Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this 4-Ingredient Baked Salmon Recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare a healthy dinner!
Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this 4-Ingredient Baked Salmon Recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare fish at home! With just a few pantry staples, you can create a healthy and family-friendly dinner in just 30 minutes!
Since it’s the beginning of January and many of you are looking for lighter meal ideas to get the New Year started in the right direction, I thought that I’d share one of my all-time favorites with you today!
Just like all of the other dishes that I serve, this baked salmon recipe is quick, easy, and perfect for a busy weeknight!
Salmon is definitely our family’s favorite fish (my boys devour the stuff in very large quantities!), but it’s not always readily available.
We live near the mountains in Central Virginia — very far from the Alaskan frontier! In fact, our little rural grocery store doesn’t even have a seafood counter.
That’s why I’m always sure to grab a beautiful piece of fish when I make the trip into Charlottesville to shop at Costco. Their seafood is very affordable for such high quality, so it’s a no-brainer in my cart.
When I picked up this piece of salmon a couple of weeks ago, I was trying to figure out how to use it for dinner that night (without having to make a separate trip to another grocery store), and I was instantly reminded of this baked salmon recipe.
It takes advantage of just three other pantry staples for a simple and healthy dinner that I can prepare any time!
You Only Need 4 Ingredients!
- Salmon fillet
- Soy sauce
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- and chopped green onion for garnish (optional)
How to Make the Easiest Baked Salmon
You’ll start by basting the fish with soy sauce and letting it “marinate” on your counter while you preheat the oven.
During the second half of the baking time, you’ll baste the fish again — this time with a mixture of honey and maple syrup.
It gives the salmon a subtle layer of sweetness and adds a great caramelized texture on the exterior of the fish.
PRO TIP: I find that lining my dish or tray with foil or parchment paper makes clean up a breeze!
Serving Suggestions
You can garnish the salmon with green onions and toasted sesame seeds if you like, and serve it with rice and broccoli.
It’s a very versatile dish, and it also works nicely with pasta, crusty bread, salad, or anything else that you have on hand.
For a season when grilling your salmon isn’t as easy, I know that you’ll find this tasty baked salmon recipe a perfect alternative!
Top Tips for Making the Best Baked Salmon
- After rinsing the salmon fillet make sure to pat it dry with kitchen paper. This stops excess moisture forming in the pan and diluting the flavor it also makes sure the marinade sticks to the fish.
- I like to use a pastry or silicone brush to brush on the soy sauce it makes things super easy!
- The cooking time will depend on the size of your fillet. I used a 1.75-2lb sized fillet and bake it for 14-16 minutes.
- Fish cooks fast so keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t overcook and dry out. If you are unsure use a meat thermometer, it should read 145F.
- Feel free to add extra herbs or spices to the fish to change things up and make it your own!
Other easy salmon recipes that you might enjoy:
- Sheet Pan Dinner: Maple-Glazed Salmon with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
- Honey Soy Glazed Salmon
- Easy Salmon Patties Recipe (a great way to use any leftovers, too!)
- Parmesan Herb Baked Salmon Fillet
4-Ingredient Baked Salmon Recipe
Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this 4-Ingredient Baked Salmon Recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare a healthy dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 (1.75 -2 lb.) salmon fillet
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions; toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
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Place salmon in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish or on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
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Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper.
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Brush soy sauce all over the fish, and allow to sit and marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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Bake salmon, uncovered, for 7 minutes.
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While salmon is in the oven, whisk together honey and maple syrup in a small bowl.
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After 7 minutes, remove salmon from oven. Baste with honey mixture.
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Return salmon to oven and continue baking for 7-9 more minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
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Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
Recipe Notes
- After rinsing the salmon fillet make sure to pat it dry with kitchen paper. This stops excess moisture forming in the pan and diluting the flavor it also makes sure the marinade sticks to the fish.
- I like to use a pastry or silicone brush to brush on the soy sauce it makes things super easy!
- The cooking time will depend on the size of your fillet. I used a 1.75-2lb sized fillet and bake it for 14-16 minutes.
- Fish cooks fast so keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't overcook and dry out. If you are unsure use a meat thermometer, it should read 145F.
- Feel free to add extra herbs or spices to the fish to change things up and make it your own!
Being a huge fan of salmon, this looks so delicious! love the touch of honey and maple syrup, never tried salmon like this before, giving this a try for sure 🙂
Oh, you’ll love this, Albert! It’s one of my very favorite ways to prepare salmon!
This looks like a good recipe. Depending on whether or not you use low-sodium soy sauce, I suggest watching amount of salt sprinkled on before basting. Also, at that high temp, 425, I question cooking for so long. My experience with most fish is it stays more moist cooked at low temp-even 275.
I love how simple this! It’s so nice to find recipes you can make right away – with the ingredients already on hand!
Exactly! Such a great option in a pinch!
I can always use more salmon recipes! Looks delicious!
Thanks, Gayle!
Gonna give it a try…salmon is one of the family faves!!!
Awesome! I hope you love it too, Teresa!
Hi Blair, I made the salmon tonight. My husband and I both loved it! We had it with baked sweet potatoes and steamed zucchini. Thanks for all your great recipes and ideas! Mary
That’s wonderful, Mary! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Tried this tonight, loved it! I don’t even like salmon!! I added the green onions during the cooking. ????????
Awesome! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Bobbie! We love this version, too. 🙂
We cooked this tonight. It was very good! A nice touch of sweetness. We had it with baked small golden potatoes and steamed on the the grill peppers and onions, and some stuffing on the side. We also had Grands Buttermilk biscuits. Nice feast!
Thanks, Mike! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. Sounds like the perfect meal!