Easy Baked Salmon with Garlic, Lemon, and Herbs. One of the best simple, healthy recipes. Turns out perfectly every time!
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT15M
Total time: PT30M
Rating
4.79 stars (720 reviews)
Keywords
Baked Salmon in Foil, best baked salmon recipe, best salmon recipe, Easy Dinner Recipe, easy salmon recipe, Healthy Baked Salmon, how to bake salmon, oven baked salmon
Ingredients
2 pound side of salmon (boneless (skin on or off, depending upon your preference), wild caught if possible)
5 sprigs fresh rosemary (or fresh herbs of your choice; do not use dried herbs)
2 small lemons (divided, plus extra for serving as desired)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
Additional chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, thyme, parsley, dill, or green onion (optional))
Categories
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Steps
Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with a large piece of aluminum foil.
Lightly coat the foil with baking spay, then arrange 2 sprigs of the rosemary down the middle. Cut one of the lemons into thin slices and arrange half the slices down the middle with the rosemary. Place the salmon on top.
Drizzle the salmon with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Rub to coat, then scatter the garlic cloves over the top. Lay the remaining rosemary and lemon slices on top of the salmon. Juice the second lemon, then pour the juice over the top.
Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up and over the top of the salmon until it is completely enclosed. If your piece of foil is not large enough, place a second piece on top and fold the edges under so that it forms a sealed packet. Leave a little room inside the foil for air to circulate.
Bake the salmon for 15-20 minutes, until the salmon is almost completely cooked through at the thickest part. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your salmon. If your side is thinner (around 1-inch thick) check several minutes early to ensure your salmon does not overcook. If your piece is very thick (1 1/2 inches or more), it may need longer.
Remove the salmon from the oven and carefully open the foil so that the top of the fish is completely uncovered (be careful of hot steam). Change the oven setting to broil, then return the fish to the oven and broil for 3 minutes, until the top of the salmon and the garlic are slightly golden and the fish is cooked through. Watch the salmon closely as it broils to make sure it doesn’t overcook and the garlic does not burn. Remove the salmon from the oven. If it still appears a bit underdone, you can wrap the foil back over the top and let it rest for a few minutes. Do not let it sit too long—salmon can progress from "not done" to "over done" very quickly. As soon as it flakes easily with a fork, it's ready.
To serve, cut the salmon into portions. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs or top with an extra squeeze of lemon as desired.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 (of 6), 5.3 ounces salmon
Calories: 180 kcal
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 60 mg
Reviews
Janine on 2025-12-11 (5 stars): I love this recipe and use it everytime I bake salmon. The only thing I do differently is I bake it for 8-10 minutes so it's not done in the middle, sushi like.
Riley on 2025-11-30 (5 stars): This recipe worked out nicely for me. The salmon was tender and flaky, and I liked how it absorbed the lemon and herbs. I added a few chili flakes because I like a bit of heat. Overall, I’m really happy with this recipe. Thanks
Brooklyn on 2025-11-22 (5 stars): I made this for dinner and it was pretty decent. The salmon was flaky and the herbs added a nice flavor. I did season it a bit more because I like a bit more punch, but overall, it was good. Perfect for a quick, healthy meal without much fuss.
Pat Lopinto on 2025-11-19 (5 stars): Followed recipe exactly. Used frozen Atlantic salmon. Delicious
Tim Donohue on 2025-11-18 (5 stars): Made it for a company holiday luncheon. Everyone loved the Salmon…first food item to run out of. It was delicious
Priscilla Mejes on 2025-11-16 (5 stars): I made this tonight after work and it was honestly one of the easiest dinners I’ve done in a while. The salmon was so tender, it just fell apart with a fork. The foil kept everything moist and flavorful. I love that there’s barely any dishes to wash after. I will definitely make this again. Thanks so much!
Brianna on 2025-11-11 (5 stars): My husband loves it. Make it to pack in his lunch twice now this week.
Corinne Davison on 2025-07-17 (5 stars): This recipe was absolutely delicious! My wife and I throughly enjoyed this meal. I stuck to the basics with garlic, rosemary, and lemon, and it was perfect. I baked two soho salmon fillets for 15 min at 375° and it came out beautifully moist. Served with buttered baby potatoes & chives, and a
medley of herbed veggies in a very light cream cheese sauce (leftovers) - it turned out so very delicious. Thank you I will make this again!! Btw, I’m not really a fan of salmon as I find it too fatty and often is too dry. This recipe was different - it’s a keeper.
Rita Maphis on 2025-05-25 (5 stars): Perfect salmon. So good and perfectly cooked. I used parchment on top of the foil and when I broiled it the parchment started to burn on the edges. Still was the best salmon I ever made. Used lemon slices over and under the filet and brushed the top with melted butter, sprinkled with chopped garlic and fresh parsley. So pretty too.
