salt to taste

• Ground pepper to taste

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1-2 fresh lemons, thinly sliced

Directions

• Bring the salmon fillets to room temperature by leaving them on the counter for 5-10 minutes
• Preheat oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit/160 degrees Celsius
• Pat dry the salmon fillets with a paper towel to get rid of any excess water or liquid
• Line a baking tray with foil
• Place the salmon fillets skin side down onto baking tray
• Sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper, turn over and do the same on the other side(skin side)
• Then drizzle each fillet with extra virgin olive oil (a rough guide would be approximately 1 teaspoon of olive oil per fillet
• Rub the oil in using you hands on both sides of the fish
• With the skin side down on the baking tray place the lemon slices on top of the salmon fillets, 2 lemon slices per fillet
• Leave to marinate for 15-20 minutes, you can always skip this part if you are in a rush. Marinating the fish makes the fish more flavorsome
• Bake the fish for exactly 15 minutes, no need to turn over
• The fish should look cooked with no translucent areas, use a thermometer to get a internal reading of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Another way to know if the fish is cooked is by using a fork to check, fish should flake off easily
• After baking for 15 minutes, let the cooked salmon rest for 2-3 minutes before serving
• Serve with a choice of steamed or roasted vegetables, enjoy.

Notes

• Best served once cooked. Any leftovers can be refrigerated and eaten the next day in a salad.