Whole Baked Salmon Filet
Whole Baked Salmon Filet
I get it – it can be intimidating to bake a whole salmon filet. It’s all too tempting to buy a few cuts of salmon from the seafood counter and pop them in the air fryer! As simple as that may be, I can guarantee that baking a whole salmon filet isn’t nearly as complex as you may conceive it to be. In fact, this is one of my most favorite easy dinner recipes, whether it’s just for my family or for when I’m serving a crowd.
When using these complimentary ingredients and easy to follow steps, I always get the most tender, flavorful, and flaky salmon. In general, salmon has a smooth and mild flavor, which makes it amongst the most (if not THE most) popular fish to eat. I like to enhance that naturally delicious flavor with simple ingredients like fresh lemon zest and capers! They compliment the fish without overpowering it.
Salmon is one of my personal favorite dinner entrees, which is why I have over twenty Salmon Recipes that I turn to quite often! With that being said, this whole baked salmon filet is my go-to recipe when I really want to impress. When I have a large gathering of friends or family over for a dinner party, presenting a whole filet of fish always garners compliments!
How to Make a Whole Baked Salmon
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will help with the clean up afterwards, and it’ll prevent the salmon skin from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Pat the salmon filet dry with a paper towel before rubbing the skin with olive oil. Then, place it skin side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Season the filet evenly with salt and pepper, then rub the pressed garlic into the filet. Spread the lemon zest all over.
- Bake the filet for approximately 18-22 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready to take out of the oven when the internal temperature of the fish is 145°F. With that being said, I prefer salmon at a medium temperature, which is 125°F-135°F.
- Allow the salmon to rest at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. After a few minutes, sprinkle fresh herbs and capers over the top, and enjoy!
How Much Salmon Per Person
A whole salmon filet will usually weigh in right around 2 lbs., give or take a few ounces. When planning a dinner, I always aim for 1/2 lb. of salmon per person. So a 2-pound filet will yield 4 servings. You can always make more filling sides to go along with it and may be able to get 6 servings out of the whole filet. If you are feeding a larger crowd, it’s better to get two whole filets.
Should I Keep Skin on Salmon?
I always recommend buying salmon with the skin on. Did you know that the skin is actually edible, and the majority of healthy fats are located between the skin and filet? The fatty layer between the flesh and the skin stores a lot of flavor, moisture, and health benefits. While salmon is baking, the natural fat melts into the meat and helps infuse the meat with both flavor and moisture.
If you don’t want to eat the skin, that’s also fine! You can peel it off once the salmon is fully baked before you serve it.
What Sides To Serve With Salmon
- Potato Side Dishes: mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes, roasted fingerling potatoes.
- Rice Side Dishes: rice pilaf, coconut rice, Spanish rice.
- Light Vegetable Sides: sautéed green beans, sautéed mushrooms, Italian roasted asparagus, honey butter roasted carrots.
- Salads: Caesar salad, tomato cucumber salad, Greek salad, kale salad.
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Whole Baked Salmon Filet Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb whole salmon filet, skin on
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves pressed
- 1 lemon – zest only
- coarse salt
- black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 2-3 tbsp capers liquids drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up and to prevent salmon skin from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Take salmon filet out of the package and pat it dry with a paper towel all around.
- Rub it with some olive oil on the flesh and the skin side and place it skin side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Season salmon with salt and pepper all over the filet.
- Rub pressed garlic evenly all over the salmon and then spread lemon zest all over.
- Place into the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, depending on the thickness. Salmon is considered fully cooked at 145° internal temperature. (Personally, I prefer salmon at medium or medium-well temperature, which is around 125°-135°.)
- Take salmon out of the oven when ready and let it rest on the serving dish for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle fresh herbs and spread capers around the top and serve. You can also utilize the leftover lemon that was zested and serve some of the lemon wedges along with salmon.
Video
Notes
- Internal temperature is always the best indicator. Use a Digital Instant Read Thermometer to check the temperature in the center of the thickest part. Salmon is considered done at 145° and it you want it medium to medium-well range, cook it to 125° – 135°. Obviously, the higher the temp the more done the fish will be.
- Press on the center. When the meat is cooked through, it will be firm to the touch with the slightest bit of give. If it still feels squishy, give it a few more minutes and check again.
- See if it flakes. You’ll notice white lines running throughout the fillet, which is the fat. If the fish separates easily along these lines, it’s ready to eat!
- Check the opacity. Raw fish is fairly translucent but becomes more opaque when cooked. The inside should still have a slight “shine” to the flesh, while the outside should look completely opaque.
Nutrition
More Salmon Recipes To Try
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in December 2021.
Categories:
30 Minute Meals, Christmas Dinner, Dinner, Gluten Free, Healthy Dishes, Salmon, Seafood,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Very easy recipe to follow and customize to taste
Thanks, John! I am glad you liked it!
Love all the recipes!! However; the not so good thing I fighting to read everything and print admin all the ads and videos etc.
I am glad you like the recipe!
This is a simple, excellent, recipe. It’s easy and quick to make for a lot of people, and they loved it! Thank you!
So glad everyone loved it, Carolyn!
This is my favorite baked salmon recipe!