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An easy baked salmon dinner is an absolute part of our regular dinner roster. It takes just about 10 minutes to bake in the oven, and you can season the salmon quickly in so many different simple ways.
This recipe calls for a super quick marinade of olive oil, garlic, herbs and lemon. The result is a salmon dinner that is not only pretty but flavorful, moist and really healthy. I suggest oregano or thyme for this recipe, but you can use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. And while fresh herbs really add wonderful flavor to the fish, you can also use dried if that’s what’s available to you.
Oven-Baked Salmon
The oven is always your best friend when it comes to making dinner, as once the dish is in the oven, you have hands off-time to make the sides, set the table, and plan for tomorrow. The olive oil-based marinade for this fish ensures that it doesn’t dry out when it is baking.
You can bake salmon at a variety of temperature ranging from as low at 300 to as high as 450 degrees. I like a slightly higher temperature, so I usually bake my salmon at around 400 degrees. However, if the oven temperature is set to a different setting because of another recipe, you can adjust the cooking time to match the higher or lower temperature. See the chart below!
Baked Salmon: A simple marinade of olive oil, garlic, herbs and lemon quickly and easily turn salmon fillets into a delicious dinner.
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How Long to Bake Salmon
It depends as much on the thickness of the fish as the size of the piece. Larger pieces will take more time, as will thicker fillets. And so clearly small or thinner fish filets will cook faster. Some people prefer the salmon on the medium-rare side, with a dark pink center. Other prefer it to be cooked all the way through, so the fish turns opaque and flaky.
Start checking at the earlier side of the cooking range if you like your fish on the undercooked side, and on the further side if you like your fish cooked completely.
You can cook more than 2 pieces of fish at a time as long as you increase the size of the pan. Make sure you don’t crowd them, or even allow them to touch, or it will slow down the cooking process significantly.
How Long to Bake 6 to 8 ounce salmon filets, 1-inch thick:
| Temperature | Cooking Time |
|---|---|
| 350 degrees | 14 to 16 minutes |
| 375 degrees | 12 to 16 minutes |
| 400 degrees | 10 to 13 minutes |
| 425 degrees | 9 to 11 minutes |
| 450 degrees | 8 to 10 minutes |
If you are using a convection oven, you may need to reduce the cooking time by about 30 percent.
Different recipes may call for different methods, but I prefer baking salmon uncovered. I like the fact that uncovered allows the salmon to get a bit firmer on the outside, and I can decide if I want the middle to be cooked thorough or a bit on the softer, rarer side. At higher temperatures the salmon can even brown a bit on top.
How to You Know When Salmon is Done?
Fully cooked salmon will be opaque throughout, and flake easily with a fork. Or, you may want to cook it to medium rare, with a bit of dark pink in the middle. The FDA recommends a safe internal temperature of 145 degrees for fish and shellfish, but if you are using fresh, high quality fish, you can cook to it medium rare. 135 degrees is the internal temperature for medium rare.
If you want fully cooked, take the salmon from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees; as it rests, the temperature will climb to 145 degrees.
How to Make Baked Salmon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil or spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. In a shallow bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano or thyme, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper.
Roll the salmon filets in the olive oil mixture and place them in the pan, skin side down if there is skin on the fish.
Pour the remaining marinade over the fish in the pan. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, if possible.
Bake the salmon for 10 to 13 minutes, until cooked through or to your liking. If you prefer a lightly browned top, you can broil the fish for an additional minute or two.
Serve the fish with the lemon wedges, garnished with the herbs if desired.
What to Serve with Baked Salmon:
- Rice Pilaf
- Herbed Brown Rice
- Asparagus with Scallion Chimichurri Sauce
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Spring Vegetable and Rice Salad
- Roasted lemon Brussels Sprouts
Other Oven-Baked Salmon Recipes:
- Honey Ginger Salmon
- Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli Rabe
- Salmon, Potato and Broccoli Sheet Pan Supper
- Dedie’s Herbed Salmon
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How to Bake Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 (6 to 8 ounce) salmon filets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme , or ½ teaspoon dried
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges to serve
- Fresh herb sprigs for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil or spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. In a shallow bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano or thyme, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper. Roll the salmon filets in the olive oil mixture and place them in the pan, skin side down if there is skin on the fish. Pour the remaining marinade over the fish in the pan. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, if possible.
- Bake the salmon for 10 to 13 minutes, until cooked through or to your liking. If you prefer a lightly browned top, you can broil the fish for an additional minute or two.
- Serve the fish with the lemon wedges, garnished with the herbs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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