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This baked salmon is my go-to, make it all the time salmon recipe! The salmon is brushed with a honey garlic glaze and and baked in the oven until it’s tender and juicy. It’s an easy recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight!

Four baked salmon fillets with glaze in a parchment paper lined baking dish.

Our Most-Loved Salmon Recipe

I cook salmon almost every week, and this baked salmon is the recipe I make most often! My kids request this salmon for dinner all the time, which in my book is the highest compliment to a recipe.

I love this recipe because it’s so simple and it makes the most flavorful, juicy salmon. The secret is in the glaze: a delicious combination of garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce and olive oil that coats the fish and infuses it with flavor as it bakes.

This baked salmon is ideal for a weeknight because it comes together really quickly. It takes less than 10 minutes to prep it for the oven and then you’ll be free to get the rest of the meal together while the salmon bakes.

I usually serve it with Roasted Potatoes and a green veggie – most often these Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Air Fryer Asparagus. If I’m making this recipe on a weekend or for dinner guests, I like to bake a batch of my homemade Focaccia Bread to go with the meal. Dinner doesn’t get any better!

So good! I have made this several times and we never have leftovers, even my most picky toddler will eat it up! Definitely the only salmon recipe I use now after trying so many! 

Paula
Baked salmon fillet flaked with a fork.

How to Bake Salmon

This is a quick overview of the recipe steps. Find the full recipe in the recipe card below.

  1. Let the salmon come to room temperature for about 15 minutes. This helps it to bake more evenly.
  2. Whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard and garlic.
  3. Brush the salmon with half of the glaze.
  4. Bake the salmon for 12 minutes. Then brush on the remaining glaze. Continue baking the fish for 2-8 more minutes, or until it is cooked to your liking.
Brushing glaze on partially baked salmon fillets.

Recipe Variation

If you prefer a dry rub seasoning, I highly recommend this Salmon Seasoning. It’s a great alternative to the glaze in this recipe, and it works so well on this baked salmon (as well as Air Fryer Salmon!). To use, sprinkle on the seasoning before baking and gently rub it onto the fish.

How Long to Bake Salmon

The bake time will depend on the thickness of your salmon fillets. Generally, salmon fillets take about 12-20 minutes to cook in the oven at 400° F. It’s best to start checking on the salmon early and then you can always cook it more if it’s not done.

How to Tell if Salmon is Done

  • The FDA recommends cooking salmon to 145° F. However, at this temperature, you run the risk of dry, overcooked fish. For a more moist, buttery piece of fish, some prefer to cook it to 125-130° F, then let it rest for 3 minutes before serving.
  • To check the temperature of your salmon, insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the fish. Salmon can go from almost done to overcooked very quickly, so watch it carefully during the last few minutes of baking time. The salmon will continue to cook a bit more after you remove it from the oven, so you can remove it when it is a few degrees shy of your desired internal temperature.
  • If you do not have an instant read thermometer, you can use a fork to check if the salmon is done. When done, the fish should flake apart easily with a fork.
Salmon fillet served with broccoli.

Baked Salmon Recipe Tips

  1. Line the baking dish for easy cleanup. I like to use parchment paper. Foil is another option.
  2. Leave the skin on. Cooking salmon with the skin on helps to keep it moist. You’ll bake your salmon with the skin side down. You can easily remove the skin after cooking if you wish. To do this, use a thin metal spatula or knife to separate the skin from the baked salmon flesh.
  3. Don’t overcook your salmon! Perfectly cooked salmon will be tender, moist and flaky. If you overcook salmon it can dry out easily.

Choosing Salmon at the Grocery Store

The best baked salmon starts with fresh, quality salmon. Here’s what to look for when buying salmon at the store:

  • The flesh should be vibrantly colored, with no gray or brown spots.
  • It should look moist, not dried out.
  • If you’re able to smell it, fresh salmon should not smell at all fishy.
  • The skin should be shiny.
  • Frozen salmon is often a great option, since it’s usually frozen at peak freshness, right after the fish is caught. Thaw frozen salmon in the refrigerator overnight, or place it in a bowl of cold water until thawed (when the water warms up, replace it with more cold water).

Serving Ideas

When I make salmon for dinner I typically serve it with a starch and a vegetable. Here are some options:

Four baked salmon fillets with glaze in a parchment paper lined baking dish.

How to Store and Reheat

Cooked salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it gently in the oven, microwave or in a pan on the stove. Be careful when reheating, particularly in the microwave, so as not to dry out the fish.

More Salmon Recipes to Love!

Salmon is one of my favorite healthy proteins! My family also enjoys these salmon recipes. I think you’ll love them too!

Baked salmon fillets with glaze in a parchment paper lined baking dish.
5 from 24 ratings

Best Ever Baked Salmon

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This is my family's favorite baked salmon recipe! With a delicious glaze and quick preparation time, this healthy salmon recipe is perfect for a weeknight.
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Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, skin on
  • 1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions
 

  • Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper (or foil) for easy clean up.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard and minced garlic.
  • Place salmon, skin side down, in the prepared baking dish. Reserve ½ of the sauce in a clean dish and brush/spoon the remaining ½ of the sauce over the salmon.
  • Bake for 12 minutes and then brush on the remaining sauce. Bake 2-8 more minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. When it's done, the salmon should flake easily with a fork. Thicker salmon fillets will take longer to cook through than thinner salmon fillets. (The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145° F for salmon, but some prefer it cooked to 125-130° F, then rest for 3 minutes before serving.)

Notes

  • You can swap the glaze for my Salmon Seasoning if you prefer a dry rub. Just rub the seasoning over the fish before baking.
Serving: 6ounces salmon, Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 312mg, Potassium: 863mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 69IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Course: Main Course
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

I originally published this recipe in 2018. Since then, I’ve updated the recipe to reduce the amount of glaze by half because I find that this produces better results. When there was more glaze, the extra sauce would just run off the fish and into the baking dish, where it would burn on the pan. I think you’ll find that the recipe now makes the perfect amount of sauce for 4 salmon fillets (about 1.5 pounds of salmon in all).

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