Spice Rubbed Baked Salmon Recipe - Only 18 minutes to make! (2024)

FAQs

How long should you cook salmon in the oven at 350? ›

How long to bake salmon. At 350°F (175°C), a salmon fillet takes about 25 minutes to bake, and when it's done, the thickest part should flake easily. At 400°F (C), a piece of salmon takes about 10-15 minutes to bake, or until the temperature reaches 135 degrees at its thickest, most internal part.

Baked salmon is best when cooked at 425°F in the oven.

Even thicker fillets don't take long. We recommend baking the salmon uncovered. Simply rub the fillets with a little oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then place them in the roasting pan skin-side down before popping them in the oven.

According to the FDA, salmon is considered cooked when the thickest part reaches 145 degrees F.

But in general, when cooking fillets, at 425°F, salmon will be done in 7 to 9 minutes, and if you want to cook it a little slower, at 350°F, salmon will be done in 15 to 20 minutes.

While salmon can be baked at both 350 and 400 degrees, salmon baked along with other ingredients, like veggies, is best baked at 350 so whatever else you put on the sheet pan has enough time to cook as well.

The foil helps cook the fish faster and just all around better. Another reason is that it's a healthy way to cook fish. Yes, salmon is already a very healthy fish. But if you cook it in foil, you don't have to use a lot of oil or butter to cook it.

A great way to cook salmon, especially if you don't want to add a lot (or possibly any) fat to it, and love not having a ton of cleanup to do afterward, is to cook it in foil.

Use a “barrier”: This tip will come in handy when you're baking fillets. Olive oil, butter, or even a sauce can serve as a protective barrier between the salmon and the heat, allowing it to cook without losing too much moisture. Herbs, vegetables, and lemon slices can also be used to to fillets as they cook.

Firmness: Cooked salmon should be firm but still moist. When you press down gently on the flesh with a fork or your finger, it should feel slightly resistant but still give way easily. If the salmon is still hard or resists your fork, it needs more time to cook. If it is mushy or falls apart, it may be overcooked.

How to tell if salmon is cooked? ›

Use a salad fork or the tip of a paring knife to test whether the top of the fish flakes apart easily. It's done cooking if it's flakey. If salmon is hard to the touch and doesn't flake when testing it with a utensil or finger, it needs to cook a little longer.

Salmon – like all fish – has almost no collagen, which means it will start to lose moisture more quickly than beef. While the FDA recommends cooking fish to 145°F, for a flakier, more moist and tender salmon filet, many chefs find that it's best enjoyed when cooked to medium – 125°F.

Rub your salmon filets with olive oil before seasoning them. This will prevent the fish from sticking to the grill and give the fish a crispy finish.

A creamy but slightly tangy sauce works really well with salmon, and it's why sour cream-dill sauce over salmon is such a classic. Try mixing in curry powder, Sriracha, or scallions into yogurt or crème fraîche for an easy, elegant salmon topper.

A good rule of thumb is to bake salmon fillets at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes per inch of thickness. For example, a 1-inch thick salmon fillet would take 12-15 minutes to bake, while a 2-inch thick salmon fillet would take 24-30 minutes to bake.

Use a salad fork or the tip of a paring knife to test whether the top of the fish flakes apart easily. It's done cooking if it's flakey. If salmon is hard to the touch and doesn't flake when testing it with a utensil or finger, it needs to cook a little longer.

The easiest way to see if your salmon has finished cooking is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the flesh of the salmon flakes—meaning, it separates easily along the white lines that run across the fillet (strips of fish fat)—it's finished cooking.