Baked Salmon

As impressive as this baked salmon looks, it's shockingly easy to prepare! The salmon is seasoned with salt and pepper, then drizzled with a flavorful marinade made of mustard, honey, lemon juice, and olive oil before it is placed in the oven. From start to finish, this baked fish recipe takes just 20 minutes to prepare—that means it's perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Consider this salmon recipe your starting point, but feel free to experiment with other marinades and seasonings. Soon, you'll be making this under 30-minute meal weekly!

Can I use this recipe for a large piece of salmon?

Absolutely! If you prefer to cook one large piece of salmon, rather than filets, feel free! Purchase a salmon that usually weighs about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds. Place it whole on the sheet tray or in a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish and brush it with the marinade. When baked at 325 degrees, a salmon side should take 25 to 30 minutes to cook.

Do you bake salmon covered or uncovered?

Bake this salmon uncovered. The fillets are only in the oven for a short time—about 15 minutes—so you don't have to worry about them browning too much or drying out.

At what temperature should I bake salmon?

This baked salmon cooks low and slow in the oven at 325 degree, which we found to be a trusty way to cook moist and fork-tender fish, every time. Don't be tempted to crank up the heat and cook it faster; salmon can dry out if cooked too quickly, so we recommend keeping the heat low.

Do you have to flip salmon in the oven?

Nope! That's part of what makes this recipe so easy. You simply bake the salmon skin-side down for the entirety of the cook time.

How can I tell when the salmon is done?

The easiest way to tell if salmon is done is to remove it from the oven and use a fork to flake a piece from thickest part of one of the fillets. If the salmon flakes easily and looks opaque in color (i.e., no longer translucent like raw salmon), it's ready to go. 

What does overcooked salmon look like? 

It doesn't take long for salmon to go from delicately moist to dry and overcooked. One easy-to-spot sign that your salmon is almost done (or about to be overcooked!) is the white protein within the fish that firms up while cooking. If you see this around the base of the salmon, where the flesh meets the skin, you're getting close and should start to take the temperature or flake a small piece to test. If you see the white proteins firm up on top—it's most likely time to pull the salmon from the oven—it's cooked!