The BEST Baked Salmon Recipe (made in just 8 minutes!)

If you’ve ever worried about overcooking salmon, this baked salmon recipe will change that forever. It’s a quick, foolproof way to get tender, perfectly flaky fillets every single time — a simple salmon dinner with a ton of flavor and zero stress.

Years ago, my old neighbor Danielle taught me a little salmon secret that changed the way I cook it forever. Instead of the usual slow bake, she cranked the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set the timer for just eight minutes. The result? Salmon that’s always juicy, never dry, and melts in your mouth.

I’ve made it this way ever since — it’s the kind of fast weeknight dinner idea that feels restaurant-worthy without trying too hard.

In the recipe card, you’ll find six spice blend options to mix things up depending on your mood. Whether you go chili lime, lemon thyme, garlic Italian, or my personal favorite, these baked salmon fillets deliver big flavor in the easiest way possible. (And if you’re craving more simple salmon dinners with a ton of flavor, I’ve got nearly 40 of them waiting for you.)

Pro tip – don’t toss the skin! Danielle also taught me the best trick: after serving the salmon, leave the skin on the baking sheet, sprinkle it with a little salt, and pop it back into the hot oven. After about 10 minutes, it turns shatteringly crisp—we call it “salmon bacon.” Everyone I’ve shared it with (even the skeptics) ends up fighting for the last piece.

Store and reheat

Store: Once any leftovers have cooled, place them in a covered container in your fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat: I like to reheat this salmon in a covered pan over low heat, but a microwave also works. I usually serve leftovers cold over a salad for lunch.

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The BEST Baked Salmon Recipe (made in just 8 minutes!)

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 8 minutes mins

Total: 13 minutes mins

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This baked salmon recipe is my go-to for tender, perfectly flaky salmon every time. It’s quick enough for a weeknight but still feels special enough for guests. Check the notes section for my favorite seasoning blends so you can switch things up whenever you make it.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 4 6-ounce salmon fillets
• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper

Favorite salmon seasoning

• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, coconut sugar, and oregano.

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, skin-side down, leaving a little room between each piece. Drizzle each salmon fillet with ½ teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4 6-ounce salmon fillets, 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
  
• If using the seasonings, sprinkle them on top of the salmon.
  ½ teaspoon EACH: sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, coconut sugar, and oregano.
  
• Put the salmon in the oven and set a timer for 8 minutes. When the timer goes off, take the salmon out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. It will be very tender, the flesh will have turned opaque, and there will be only a few tiny spots of white showing.
  

Video

Notes

Optional seasoning to try

• Lemon Thyme: 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, zest from 1 lemon, and a squeeze of lemon when the salmon comes out of the oven.
• Garlicky: 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 2 finely minced garlic cloves, and 1 thinly sliced lemon.
• Chili lime: 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and zest from 1 lime.
• Rosemary: 1 finely minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, and 1 thinly sliced lemon.
• Curry: 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon each: garlic powder and coconut sugar, and zest from 1 lime.

 

When is the salmon done?

That depends on who you ask! The FDA recommends cooking non-sushi-grade fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, which is considered well done (and can be quite dry). I prefer salmon cooked to medium — around 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit — which is how most good restaurants serve it. At this temperature, the salmon is tender, flaky, and perfectly moist.

Keep in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise by about 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit after it comes out of the oven. So if you pull it out a little early, it’ll finish cooking as it rests. The longer it bakes, the drier it becomes — so err on the side of slightly under rather than over.

 

In a 400-degree oven, salmon needs to bake for about 4 minutes per ½ inch of thickness.

• ½ inch fillet – 4 minutes
• 1 inch fillet – 8 minutes
• 1 ½ inch fillet 12 minutes

Nutrition

Serving: 1 piece of salmon, Calories: 259kcal (13%), Protein: 34g (68%), Fat: 13g (20%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 94mg (31%), Sodium: 366mg (16%), Potassium: 834mg (24%), Vitamin A: 68IU (1%), Calcium: 21mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.