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These salmon fillets are seasoned and baked to perfection! They are gently cooked in the oven for 12 minutes resulting in a moist, juicy, and flaky texture.
Serve this alongside garlic buttery rice and veggies for a delicious dinner meal.
I love quick and easy weeknight meals that I can just pop in the oven and forget about. This one took less than 20 minutes to prepare and it’s healthy, delicious, and low-carb.
Plus, I always keep frozen salmon in the freezer and it thaws really quickly, so it’s certainly my favorite meal to cook. For more delicious salmon recipes check out this crab stuffed salmon and air fryer salmon bites.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS BAKED SALMON
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Salmon – I used farm-raised salmon but feel free to use wild-caught salmon instead. Fresh or frozen salmon works, but make sure to thaw completely, if using frozen.
- Lemon – It goes great with fish but if you’re not a fan, simply omit it.
- Oil – Adds moisture, if you don’t have oil on hand, use melted butter.
- Salt and Pepper – A must! Otherwise, the salmon will be super bland.
- Italian Seasoning – Completely optional. Feel free to substitute with the spices of your choice.
HOW LONG DO I BAKE IT FOR?
I always recommend starting to check the fish around the 12-minute mark. If you overcook it, it will turn out dry and taste like canned tuna fish.
WHAT’S THAT WHITE THING ON THE SIDES OF THE SALMON?
The white substance that salmon releases when overcooked is called albumin. Albumin is a protein that solidifies and comes to the surface when the fish is exposed to high heat for too long. Although it’s perfectly healthy to eat, it certainly isn’t pleasant.
TOP TIPS
- I can’t stress enough not to overcook your salmon! Overcooked salmon = dry salmon!
- Season it generously for best results.
- Although I wanted to keep this recipe super simple, if you want to add more flavor, throw some capers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh garlic on top! So good!
- I love serving salmon with just lemon wedges but you can also serve it with tartar sauce, remoulade sauce, or the sauce of your choice.
- I always recommend buying frozen salmon instead of fresh because the “fresh” salmon at the store was usually frozen first, and we don’t know how long it has been sitting there.
- Make sure you use evenly sized salmon fillets so that it cooks evenly. If your salmon is thicker in the center and thinner at the edges, the thinner parts will overcook while the center will remain undercooked.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 3 salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon , juiced
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat dry the salmon fillets with a paper towel and then season them with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and Italian seasoning.
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the salmon fillets and then bake for 12 minutes or until the salmon fillets reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Be careful not to overcook the salmon otherwise, they will turn out dry.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- I can’t stress enough not to overcook your salmon! Overcooked salmon = dry salmon!
- Season it generously for best results.
- Although I wanted to keep this recipe super simple, if you want to add more flavor, throw some capers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh garlic on top! So good!
- I always recommend buying frozen salmon instead of fresh because the “fresh” salmon at the store was usually frozen first, and we don’t know how long it has been sitting there.
- Make sure you use evenly sized salmon fillets so that it cooks evenly. If your salmon is thicker in the center and thinner at the edges, the thinner parts will overcook while the center will remain undercooked.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
