Baked Salmon
Tender, flaky baked salmon with lemon and olive oil. Four ingredients, under 20 minutes, foolproof.
Baked salmon is one of the easiest ways to put a genuinely good dinner on the table. No flipping, no splattering oil. Just season, bake, and you’re done in under 20 minutes.
The single most important thing is not to overcook it. Salmon goes from silky to dry in a couple of minutes, so pull it the moment it flakes. It’ll keep cooking slightly from residual heat on its way to the plate.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry and place them skin-side down on the sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and the juice of half the lemon.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in the center.
- Squeeze the remaining lemon over the top and serve.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Foil or parchment
Tips
- Salmon is done at 125–130°F (52–54°C) for moist, just-cooked fillets. It overcooks fast, so check early.
- A rough guide is about 4–6 minutes per half-inch of thickness.
- Lay a few thin lemon slices and fresh dill on top before baking for extra flavor.