The Absolute Best Baked Salmon: People Will Beg You For This Recipe

This easy baked salmon recipe is sweet, tangy, flavorful, and crunchy—it hits all the perfect notes. Finished with a layer of buttery golden breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, and an irresistible spice blend, this dish is elegant enough to present to guests but still suitable for a weeknight dinner.

How to Bake Salmon Like a Pro in the Oven

If you follow this recipe, your salmon will not come out dry and flavorless. Salmon is one of the top foods people overcook, and with good reason. But stick with me, and you'll have it made!

Tip 1: Put foil on the baking sheet. Before you put the fish in the oven, you crimp the aluminum foil into a boat shape. This produces delicate, perfectly cooked salmon by rerouting heat from the oven and hot pan to steam the sides of the fish.

Tip 2: Don't remove the salmon skin. By placing the skin-side-down salmon in the oven, a barrier is formed between the fish and the hot pan, allowing the meat to cook gently and evenly without becoming dry.

Herb-crusted and deliciousPhoto byRichelleg

Tip 3: Salmon and Dijon mustard go hand in hand. Its sharp flavor blends well with the rub's savory garlic and paprika, as well as the sweet brown sugar.

Tip 4: Once the fish has been given a Dijon coating, coat it with the brown sugar mixture and then the panko mixture, in that order. As the fish bakes, the first layer flavors it, and the crunchy coating crisps it in the oven.

Tip 5: Salmon baking times can vary slightly. Baked salmon cooked at 425 degrees F will be done in 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the size and weight of your fish and any variations in oven temperature. Although some culinary experts prefer 125 to 140 degrees F for "medium" cooked salmon, the FDA advises cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

Ideas for Serving Baked Salmon

The adaptability of this baked salmon meal is one of my favorite things about it. Serve it with roasted potatoes, steamed or grilled asparagus, or rice and a green salad; you can even bake the potatoes on a different baking sheet and cook them while the salmon is in the oven.

How to Keep Baked Salmon Cold and Warm

Refrigerated salmon can be stored for up to three days. Keep tightly wrapped in foil or plastic, or store in an airtight container. Reheat for 10 to 15 minutes at 275 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet lined with foil.

Is baked salmon freezer-friendly? Yes, in theory. According to the FDA, cooked salmon can be frozen for up to six months. However, because freezing ruins the texture and flavors of this salmon meal, I wouldn't. I don't suspect you'll have any leftover, anyway.

Salmon before the prepPhoto byRichelleg

The Greatest Salmon Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. of paprika
• 1 tsp. powdered garlic
• Sprinkle of cayenne
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 C Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 C finely chopped parsley leaves
• 2 TBSP of melted butter, unsalted
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of skin-on, fresh salmon
• 2 TBSP of Dijon mustard, don't skimp on the good stuff

Directions

• Start the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Put foil on a baking sheet. Make a little curved-up boat shape with the foil.
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a hefty pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
• In another small bowl, combine the panko, butter, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
• Spread the Dijon over the salmon's skin-side-down position on the prepared baking sheet.
• Cover the salmon completely with the brown sugar mixture, and then sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top.
• To help gather the juices and prevent them from spreading and burning, crimp all four edges of the foil to form a border around the salmon.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the salmon is firm and flakes readily when pressed.

It's divine!Photo byRichelleg