How to Bake Salmon

There are many ways to bake a salmon fillet. The best method to employ will depend on factors like personal tastes, the time of year, and what seasonal ingredients are available. Salmon is a naturally moist fish. The flesh can range in color from a pale pink to a deep red, depending on the salmon species available. Depending on your location and the time of year, you may find Atlantic, Coho, Chinook, Sockeye and King, wild or farmed, fresh or frozen, each having subtle differences in taste, texture and appearance. This article provides general guidelines to follow when preparing baked salmon.

Edit Steps

Method 1 of 2: Traditional Baking

Buy whole salmon fillets when preparing baked salmon. When salmon is filleted, it is cut in half lengthwise down the middle of the fish. The result is a fillet, with the pink flesh exposed on 1 side and the skin (typically scaled) on the opposite side.

Leave the skin on the fillet and bake skin-side down for best results. Cooking fish with the skin-side down helps retain its moisture during the cooking process. This is especially important when baking salmon, as it tends to dry out easily.

Set the oven temperature between 325 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The right temperature depends on the recipe used and the size of the fillet being baked. Set the oven to the lower end of the temperature range for smaller fillets and the higher end for larger fillets. Cooking the fish at too high or too low of a temperature will dry it out.

Cook the salmon fillet in a covered, oven-proof baking dish. Keeping the fish covered during the process helps the fish retain its moisture and speeds up the cooking time.

Check the fish often as cooking times vary widely depending on the equipment used and the size of the fillet. A small fillet may only require 25 to 30 minutes, while a large fillet could take 40 to 60 minutes to bake.

Use a meat thermometer if available. A meat thermometer can be purchased at most grocery or kitchen stores, and takes the guess work out of baking salmon. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the fillet and remove the salmon from the oven when the temperature reaches 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

Method 2 of 2: Baking En Papillote (In Paper)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177° C). Although you will be wrapping the salmon in parchment paper, the oven doesn't need much extra in terms of heat. Actually, cooking salmon, or any other type of fish, in parchment paper is a very efficient way of baking, and almost foolproof. Clean-up is as easy as throwing away a piece of paper!

Prepare the salmon. When cooking en papillote, it's generally best to:
- Leave the skin on the fillet and bake skin-side down.
- Rinse the fillets in cold water, dabbing dry with paper towels or letting air-dry.
- Season with salt and pepper.

Fold the parchment paper in half crosswise. Place the parchment on a baking sheet. Center the salmon fillet onto one side of the parchment paper.

Place any herbs, aromatics, or vegetables into the parchment with the salmon. Baking en papillote is an opportunity to cook vegetables and other seasoning along with the fish. Here are some combinations that work well with salmon that you might consider:
- Lemon, capers and rosemary. Lemon and salmon is a classic, as is the addition of tangy, briny capers. Add some fresh rosemary to the mix for a burst of life.
- Asparagus, lemon, and onion. Chop up some asparagus and add it in with the salmon, complementing with lemon and red onion. The onion will turn out sweet and the lemon will help the salmon taste light and moist.
- Dill and lemon. Dried dill has a very mild, almost-anise flavor, making it a perfect complement to the salmon if you don't want to overpower it. Don't forget the lemon juice!
- Tomatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms. For a heartier dish, try adding these summer vegetables. (No need to cook them first.) A spritz of lemon or an entire lemon wedge is never a bad addition to a combo like this.

Add olive oil and/or white wine. After you've decided on your seasonings and vegetables, drizzle a bit of olive oil onto the salmon. A tablespoon of white wine will help keep the salmon and vegetables moist and flavorful.
- Butter will work as a substitute for olive oil. For a deeper flavor, add a tablespoon of butter into the parchment instead of olive oil.

Fold the parchment to seal the salmon and vegetables. Fold the parchment over the salmon, creating a triangle. Starting at the bottom, fold the edges of the parchment over, creating several overlapping sections. This will make a seal, allowing the salmon and any vegetables to cook in their own juices.
- Do not tape the parchment paper together. While you want a good seal on your fish, you do not want to completely capture all air inside the parchment. A small amount of escape is fine.
- Do not fold the parchment too tightly. Leave ample room in the paper chamber for the salmon and vegetables. Your parchment should be snug without being cramped.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. You want the salmon fillet to be opaque and flaky. Translucent, reddish flesh means the salmon has not yet fully cooked.

Remove from the oven and serve. Transfer all ingredients to a separate platter, or simply cut open the parchment and serve as-is.

Finished.

Edit Tips

When selecting a side of salmon from your local grocery or fish market, ensure that the salmon has been handled correctly. The salmon should be firm when poked with your fingertip. The scales should not flake off easily. The salmon should have a clean ocean scent, not a fishy smell.

For best flavor, use fresh salmon. When fresh salmon is unavailable, buy frozen salmon fillets and place them low in the refrigerator to thaw slowly overnight.

Edit Warnings

Be careful not to confuse salmon steaks with salmon fillets. A salmon steak is 1 thick slice of a whole salmon fillet and will cook much more quickly than a whole side of salmon. Salmon steaks are typically skinned and boned and should be cooked at a lower temperature than a whole fillet.