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overhead shot of piece of salmon on gray plate with fresh lemon wedges and parsley
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5 from 5 votes

How to Cook Salmon

How to cook salmon with step-by-step photos in both the oven, in a frying pan, and on the grill. These methods ensure perfect, tender, and delicious salmon every time!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 201kcal
Author: Denise Bustard

Equipment

  • Sheet Pans
  • non-stick frying pan
  • Vegetable grilling plate

Ingredients

Oven and Grill

  • 20 oz salmon fillets 1 ½-2 inches thick, cut into 5-6 oz portions
  • olive oil for brushing
  • salt & pepper or a seasoning blend
  • lemon optional

Stove

  • 1 salmon tail cut under 1 ½ inches thick, varying sizes/weights
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil; plus more for brushing
  • salt & pepper or a seasoning blend
  • lemon optional

Instructions

Oven

  • Pre-heat- Heat oven to 450°F. Place a sheet pan or baking dish in the oven to heat up.
  • Prepare salmon- Brush salmon fillets with olive oil on both sides. Season generously with salt & pepper or a seasoning blend.
    Once the oven is at temperature, carefully remove the pan and transfer to the hot pan skin side down.
    brushing salmon with olive oil
  • Reduce temperature- Quickly return to the oven and reduce oven temperature to 275°F.
  • Bake- Bake the salmon until it is cooked through to an internal temperature of 125°F (medium rare) or 145°F (medium well) or it flakes with a fork. Err on the side of slightly undercooked as the fish will continue to cook after removed from the oven. For 6 oz fillets, 12 minutes works well.
  • Allow fish to cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Stove

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. 
    tail portion of salmon seasoned before cooking
  • Place salmon skin side down in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes.
    pan frying tail portion of salmon
  • Carefully flip the salmon and cook for another 2-4 minutes. For smaller portions, 2 minutes may suffice, whereas larger portions (like the one pictured in this post), 4 minutes may be necessary. Fish is ready when it flakes with a fork or reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (medium rare) or 145°F (medium well).
    salmon flipped over in pan
  • Remove from heat and allow salmon to cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve with a squeeze of lemon.
    perfectly cooked tail portion of salmon

Grill

  • Heat grill - Heat your grill over high heat (500°F). We recommend using a vegetable grilling plate to cook your salmon, spraying it well with cooking oil.
  • Cook - Place salmon skin-side-down on the grill. Cook with the lid down for 3 minutes, then carefully flip.
  • Flip- Carefully flip the fish over. Cook for another 3 minutes with the lid down, then check the internal temperature. Cook time will depend on the size of your fillet! Cook to an internal temperature of 125°F (medium rare) or 145°F (medium well).

Notes

We recommend one of these easy dry rub seasoning blends.
Storage
  • Fridge - let salmon cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
  • Reheat - Heat salmon in the microwave until steaming hot, and enjoy with a squeeze of lemon juice!

Nutrition

Serving: 6OZ | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 694mg | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1.1mg