Baked Salmon recipe baked with garlic, lemon zest, and some fresh herbs is so juicy and flavorful, one of our favorite recipes. This dish can be a great option for family-friendly dinners, or fancy evenings with friends.
A healthy fish dinner for my family in just 20 minutes, is always an option that saves my time. We are fish, seafood, lovers so this easy and healthy salmon recipe is a great option for a no-stress dinner. Salmon can be prepared in many ways, but my favorite is still baked in the oven with a crunchy crust and tender inside. In my family, my husband usually marinades the fish. He likes to season the fish with lots of lemon zest, spices, herbs and much paprika soaked with some olive oil and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
A perfectly baked salmon in the oven is very easy and simple, yet I like when the fish texture inside is smooth, tender and the sides are crunchy and crispy. We usually try to combine meat or fish with veggies, but when I have more time for cooking I opt to make different side dishes. One of them is definitely my delicious scalloped potatoes with lot of cream, parmesan and garlic that simply is outstanding and mouth-watering. Definitely, for dinner I usually go only for veggies but when I have an occasion I make my potato gratin to please my friends and my family. What is great about this easy and healthy dish is that my daughter also likes it, as she asks for baked salmon all the time!
The salmon recipe cooked with garlic, and herbs is so easy and needs less ingredients you already have in your kitchen. The advantage is that you will have to wash only your baking pan without too much mess in your kitchen.
When I want to cook the salmon for my family, I usually ask my husband to marinate it in the morning and leave to soak all the flavors in the fridge until the evening. The fish meat will be so smooth and delicious, that you will want to bake it more often. Garlic and butter are just so perfect together, especially when it comes to a nicely baked salmon. We are preparing it for years, and have to say that it is so juicy, delicious just a restaurant-quality family dinner.
What I love about salmon – is the incredible aroma and taste from garlic butter mixed with herbs, and freshened with some zest of lemon. Usually, we try to buy fresh salmon fillet as it has a nice aspect and the taste is much more intense and better, rather a steak salmon. But it is up to you to buy and cook any type of salmon.
How to Bake Salmon?
I usually bake the salmon, rather fry it on a skillet, as it is more dietary, more nutritious, and delicious. First of all I buy fresh good quality salmon fillets and wash them properly before being marinated. In a big bow I pour 4-5 tablespoon of olive oil and mix it with herbs, some lemon zest, salt, pepper and of course cayenne pepper. We adore the color it has and the taste from paprika spice. Put the salmon fillets in a bowl, mix with all the ingredients and let them marinate no less than 30 minutes. The more you marinate, the tender and more aromatic the fish will be. In the preheated oven cook the salmon for no more than 15-20 minutes, it depends on the size of the fish. If your steak or fillet is small, then cook it for a maximum of 10 minutes. When the salmon is ready serve it with fresh or roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, or scalloped potatoes. Serve up your tasty and yummy salmon fillets for a nutritious and healthy supper.
Method:
- Wash the fish and set aside while you prepare the marinade for the fish.
- In a big bowl mix herbs such as oregano and basil, and 3 cloves of garlic with cayenne pepper. Add zest from a lemon and some juice in order to avoid fish aroma. (For Note: I usually press the lemon and spin it 1 minute to obtain more juice from it). Pour olive oil and mix with a fork all the ingredients.
- Add the salmon fillets into the bowl, mix with all the ingredients and let it rest in the marinade for no less than 30 minutes.
- Preheated oven at 400 °F.
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper or foil to avoid stickiness, and to wash easily your baking pan.
- Put the fish on the tray and bake it for 10-15 minutes, or until it has a crispy golden color. In case you want it more dietary – bake only 7 minutes until the salmon has a dark pink, brownie color.
- Serve the fish immediately with vegetable salad, potatoes, or other side dishes you have prepared.
- Garnish your fish with any herbs you have in your fridge. I like spring onions, so I garnish my fish with it.
For a delicious and flavorful baked salmon I usually suggest a glass of good white wine. I advise you to drink a Pinot Gris or Chardonnay as they both are dry wines and ideally suits the crispy salmon. I would not recommend a Moscato, as it is a semi-dry wine, and too sweet for a garlic baked salmon. The white wine should be cooled or refrigerated for about 30 minutes before serving.
This salmon recipe is easy to prepare and a 20 minute meal, if you marinade it in the morning or some time earlier. The marinade is so simple as you need just a few ingredients, but the result is simply tasty with much flavor.
How to store baked salmon?
Salmon will last in your refrigerator for about 3 days, if you store it accurately and properly. Put the fish that has remained in a food zipper bag and properly fridge it up to 1-3 days.
How to marinade the Salmon?
This salmon marinade is so inventive that you can make it your way. We usually bake much fish at home, be it either a salmon, sea bass, or sea bream – we make almost the same marinade. My husband, he is the one in question, makes the marinade very aromatic, and nicely flavorful. In a bowl he mixes herbs with the zest from 1-2 lemons, the juice from one lemon, and a lot of paprika spice. He add salt and pepper at a time with olive oil and marinates the fish for more than 30 minutes. Inside the fish belly he puts some lemon slices, dill, and paprika. When the fish is bakes it is full of color, flavor, and very very tasty. I really recommend this kind of marinade to your fish.
Recipe Tips:
In my family, we usually cook the fish with the skin on it. Definitely, we don’t eat the skin, but it makes the fish more appetizing and helps to keep it moist. Bake the fish with the skin side down, this method is the same when you fry it in a pan, or grill it. Before serving, I usually remove the skin from the fish with a spatula or knife.
For the marinade you can use any kind of herbs, spices you like. Many still like to glaze the salmon with Dijon mustard or add capers to the marinade.
Serving is also so vast that you can be inventive any way. A perfect combination are roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, green beans, rice both colors, veggies, or potatoes.
Avoid overcooking your salmon – a perfectly cooked fish has to be moist, tender and crispy on the edges and very delicious. In case you overcook the fish, it will be dry, hard and unsavory.
Make it a tradition to always cook healthy. This easy and nutritious salmon recipe is full of omega-3 and fats. A healthy meal, a healthy body.
Baked Salmon Recipe
Equipment
- Bowl
- spatula
- baking pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 6 salmon fillets
For the Marinade
- 1 pinch herbs
- 1 lemon juice
- lemon zest
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the fish and set aside while you prepare the marinade for the fish.
- In a big bowl mix herbs such as oregano and basil, and 3 cloves of garlic with cayenne pepper. Add zest from a lemon and some juice in order to avoid fish aroma. (For Note: I usually press the lemon and spin it 1 minute to obtain more juice from it). Pour olive oil and mix with a fork all the ingredients.
- Add the salmon fillets into the bowl, mix with all the ingredients and let it rest in the marinade for no less than 30 minutes.
- Preheated oven at 400 °F.
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper or foil to avoid stickiness, and to wash easily your baking pan.
- Put the fish on the tray and bake it for 10-15 minutes, or until it has a crispy golden color. In case you want it more dietary - bake only 7 minutes until the salmon has a dark pink, brownie color.
- Garnish your fish with any herbs you have in your fridge. I like spring onions, so I garnish my fish with it along my creamy and delicious scalloped potatoes.
- Serve the fish immediately with vegetable salad, potatoes, or other side dishes you have prepared.
