Name: Garlic Herb Baked Salmon
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs. salmon (*see notes); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves); 1 - 2 tbsp fresh herbs (chopped*); 1 tbsp lemon juice; salt & pepper (to taste)

Garlic Herb Baked Salmon is tender, flavorful, and delicious! This easy fish recipe makes a wonderful healthy dinner for any occasion!

Baked Salmon

Baked Salmon with garlic and herbs is one of my favorite meals since it is both healthy and super yummy! Plus, you can have it ready in as little as 20 minutes!

I love seafood and salmon is my favorite fish, so I usually serve it twice a week. Salmon is super healthy and nutritious, packed with protein, omega-3, vitamins, and minerals, it really is a superfood! This easy baked salmon recipe is perfect for a Mediterranean diet and also great for keto, or low-carb diets.

Garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon really compliment and bring out the flavor of salmon. This baked salmon makes an elegant restaurant-quality meal for special occasions. However, it is so quick and easy that it is also great for those busy weeknights. Plus, this garlic herb salmon is baked in foil which means super easy cleanup!

If you like this salmon recipe, you might also want to try my Pan Seared Salmon or this Cedar Plank Salmon.

Baked Salmon Ingredients

This baked salmon recipe only requires 5 ingredients, plus salt and pepper.

Salmon

I always use fresh salmon fillets. However, you can use a frozen salmon fillet if it is thawed first. For this recipe, I used a large whole salmon fillet. You can also use individual size portions or cut the salmon into portions before baking if you would prefer.

Should you leave the skin on or remove it before baking? I bake the salmon with the skin on, which I recommend since it helps keep the fish moist. Once the salmon has baked, it is very easy to separate the skin from the fish using a spatula. If you do not want to deal with the skin, I understand, just ask the seafood counter to remove it for you.

olive oil – avocado oil also works well.
garlic – fresh minced garlic cloves or jarred minced garlic. Not dried garlic.
herbs – I used freshly chopped thyme and parsley, plus a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. You can use the fresh herbs of your choice.
lemon juice
salt & pepper – I use kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Optional: Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

What to Serve with Salmon

If you need some ideas for what to serve with salmon, below are some wonderful options.

How to Bake Salmon

To bake salmon, first, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place the salmon fillet onto the prepared baking sheet, skin side down.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and chopped herbs. Pour the oil mixture over the salmon and gently spread to evenly coat the fish. Season with salt and pepper then fold the foil up around the edges of the salmon.

Bake the salmon for about 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish and your oven, or until it flakes easily with a fork. If you would like to brown the garlic and top of the fish a little, you can broil it for about 2 minutes just before the end of baking.

Note: The internal temperature of the thickest part of the salmon should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit once finished.

Once finished, remove from oven and allow to rest a few minutes. Carefully transfer the fillet to a serving dish, or cut the fillet into equal portions for serving. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!

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