Baked Salmon

Flaky and tender baked salmon topped with rich lemon cream sauce for a pop of refreshing citrus zing. This oven-baked salmon recipe is super easy to make coming together in under 25 minutes.

Why this recipe works

There are so many ways to cook salmon – there’s grilled salmon, pan-seared salmon, and poached salmon to name a few but one of our favorite ways to get a delightfully flaky and ultra juicy salmon is by baking it in the oven.

This baked salmon fillet recipe is flavorful and quick to make featuring a creamy and light lemon sauce. The sauce is easy to prepare and you should be able to make it within the 15 minutes that the salmon is cooking. This makes for an incredibly quick meal.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SALMON – Cooking salmon to the perfect temperature is really important for a flakey, moist, delicious meal. Salmon (especially individual fillets) become dry when overcooked. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness when it reaches 135F. Keep in mind the larger your fillets the more time it may need in the oven.

SAUCE – The lemon cream sauce is delicious and loaded with flavor. It is creamy and rich, but the lemon keeps it light and bright. You can saute shallots along with, or instead of, the garlic. We used a Sauvignon Blanc. A dry white wine works really well for this recipe. Simply substitute chicken stock or broth for the wine if you wish.

How to Make Baked Salmon

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Place each fillet 1-2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the salmon and use your fingers to rub it around to coat the salmon fillets.
3. Sprinkle black pepper and seasoned salt over the salmon fillets. You can use any other seasonings you like as well. Paprika, garlic salt, and dill all work nicely with salmon.
4. Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes, just until the thickest part of the salmon registers 135°F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the salmon from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. While the salmon bakes, make the lemon cream sauce by melting about 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the wine (or chicken stock) and simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to half the amount.
7. Cut remaining butter into pieces and whisk into the sauce. Add lemon juice and heavy cream. Simmer for about 3-4 additional minutes, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper as you like.
8. Pour sauce over warm salmon fillets and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Yes, you can use frozen salmon. I always suggest allowing the salmon to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, but if that isn’t in the cards you can bake salmon straight from the freezer as well. If baking from frozen, rinse under cool water to remove any ice on top. You will want to hold off on the seasonings until the salmon has lightly cooked in the oven as seasonings and oil will not stick to frozen fillets. Simply remove from the oven once lightly softened and add your oil and seasonings. You may need to add additional time if cooking from frozen. Check the salmon with a meat thermometer for doneness, it should reach an internal temp of 135F.

Serving Suggestions

Serve baked salmon with a side of roasted veggies like green beans, asparagus, roast potatoes, broccoli, or sweet potatoes. It also pairs beautifully with a crisp side salad. Leftovers can be crumbled up and mixed into leafy salads or pasta.

More Salmon and Fish Recipes

• Fish Chowder
• Salmon Tacos
• Skillet Broiled Cod
• Poached Salmon
• Sheet Pan Salmon Dinner
• Dijon Lemon Caper Salmon
• Maple Soy Salmon

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