During this time where we’re all staying in and cooking in more, one of the top content requests I received when I asked on Insta was more content on what I’m cooking. Whether it’s Chicken Marsala without wine or Thai coconut soup, I love whipping up something delicious in the kitchen that makes dinner feel like a treat.
I especially love recipes that are easy to throw in the crock pot or oven so that I can do something else while dinner cooks. I think this easy crock pot round steak or these baked popcorn shrimp might be the next thing that I try!
Today I’m sharing my favorite easy baked salmon recipe! It’s legit SO quick and easy, but I love that it’s flavorful and healthy. If you’re looking for another quick and easy fish recipe, consider making this tuna white bean salad or these fish cakes. You also can’t go wrong with sole meunière!
I think some people believe salmon is too difficult to cook and they avoid it. And while yes, it can easily be overcooked and come out dry, I’ve found an easy cooking method for it that’s pretty much fool-proof, and that’s the foil-baking method.
This recipe takes five minutes to prep, and only requires a few ingredients (some of which, like the herbs, can easily be interchanged for whatever you happen to have on-hand).
If you’re wanting to add a side dish that’s just as quick and easy to make, these Gochujang noodles or this spam fried rice would be perfect. You could also do roasted vegetables with this chermoula sauce or this refreshing Jerusalem salad.
Cooking your salmon in foil helps lock the moisture in and makes sure that your salmon comes out moist, flaky, and tender. The foil also helps seal in all the flavors from the ingredients you’re using, infusing your salmon and every bite with yumminess.
The below salmon is for a lemon and butter foil-baked recipe, but you could easily change it up and do pesto instead, or garlic butter. You could even do gochujang salmon. Omg, I think I need to do that next.
Easy Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon—boneless (i prefer skin-on as it helps keep the salmon omist), wild-caught if possible
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary—or fresh herbs of your choice; do not use dried herbs
- 2 small lemons
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic—peeled and roughly chopped
- Additional chopped fresh herbs—such as basil, thyme, parsley, dill, or green onion (optional)
Instructions
1. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking dish aluminum foil.
2. Lightly coat the foil with baking spay, then place 2 sprigs of the rosemary down the middle. Cut one of the lemons into thin slices and arrange half the slices down the middle with the rosemary. Place the salmon on top.
3. Drizzle the salmon with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Rub to coat, then scatter the garlic cloves over the top. Lay the remaining rosemary and lemon slices on top of the salmon. Juice the second lemon, then pour the juice over the top.
4. Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up and over the top of the salmon until it is completely enclosed. If your piece of foil is not large enough, place a second piece on top and fold the edges under so that it forms a sealed packet. Leave a little room inside the foil for air to circulate.
5. Bake the salmon for 15-20 minutes, until the salmon is almost completely cooked through at the thickest part. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your salmon. If your side is thinner (around 1-inch thick) check several minutes early to ensure your salmon does not overcook. If your piece is very thick (1 1/2 inches or more), it may need longer.
6. Remove the salmon from the oven and carefully open the foil so that the top of the fish is completely uncovered (be careful of hot steam). Change the oven setting to broil, then return the fish to the oven and broil for 3 minutes, until the top of the salmon and the garlic are slightly golden and the fish is cooked through. Watch the salmon closely as it broils to make sure it doesn’t overcook and the garlic does not burn. Remove the salmon from the oven. If it still appears a bit underdone, you can wrap the foil back over the top and let it rest for a few minutes. Do not let it sit too long—salmon can progress from "not done" to "over done" very quickly. As soon as it flakes easily with a fork, it's ready.
7. To serve, cut the salmon into portions. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs or top with an extra squeeze of lemon as desired.
If you’re looking for more easy (and tasty) dinners, I recommend checking out this cube steak recipe, these grilled stuffed peppers, and this lamb over rice. If you’re wanting more of a hands-off recipe check out this Air Fryer Ribeye, this Instant Pot fried chicken, or this Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken.
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
