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Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this Old Bay salmon with an optional creamy dill sauce is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare fish at home. With only a few pantry staples, you can create a healthy and family-friendly dinner in just 20 minutes!
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Salmon is one of our favorite healthy proteins for weeknight meals. Whether we’re serving the perfect 15-minute grilled salmon, this 4-ingredient maple glazed baked salmon, or a salmon marinade with lemon and herbs, the light and fresh fish is always an easy dinner. With its sweet and zesty flavor, this old bay salmon recipe just happens to be one of our new favorites!
Is Old Bay good on salmon?
Salmon is delicious with a variety of different seasonings and flavor profiles. Whether you go with a blackened seasoning, a bbq dry rub, our favorite all-purpose seasoning, or classic Old Bay seafood seasoning, the options are endless.
Old Bay on salmon is a delicious combination, since the seasoning blend is specifically designed for fish, shellfish, and other seafood. It’s a combination of celery salt, paprika, and other spices like red pepper and black pepper. The seasoning blend adds zesty, savory flavor to the fish.
The Creamy Dill Sauce
This creamy dill and chive sauce is totally optional — the salmon is still delicious without it. That said, the fresh, bright, acidic, and cooling sauce is a perfect contrast to the sweet and spicy fish. Highly recommend!
Best of all, you can adapt the sauce to suit your taste and the ingredients that you have on hand. While salmon and dill are a classic combo, the sauce is also great with other fresh herbs. For instance, swap out the dill and use parsley, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, basil, or a blend of these.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of old bay seasoned salmon. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Old Bay seasoning: a convenient blend of celery salt, paprika, and other spices like red pepper and black pepper. It gives the fish a spicy kick (but not too spicy — this is still kid-friendly!).
- Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder: even more spices to add flavor to your salmon seasoning.
- Sugar: this might seem odd, but it’s important! The sugar in the seasoning rub helps create a crispy exterior on the fish as it caramelizes in the heat of the oven. It also balances the spicy Old Bay and the creamy, cool sauce.
- Olive oil: keeps the fish moist and helps it brown on the outside.
- Salmon: use as many fillets as you need. For instance, cut the recipe in half and prepare just ½ lb. of fish if you’re feeding a smaller family. You can also double the ingredients to serve a larger group.
- Fresh dill and fresh chives: fresh herbs add bright flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic: for savory, earthy flavor.
- Mayonnaise: I like Duke’s brand. This is the base of the creamy sauce.
- Lemon juice: a bright, acidic ingredient that thins the sauce. Add some fresh lemon zest too for even more citrus flavor.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: enhance the other flavors in the fish and sauce.
How to Cook Salmon with Old Bay Seasoning
Old Bay on salmon is such a classic flavor combination! Here, we’ve taken the zesty blend and combined it with other spices, olive oil, and sugar to create a salmon seasoning paste that’s undeniably good. Best of all, it’s made with simple pantry staples and it’s ready in about 20 minutes!
I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Place fish (skin-side down) on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Stir together the seasoning mixture and spread on the fish.
- Roast the salmon.
- While the salmon roasts, blend together the creamy dill sauce.
- Drizzle sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with fresh herbs, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
This versatile baked salmon recipe goes well with almost any of your favorite sides. We like to serve the fish and sauce over a bowl of white rice, or make salmon sandwiches by placing a fillet on a toasted bun and topping it with lettuce, tomato, and dill sauce.
Here are some other sides that go well with Old Bay salmon:
- White Rice, Charleston Red Rice, or Rice Pilaf
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Southern Caesar Salad, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, a Classic Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Wedge Salad
- Cucumber Salad with Vinegar (shown here), Cucumber Radish Salad, Pickled Red Onions, or Cucumber Dill Salad
- Hush Puppies
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Broccoli Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks, or Honey Cornbread
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Bread or Cranberry Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread (No Yeast, No Knead) or Honey Beer Bread
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- A loaf of crusty Dutch Oven Bread, No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread, or French Baguette
- Easy Potato Salad
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus, Roasted Asparagus, or Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and Onion
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Cheese Grits
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
Preparation and Storage Tips
Leftover salmon will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Leftovers can also be frozen for 4-6 months, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thaw cooked salmon in the refrigerator or immersed in cold water. Use cooked, thawed salmon in salads or as a substitute for canned salmon in casseroles, pasta dishes, sandwiches, or wraps.
Recipe Variations
- Try other herbs in the sauce in lieu of the dill. For instance, use parsley, thyme, basil, cilantro, oregano, rosemary, or a combination of these.
- Fresh herbs are always best, but you can sub with about 2 teaspoons of dried dill weed when fresh dill isn’t available.
- Swap out a little bit of mayo and use sour cream in the sauce instead.
- Season the salmon with even more herbs and spices. For instance, try our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend, or use parsley, rosemary, thyme, or basil.
- Cooking Just for Two? Cut the recipe in half and bake according to the recipe instructions.
- For a larger group, bake even more salmon fillets.
Tips for the Best Old Bay Salmon Recipe
- If you’re starting with frozen salmon, let the salmon thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using in this recipe.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels before seasoning.
- Old Bay is zesty, but this dish isn’t too spicy. If you like more heat on your fish, add cayenne pepper to the seasoning.
- The sugar caramelizes in the hot oven, which helps to create that crispy crust on the top of the fish. Don’t omit this important ingredient.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, temperature, and thickness of your fish when it goes in the oven. As a result, keep a close eye on the salmon and remove it as soon as the outside is crisp and the inside flakes easily with a fork. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 125-135°F in the thickest part of the fish for medium-rare to medium, or 145°F for a more well done finish.
- For an even crispier, more charred finish, place the salmon under the broiler for the final 1-2 minutes of cooking time. Do not use parchment paper if you plan to broil the fish (the paper will burn)! Instead, line the pan with aluminum foil.
More Baked Salmon Recipes
Bourbon Glazed Salmon
21 minutes mins
4-Ingredient Brown Sugar Dijon Roasted Salmon
15 minutes mins
4-Ingredient Maple Honey Baked Salmon
33 minutes mins
Old Bay Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. salmon filet, cut into 2-3 pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Creamy Dill Sauce
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place salmon skin-side down (if using skin-on salmon) on the prepared baking sheet.
Prepare the Salmon
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, Old Bay, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Add the olive oil and stir to create a paste. Spread the paste all over the top of the salmon.
Roast the Salmon
- Roast the salmon for 9-12 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 125°F to 135°F when a thermometer is inserted in the thickest portion of the filet for medium to medium-rare. The temperature will continue to rise as the fish rests.
Make the Dill Sauce
- While the salmon is in the oven, combine the dill, chives, garlic, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Spoon the creamy dill sauce over the salmon and serve!
Notes
- If you’re starting with frozen salmon, let the salmon thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using in this recipe.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels before seasoning.
- Old Bay is zesty, but this dish isn’t too spicy. If you like more heat on your fish, add cayenne pepper to the seasoning.
- The sugar caramelizes in the hot oven, which helps to create that crispy crust on the top of the fish. Don’t omit this important ingredient.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, temperature, and thickness of your fish when it goes in the oven. As a result, keep a close eye on the salmon and remove it as soon as the outside is crisp and the inside flakes easily with a fork. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 125-135°F in the thickest part of the fish for medium-rare to medium, or 145°F for a more well done finish.
- For an even crispier, more charred finish, place the salmon under the broiler for the final 1-2 minutes of cooking time. Do not use parchment paper if you plan to broil the fish (the paper will burn)! Instead, line the pan with aluminum foil.
