I love a good piece of salmon. I used to only order from a restaurant because it would never taste as good at home. But with so much experimenting I think I’ve finally figured out how to cook a good salmon! I’m sharing my basic healthy version & also a really good recipe!
Not only is it delicious, but from a health standpoint there are so many benefits from eating it. Salmon is rich in Omega- 3 fatty acids. (a good kind of fat that your body needs) It’s also a great source of protein & is high in B vitamins, a good source of potassium & selenium, & may reduce risk of heart disease to name a few. I always recommend my online nutrition clients to try & eat salmon once or twice a week if they like it!
My mom always calls me when she wants to make salmon & can’t remember how. When she called the other night, I realized I hadn’t made salmon in a long time. I have a basic no fail & no frills way to make salmon without a fancy recipe in front of you. That’s usually my go-to to give her off the top of my head. Here it is:
Basic Oven Baked Salmon:
Directions: Place salmon in some foil on a pan, sprinkle with salt & paper, drizzle with olive oil, fold up the foil around the fish & bake at 400 degrees for approx. 10-20 mins (depending on thickness of your salmon.) You can always use a little lemon juice or lemon pepper for added flavor or use a few pats of butter instead of olive oil (for a less healthy version) It’s a no fail way way to bake salmon every time!
MY TIPS:
- You can use frozen or fresh salmon but I find that paying more for the fresh salmon from your grocery store’s seafood dept. is ALWAYS better. It’s worth it to spend the extra money
- If you do buy it frozen, set it in the fridge the day before you plan on cooking to allow time to thaw OR you can set it under running water or a bowl of water (in a bag) for 30 mins or so to thaw fast.
- Soak your salmon in lemon juice to get rid of that “fishy” taste. I rinse the salmon, place it in a plastic bag with lemon juice about 15-30 mins before I bake it.
- DON’T OVERCOOK! Always check your salmon by taking a fork & trying to flake a piece off after about 8-10 mins. If if flakes easily & is opaque throughout it’s done! If it sticks together & is still pretty pink inside put it back in the oven but keep checking after every 1-2 minutes. JUST 1-2 minutes can make a huge difference when it comes to cooking salmon. Once it’s overcooked it becomes dry. So check it early! I find that 1 inch fillets take around 15 mins.
- For the healthiest versions of making salmon, you will want to stick with using olive oil & spices. Items such as butter, brown sugar, honey, etc will add calories.
- For a crispy salmon, turn your oven on broiler for the last min or 2 of baking.
I decided to get a little “fancier” with a recipe the last few times I’ve made salmon. I swear I made the BEST salmon a few weeks ago & when I went to make it again….GASP I couldn’t find the recipe! And my pregnancy brain doesn’t remember whatsoever how I made it. I am STILL looking for that recipe & when I find it, I will post it! So after being mad about it I settled on a different recipe & it was delicious as well so I’m sharing it, because when I find something that good I’m all about spreading the love! This recipe was inspired from Pinterest from savorytooth.com.
Delicious Oven-Baked Salmon 
Prep Time: 10 mins, Cook Time: 20 mins, Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 1lb salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 naval orange sliced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill (i used regular dill spice)
For the sauce:
- 1/2 orange juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional if you want a little spice)
- 5 garlic cloves minced (about 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (I used regular ginger spice)
Directions:
- Combine all sauce ingredients into a small pan on the stove & stir as you bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes, reduce the heat to med-low to maintain simmer. Remove from heat & set aside.
- Lightly spray a pan or baking sheet & line with foil. Rinse salmon & place it on top of the foil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. If you use an orange, slice 1/2 orange into slices & place the slices under the sides of the salmon.
- Fold up the sides of the foil around the salmon. Pour half of the sauce over salmon.
- Bake at 400 F until it is cooked through (internal temp reaches 145 F) about 15 minutes. Top salmon with remaining sauce & garnish with dill.
*When I made this the last time I soaked my salmon in lemon juice first. Then I also added a pat of butter & a little honey to my sauce! I left out the sriracha & just used ginger & dill spices from my cabinet since I didn’t have any fresh. I used a cutie orange that i had on hand from my kiddo. I also turned on the broiler the last minute or two of baking. So yummy! My husband loved it which is always a bonus.
If you try this recipe & enjoy it, let me know!
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