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 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

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

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!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked salmon, Baked Salmon Fillet, Quick Salmon Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 264kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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

• Place salmon in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish or on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
• Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Brush soy sauce all over the fish, and allow to sit and marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bake salmon, uncovered, for 7 minutes.
• While salmon is in the oven, whisk together honey and maple syrup in a small bowl.
• After 7 minutes, remove salmon from oven. Baste with honey mixture.
• Return salmon to oven and continue baking for 7-9 more minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
• Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

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!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.5g | Protein: 26.6g | Fat: 14.4g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 78.2mg | Sodium: 270mg | Sugar: 4.9g