30-Minute Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon

Say hello to the BEST lemon garlic baked salmon recipe! Made with simple ingredients like fresh garlic, paprika, avocado oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. It is out of this world flavorful, perfectly cooked, and just as good for a busy weeknight dinner as it is for a dinner party. A 30 minute wonder! Gluten free, dairy free, Whole30, paleo, keto, and low carb.

The BEST baked salmon recipe

This salmon recipe is our go to for any night of the week.

It’s wholesome, SUPER flavorful, so easy to throw together, and ready in less than 30 minutes!

All you need to add for a complete meal is a few side dishes. And bonus: it’s also impressive enough to serve to guests for a special occasion – would be so delicious with a creamy risotto or pasta!

We love our oven baked recipes here at NK because they take a minimal amount of effort and yield excellent results every time.

These recipes for Maple Pecan Glazed Salmon, 30-Minute Garlic Ginger Glazed Salmon, Baked Buffalo Salmon, and Baked Chicken Breasts are also favorites!

But today we’re chatting all about this basic baked salmon that yields consistently flavorful, flaky, and moist results EVERY time!

Why you’ll love this baked salmon recipe

It is:

• Versatile
• So easy to make
• Super flavorful
• Moist and flaky
• Savory and delicious
• Gluten free, dairy free, Whole30 compatible, paleo, and keto / low carb
• Perfectly cooked
• SO tasty!

Ingredients and substitutions

The ingredients for this baked salmon are super simple – a true pantry friendly recipe. There are a few swaps you might want to make that I’ll share below.

• Salmon fillets – Look for fresh, bright pink center cut salmon fillets at the fish counter. I typically make this recipe with skin on, individually portioned fillets, but you can also easily make it with a whole fillet for an impressive presentation. Grab your salmon fresh from the seafood counter instead of a pre-packaged option for the freshest cut!
• Avocado oil – Avocado oil is the perfect cooking oil for this recipe, although olive oil can also be used.
• Fresh garlic – Grating or pressing the garlic ensures that it imparts a ton of flavor and softens into the salmon with the avocado oil and spice mixture. This also keeps it from burning.
• Lemon juice – A small amount of fresh lemon juice is added to the avocado oil mixture for a bit of brightness.
• Paprika, salt, and pepper – The seasoning for this baked salmon can be adjusted to your preferences or the type of meal you’re serving.
• Fresh herbs – While not necessary, the fresh herbs take this salmon to the next level of delicious! A mix of parsley and dill are our favorite, but feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand.
• Lemon wedges – Squeezing a bit of fresh lemon over the top of the salmon before digging in adds such a lovely bit of zing to the final dish!

Should you bake salmon with the skin on or off?

I will always recommend you cook salmon with the skin on. It helps keep the flesh of the fish moist and tender, and prevents sticking to the pan.

And once cooked, the skin will slide right off!

How to make baked salmon

This recipe is so hands off and incredibly easy to make!

Here’s the step-by-step

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prep salmon. Remove any bones from the salmon fillets. In a small bowl mix together avocado oil, grated or pressed garlic, lemon juice, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined. Drizzle salmon with avocado oil mixture and use your hands or a silicone spatula to evenly coat, making sure some of the fresh garlic is on top of each filet. Place in a baking dish or on a rimmed sheet pan skin side down, evenly spaced apart.
• Bake. Transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
• Garnish and serve. Top with fresh herbs and serve with lemon wedges and your favorite side dish!

How to tell when salmon is done

Overcooking salmon is a one way ticket to dry fish. Which is not what we’re after, right?

No way absolutely not.

So how can you tell when your fish is perfectly cooked?

Well there’s a few different ways, but before we dive into that, you first have to decide how you like your salmon cooked. Cooking fish is similar to cooking a steak since it can be served anywhere from rare to well done.

If you’ve ordered salmon at a nice restaurant it was likely served medium to medium rare. When cooked to this temperature it will flake easily but the flesh will be silky and the center will appear ever-so-slightly translucent.

Once you know the temperature you’d like your fish cooked to, here’s a few methods for making sure it’s done to your liking.

• Use an instant read thermometer. Using a thermometer is the most surefire way to check the internal temp of your fillet. For an accurate reading be sure to insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the flesh. The FDA says that salmon is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°, but this will result in very firm, even dry salmon. For medium to medium rare salmon aim for 120° – 125°.
• Check for flakiness with a fork. Press the flesh with a fork to see if it gives and flakes along the white lines that run throughout the fillet. If it flakes easily and the center is opaque almost to the center it is done!
• Press the thickest part of the flesh with your finger. This is a method that you’ll only want to use after a bit of practice. But just as you can check a steak for doneness by pressing on the center of the fillet with your finger, you can do the same for salmon. When done, it will feel fairly firm with only a slight amount of give. If it feels squishy under the top of the flesh, cook it a little bit longer!

Top tips for perfectly cooked salmon

• Keep the skin on to help hold in moisture and maintain structure of the fillets.
• Place the salmon flesh side up in the baking dish with a fair amount of space between each piece of fish so that it cooks evenly.
• Bake at 400° F – not too hot that it dries out but hot enough that it cooks quickly.
• Check for doneness using the tips listed in the section above.
• For extra unctuousness brush the fillets with a little olive oil or melted ghee just before serving.

Serving suggestions

This salmon is so incredibly versatile and can be served in many different ways!

Here’s some ideas:

• With a side dish or two. Cilantro lime rice, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, quinoa, roasted asparagus, broccoli, garlic green beans, sautéed spinach, or roasted sweet potatoes would all be delicious side dish options to serve with this salmon!
• On top of a salad. Baked salmon is a perfect way to turn a hearty salad into a complete meal. Would be especially delicious on this apple walnut salad.
• With pasta or risotto. Garlicky baked salmon over creamy dairy free penne alla vodka has date night written all over it.
• In a hearty bowl. A hearty grain, a drizzle of Tahini Dressing and some marinated vegetables plus this salmon would be such a delicious and satisfying meal.

Storage and reheating

• Storage: This salmon will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Reheating: My favorite way to reheat salmon is in the oven on medium low heat – somewhere between 325° – 350°. At that temp it should be warmed through in about 6-8 minutes. A toaster oven will work in the same way. You can also reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

Did you love this recipe? Try these other easy oven recipes!

• Dairy Free Blackened Salmon
• Buffalo Baked Salmon
• Maple Pecan Baked Salmon
• Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
• Baked Chicken Breast
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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