Baked Salmon in Foil is an easy and healthy 20 minute meal perfect for weeknight dinners, quick lunches and also fabulous for special occasions. Baked salmon filet is seasoned with a simple and delicious Asian flavored butter and oven baked until perfectly flaky and tender. Throw in some veggies and you have a full nutritious meal cooked in foil and almost no-clean up to do after!
We love baked fish around here! It’s quick, easy and a healthy way to cook fish. Look at this Baked Cod recipe and this Baked Salmon with herb butter!
Oven Baked Salmon In Foil
If you are wondering how this one-pan, healthy, low-carb Baked Salmon In Foil recipe comes out of the oven after is cooked, I can tell you that it’s definitely worth seeing. We were so happy with the results that we even made a video clip about it! But, let me just tell you what you can expect when you look in the oven!
Flaky, moist and well seasoned salmon and crisp-tender carrots and snow peas bathed in a mouthwatering ginger-garlic, sesame flavored butter. Dinner is served and it’s sure to become a new favorite!
I love cooking fish for dinner and this recipe for baked salmon in foil is certainly one of the easiest ways to prepare this healthy protein.
Baking salmon in the oven is very easy and in my opinion one of the best ways to cook salmon that is juicy, flaky and tasty. Cooking a whole meal in the oven in a single baking pan guarantees easy clean up and salmon cooked in foil is the ultimate quick and easy, protein-packed, low carb dinner sure to become a favorite.
Why Should I Bake Salmon In Foil
The idea of baking salmon in foil comes from the well known cooking method of steaming proteins encased in parchment paper. This French technique called “en papillote” or “in paper”, gently steams poultry, meats, fish and vegetables inside a paper packet. This method cooks the food evenly and always produces moist, tender, self-contained meals with a beautiful presentation.
Why You Will Love This Recipe?
- Mouthwatering delicious. The salmon has a melt-in-your mouth feel due to the buttery taste of the garlic, ginger soy flavored butter.
- Healthy and low carb. Salmon has so many health benefits. Salmon is loaded with brain-boosting, immune-boosting omega-3 fatty acids. It’s packed with B vitamins, potassium, selenium and more. The salmon, butter sauce and veggies are low carb and if you are worry about the butter don’t! The amount used is not bad for 1.5 pounds of fish.
- Versatile: You can add different herbs and seasonings and you can switch the veggies to your taste.
- Quick, Easy with Very Little Clean Up: Enough said! If you have heavy duty aluminum foil use it. Clean up will be almost non-existent.
Salmon In Foil Ingredients
- Salmon: For this recipe, you can use one large piece of salmon (a side of salmon) or individual salmon fillets. You can use skin-on or skinless salmon. Salmon with the skin on helps to keep the fish moist (this comes handy when baking the fish without foil or when pan searing or pan frying fish). Removing the skin after the fish is fully cooked is incredibly easy as well.
- Butter: Keeps the fish moist and adds that amazing buttery taste that goes so well with fish. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Garlic: It is best to use fresh garlic. Garlic paste found in the refrigerated area of the produce department is your next best option.
- Ginger: I prefer the lightly sweet and pungent flavor of fresh ginger for this recipe. You will need about a 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger. In a pinch, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ginger powder can be used.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: This oil is the color of maple syrup and sometimes even darker. Toasted sesame oil is packed with sesame flavor. Don’t confuse it with regular sesame oil which is light in color and has a very mild flavor.
- Soy Sauce: I always have regular soy sauce at home. Light or low-sodium soy sauce can be used. Tamari can be used as a gluten-free option.
- Sambal or Chile Garlic Sauce: Adds a little heat to the dish.
- Salt and Pepper: Fish and seafood loves salt! Although this recipe uses soy sauce, you should still season the veggies and fish lightly with salt.
- Veggies: Make your salmon in foil a full meal by cooking the fish and the veggies together in one packet. Choose vegetables that can be cooked in about 15 minutes. Snow peas, shredded carrots, asparagus and green beans are great options. For vegetables that take longer like potatoes, you will need to par-cook them and finish the cooking inside the foil packet.
- Optional Garnish: Sliced green onions
How To Make Baked Salmon In Foil
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the Asian Butter: Combine the melted butter with the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and sambal. Allow the butter to cool a bit while making the foil packets.
- Make One Foil Packet or Individual Packets: Depending on the salmon, you may want to make one large foil pack or individual ones. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the salmon on the center of the foil.
- Add Vegetables: If using veggies, arrange them to one side of the salmon. Choose veggies that can be cooked in about 15 minutes otherwise, you will need to par-cook them first and finish the cooking inside the foil packet.
- Season: Season the salmon and veggies with salt and pepper and spoon some of the flavored garlic soy butter over it. Sprinkle some of the scallions on top.
- Close Foil Packets: Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon and crimp the edges to completely seal the packet. Don’t wrap the packet too tight to leave a little space between the food and foil for air circulation. Make sure the fish/veggies are completely enclosed to prevent any leaking.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through but still pink in the middle. Exact times will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Remember you can always cook it longer if needed but once overcooked, there’s nothing you can do to fix it.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, plate and open the foil packets carefully as the steam will escape.
How Long Does Salmon Take To Cook
Salmon like most fish, doesn’t take long to cook. Exact time varies depending on the thickness of the fish. A piece of salmon of about 1.5-inch in thickness takes about 15 to 18 minutes to cook. A thinner piece may take as little as 10 to 12 minutes.
How Do I Know When My Salmon Is Done?
Perfectly cooked salmon should be flaky, moist and tender. The meat should be relatively opaque with a bright pinkish center.
The best way to check for doneness of course is to use an instant-read thermometer. That’s the most accurate way to tell if the fish is cooked perfectly. I prefer to serve salmon between 125°F and 130°F or medium. Remember that the internal temperature of the fish will rise about 5-10 degrees after is removed from the oven.
At What Temperature To Bake Salmon?
This recipe bakes the fish at 375° Fahrenheit. In general salmon can be baked anywhere between 350° and 400° Fahrenheit. Besides roasting, some recipes broil the fish quickly under high heat.
How Long To Cook Salmon At 400 Degrees Fahrenheit?
Salmon cooked at 400° F should take about 15 minutes of cooking time. It is important to remember that the exact time will depend on the thickness of the fish as well as of the type of salmon.
Which Type Of Salmon Should I Buy?
I buy wild-caught salmon if available. Wild-caught salmon is typically lower in calories and saturated fats and higher in protein than farm-raised salmon. Wild salmon is often firmer and more succulent that it’s counterpart as well. King salmon, coho or sockeye varieties of wild-caught salmon are usually the ones I purchase.
Fresh vs Frozen
Unless you are in an area where you can get fresh catch of the day, you may just want to grab frozen salmon instead. Frozen salmon is flash frozen as soon as is caught, to preserve its freshness. Frozen fish is often better than fresh fish sitting on ice at the market (which most of the time has been defrosted already).
Should I Cook Salmon With The Skin On Or Off
That is totally up to you. The skin helps in keeping the fish moist but since you are baking the fish inside foil, the steam will help in keeping the moisture locked in and the fish succulent.
If you don’t like to eat the edible skin, it is much easier to remove it when the salmon is fully cooked.
Internal Temperature Of Salmon
Overcooked salmon is dry and chalky. Although the FDA suggests cooking salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, it is my experience that at that temperature your salmon will look and taste dry.
I prefer to cook salmon to medium or when it reaches between 125° to 130° Fahrenheit.
- 110° to 125°F – medium rare. The salmon is opaque, juicy and moist.
- 125° to 140°F – medium to well-done. Flaky and more than ready to be served. This is right when a white chalky residue starts to develop.
- 140°F and above, well done. Dry and chalky.
How To Store Leftovers
Leftover salmon can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Salmon In Oven Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the salmon. Overcooked salmon is dry and chalky. Although the FDA suggests cooking salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, it is my experience that at that temperature your salmon will look and taste dry.
- Juicy and flaky salmon should have a bright pinkish hue in the middle
- Let the salmon come to room temperature before baking it. Just allow it to sit on the kitchen counter for about 15 minutes before placing it in the oven.
- If you want to serve this dish at a dinner party and want a more elegant look, use parchment paper instead of foil. Cut a piece of foil into a round shape. Put the fish and vegetables on one side of the parchment, fold the parchment over and fold the edges to seal the packet (it will look like an empanada).
- You can use other vegetables for this dish. Just keep in mind they have to be able to cook fast and be good eaten on the crunchy side, like broccoli, bell peppers and sugar snap peas.
- If you have a gluten intolerance, make this baked salmon in foil recipe with Tamari instead of soy sauce.
Take A Look at These Other Seafood Recipes:
- Maryland Crab Cakes
- Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
- Shrimp Scampi Dip
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
- Honey Ginger Salmon
- Miso Honey Glazed Salmon
Baked Salmon in Foil with Asian Butter
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds salmon, skin-on or skinless, boneless with pin bones removed. or to make individual portions. 4 (6-ounces) salmon fillets
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced (or about 1/2 inch piece ginger root)
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce use low sodium if preferred and/or Tamari for GF
- 1-2 teaspoons Vietnamese Sambal chile-garlic sauce, or more to taste
- 1-2 scallions thinly sliced plus more for garnishing
Optional Veggies: Choose 2
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 bunch of medium-thick or thin asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 cups shredded carrots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
To Make the Asian Butter:
- Combine the melted butter with the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and sambal. Allow the butter to cool a bit while making the foil packets.
To Make One Foil Packet:
- Line a sheet pan or large baking dish with a large piece of aluminum foil.
- Place the salmon on the center of the foil. If using veggies, arrange them to one side of the salmon.
- Season the salmon and veggies lightly with salt and pepper and spoon the Asian butter over the salmon and vegetables (if using). Sprinkle the scallions over the fish.
- Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon and crimp the edges to completely seal the packet. Don’t wrap the packet too tight. A little space between the food and the top of the foil is needed for air circulation. Make sure the fish/veggies are completely enclosed to prevent the Asian butter from leaking.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through but still a bit pink in the middle. Time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish and your preference of doneness.
- Remove from the oven. Open the foil, being careful of any escaping steam. Garnish with additional scallions and serve.
To Make Individual Foil Packets:
- Place 4 pieces of aluminum foil (about 12 x 18 inches each) on the kitchen counter.
- Place one piece of salmon on the center of each piece of aluminum foil. Arrange the veggies to one side of the fish (if using).
- Season the salmon and vegetables lightly with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the Asian butter over the salmon and vegetables. Sprinkle the scallions over the salmon.
- Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon and crimp the edges to completely seal the packets. Don’t wrap the packets too tight. A little space between the food and the top of the foil is needed for air circulation. Make sure the fish/veggies are completely enclosed to prevent the Asian butter from leaking.
- Place the foil packets on a sheet pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through but still a bit pink in the middle. Time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish and your preference of doneness.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to plates. Open the foil, being careful of any escaping steam. Garnish with additional scallions and serve.
Recipe Notes
- The veggies will be al dente and the carrots crunchy.
- Don’t overcook the salmon. Overcooked salmon is dry and chalky. Although the FDA suggests cooking salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, it is my experience that at that temperature your salmon will look and taste dry.
- Juicy and flaky salmon should have a bright pinkish hue in the middle
- Internal Temperature of Salmon:
110° to 125°F – medium rare. The salmon is opaque, juicy and moist.
125° to 140°F – medium to well-done. Flaky and more than ready to be served. This is right when a white chalky residue starts to develop.
140°F and above, well done. Dry and chalky.
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