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    Home » Recipes » Seafood

    Oven Baked Salmon

    Published: May 24, 2020 · Modified: Aug 14, 2023 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Jump to Recipe - Pin Recipe
    The photo collage shows cooked salmon on a dinner platter next to a baking dish of the salmon coming out of the oven.

    Easy oven roasted salmon is the perfect 15-minute dinner. Seasoned with butter and a sprinkle of our favorite Chef Paul seasoning, this is a huge family favorite dinner. Add a couple of quick stovetop sides to make a perfect busy night meal.

    A platter of oven baked salmon next to roasted asparagus has a fork showing the flaky pink fish.

    I was never a big fan of seafood growing up. When we got married, we moved to Providence, Rhode Island for a couple of years. Being surrounded by some of the very best seafood in the country during that time finally won me over.

    But there's a big difference between eating fish in a restaurant and attempting to make it yourself at home.

    As a new cook, I was super nervous to try cooking fish in our little apartment but I knew it was such a healthy dinner option for us.

    One of the very first recipes I ever tried, an easy roasted salmon, made its way permanently into our dinner rotation. I've made it several times a year for the last nearly 20 years.

    Pair it with a simple herb butter rice and a citrus salad for an easy meal.

    Jump to:
    • Why This is the Best Recipe
    • Just 3 Ingredients
    • The Best Salmon Seasoning
    • Prep the Salmon
    • Baking Instructions
    • How to Tell if it is Cooked Through
    • Make Ahead Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Simple Side Dishes to Serve with Salmon
    • More Salmon Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why This is the Best Recipe

    As much as we love salmon of all kinds, I think this is the best oven baked salmon recipe because:

    1. Just 3 Ingredients: It includes just the salmon and two additional ingredients.
    2. Quick Dinner: It is finished in 15 minutes (maybe 20 if your salmon is extra thick.)
    3. Fool Proof Recipe: Even newbie cooks can nail it right from the first try.
    4. Kid-Friendly: It is very kid-friendly, my daughters call this "pink fish" and love when it hits the rotation.

    Fun Fact: This dish is so easy, I take it on the road with me when we go to our annual beach vacation. It is a perfect thing to cook in a rental kitchen because it is so easy.

    Get all the details on the week of beach house recipes here.

    Just 3 Ingredients

    The baking pan of salmon is next to a bottle of seasoning and a stick of butter.

    I promised just 3 ingredients. All you need to make this recipe is:

    1. Center Cut Salmon Fillets: Ask your fish seller to remove the skins for you to make it even easier.
    2. Butter
    3. Salmon Seasoning

    The Best Salmon Seasoning

    This simple salmon is made with melted butter and our favorite seasoning blend for salmon. The butter gives the fish lovely crispy edges and is what we love most about the dish.

    The salmon seasoning blend we have used for all these years is Chef Prudhomme's Magic Salmon Seasoning.

    I've found it in every state we've lived in from New England, to the midwest, to the south.

    If you can't find it at your local grocery store, you can order it on Amazon right here.

    Prep the Salmon

    Line the salmon fillets up in a 9 x 13-in baking dish.

    Brush the tops and sides with melted butter.

    I like to lift each fillet and let some of the melted butter drizzle underneath the fish, too.

    This helps avoid the need for cooking spray for your pan.

    The bowl of melted butter has a pastry brush in it. The salmon is in the background.

    Then, give a generous sprinkle of seasoning over the fillets.

    Try to get some on the sides of each piece, too.

    I never really measure, I just sprinkle until it looks seasoned enough, but I bet there is about ½ - 1 teaspoon of seasoning per fillet.

    Our meal looked like this before I baked it:

    The salmon fillets have been coated in seasoning.

    Baking Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 450°F.

    Bake the salmon for about 15 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork at the thickest part.

    The baking pan of salmon just came out of the oven. The tops are golden and the edges are barely crisped.

    How to Tell if it is Cooked Through

    When we dine out, most restaurants serve salmon medium well and I find that to be a little under done for my taste.

    At home, we always make our salmon well done. I find it flakes easier and is more palatable for my family.

    To ensure your salmon is cooked through without having to break it open with a fork, you can test the temperature with a probe thermometer.

    It should read at least 145°F.

    Make Ahead Tips

    You could butter and season the salmon fillets in a baking dish and just store it covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

    Then just bake as directed.

    You can freeze salmon, but we prefer to eat it fresh the day we purchase it. I find it has a much better texture and flavor.

    Leftover cooked salmon makes an excellent sandwich filling or salad topping the next day.

    Just be sure to eat your salmon within 36 hours of baking it, after that it is best to just discard it.

    Serving Suggestions

    Even if you don't enjoy cooking, you can serve your family this fresh roasted salmon for dinner and look like a total rock star.

    The salmon takes less than a minute to prepare.

    While it roasts in the oven, you can switch your attention to simple stovetop side dishes to finish the meal.

    We've switched up our favorites over the years, but each of these side dishes are the perfect easy dinner solution and taste great with the salmon seasonings.

    If you're looking for something to whip together super quickly, here are a few of my go-to pantry items:

    • A white bowl is filled with herb butter rice and a spoon.
      Instant Pot Herb Butter Rice
    • A white plate has a pile of freshly roasted green beans hot from the air fryer basket.
      Air Fryer Green Beans
    • A platter of sliced oranges with crumbled cheese, chopped pistachios, and seasonings.
      Simple Citrus Salad
    • A baking sheet is filled with roasted broccoli and carrots.
      Roasted Broccoli and Carrots {Primavera Veggies}

    Simple Side Dishes to Serve with Salmon

    Packaged rice mix:
    My kids swoon over chicken-flavored Rice-A-Roni but Ben's wild rice is fantastic, too. Don't have those on hand? Just make whatever rice you love. Most cook in 15 minutes or less. If you have an Instant Pot, my herb butter rice takes just 3 minutes!

    Packaged pearl couscous:
    NearEast makes a package of pearled couscous in an olive oil and garlic flavor my husband LOVES. Even if you don't think you like couscous, I'd highly recommend trying it. The grains are much larger than regular couscous and the seasoning in this package is very savory. This cooks in 5 minutes or so.

    Frozen potato pierogis:
    You can find frozen potato and onion pierogis at your grocery store. I melt a few tablespoons of butter with 1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and simply brown up the pierogis on both sides over medium heat. Just flip them over, back and forth until they are nice and golden brown. This takes about 15 minutes.

    Bagged salad mix:
    For your veggies, just toss together your favorite bagged salad. It only takes a couple extra minutes to make this delicious citrus salad.

    Frozen vegetables:
    Another veggie option is to pop a bag of peas, mixed veggies, asparagus, or broccoli in the microwave. If you have an air fryer, don't miss these easy green beans.

    Salsa corn:
    A fun way to mix up the veggies is to microwave a bag of yellow sweet corn and stir in fresh pico de gallo or a bit of prepared fresh salsa.

    This easy oven baked salmon pairs well with a wide variety of easy salmon side dishes.

    • A plate of salmon and asparagus sits next to 3 salmon side dish options.
      30 Easy Salmon Side Dishes

    More Salmon Recipes

    If you love how easy this oven baked salmon recipe is, you won't want to miss trying my broiled salmon or my air fryer salmon:

    • The salmon filet is coated in a brown sugar and mustard glaze and served on a white plate next to a bed of baby spinach.
      Broiled Mustard Glazed Salmon
    • Two salmon filets are surrounded by fresh green beans in an air fryer basket.
      How to Cook Salmon in Air Fryer

    📖 Recipe

    A platter of oven baked salmon next to roasted asparagus has a fork showing the flaky pink fish.

    Oven Baked Salmon

    5 from 39 votes
    This simple oven baked salmon is perfect for beginner cooks or for a busy weeknight. Just 3 ingredients and 15 minutes to a delicious and healthy dinner.
    TOTAL TIME 18 minutes minutes
    PREP TIME 3 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME 15 minutes minutes
    YIELD 6 servings
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 center cut salmon fillets with skin removed
    • 2 - 3 tablespoon butter
    • 2 - 3 tablespoon of Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Salmon Seasoning

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 450°F.
    • Spray a 9 x 13 dish with cooking spray and lay the salmon evenly in the dish. Be sure to leave room between each piece so the sides can brown up properly.
    • Put the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt on HIGH for 20 seconds. Brush the melted butter all over the tops and sides of each piece of salmon. Pour any remaining butter over the top.
    • Sprinkle the Magic Salmon Seasoning heavily over the top of each piece of fish. You'll use about 2 - 3 tablespoon of the seasoning in total.
    • Cook for 15 minutes or until the fish easily flakes with a fork at the thickest part of the fish.

    HELPFUL TOOLS

    Magic Salmon Seasoning
    COURSEQuick Dinners
    CUISINEAmerican
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

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    The photo collage shows cooked salmon on a dinner platter next to a baking dish of the salmon coming out of the oven.

    More Seafood Recipes

    • A pan with shrimp with a thick bread crumb topping over the top.
      Baked Shrimp Scampi with Breadcrumbs
    • A platter of cooked shrimp next to a dipping cup of sauce for dunking.
      Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer: Cooking Tips
    • The remoulade sauce is on a plate with mini crab cakes and a spoon. Lemon wedges are scattered around and green onions sprinkled on top.
      Spicy Remoulade Sauce for Crab Cakes
    • The cooked sausage and peppers and celery in a slow cooker.
      Slowcooker Jambalaya with Rice

    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. How to cook a week of easy vacation recipes at your beach rental - Don't Just Fly says:
      June 11, 2020 at 5:54 pm

      […] Get the recipe for the roasted salmon here. I also included a variety of easy side dish ideas to go with it if you want to swap the pierogis and/or corn. […]

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for women.

    More about me →

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