Description
This is the best healthy baked salmon recipe. It’s topped with a zesty lemon and fresh herb marinade, then baked in the oven until it’s flaky with a rich, buttery texture. We make this salmon often as a simple weeknight dinner paired with rice and veggies.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon filets (about 6 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or melted butter)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or dill, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (depending on how garlicky you like it)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 small lemon, sliced into 4 rounds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil.
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and place the fish (skin-side down) on the baking sheet. Let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley or dill, garlic, honey, paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- Just before putting the salmon in the oven, use a spoon or brush to spread the marinade all over the top and sides of the fish. Top each salmon with a slice of lemon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 145°F at the thickest part of the salmon. Avoid overcooking.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking. The salmon should look opaque and flake easily with a fork when ready. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the fish. I always cook salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F at the thickest part of the fish to ensure safety, especially when feeding it to my toddler. However, I know some people prefer to cook their salmon to medium-rare or medium, which means you’ll want to pull the salmon out of the oven when the internal temperature reads 125°F to 130°F. The fish will continue to cook as it rests, which will result in moist, flaky salmon.
- Season the salmon right before baking. For the best texture, it’s important to season the salmon right before it goes into the oven. Seasoning the salmon with salt and lemon juice too early can draw out moisture, which results in drier fish.
- For reference, I’m using coho salmon for this recipe which has the skin on.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate based on 4 servings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salmon filet
- Calories: 324
- Sugar: 1.6g
- Sodium: 367mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2.5g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 81mg