If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make salmon, look no further than this Roasted Salmon Recipe. It’s flavorful and is so simple to make!
Look, I know it’s not always easy to eat fish on the regular, but this roasted salmon recipe should make it a little easier for you.
One of the best things about cooking salmon is that it takes very little time. So, even on those nights when you don’t have a lot of time to make dinner (isn’t that every night?), you can still get a healthy meal on the table.
What are the health benefits of this Roasted Salmon Recipe?
Salmon is one of the healthiest fish options, for several reasons…
1. Good source of protein
Protein is important for maintaining lean muscle and improving bone health. It also helps with better blood sugar control and improves satiety (the feeling of fullness) after eating.
Salmon is a good source of high-quality protein and tastes great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
2. High in omega-3 fats
Omega-3 fats can help lower inflammation in the body, lower your risk for heart disease and cancer, and support brain function and gut health.
Salmon is one of the best food sources of the omega-3 fatty acids called DHA and EPA. Neither of these omega-3 fats can be made by the body, which is why we need to get them through food sources, like salmon.
3. Vitamins and minerals
Salmon is rich in many vitamins and minerals, which help with a variety of functions in the body.
It contains vitamins A, D, and several of the B vitamins, as well as zinc, potassium, and selenium.
While salmon will not fully meet your needs for any of these vitamins or minerals, every little bit adds up to your best overall health.
What is wild caught salmon?
Wild caught salmon (as opposed to salmon that is raised in water “farms”) is salmon that comes from its natural habitat, which is cold water oceans.
Wild caught salmon is typically higher in the heart-healthy omega-3 fats, and it usually will have the skin on when you buy it at the store. Don’t worry, it’s really easy to remove the skin after roasting the salmon.
Look for wild caught salmon in most larger grocery stores.
How to roast salmon?
The basic steps for roasting salmon are:
- Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the salmon, skin side down, in a shallow roasting pan (if you line the pan with parchment paper or foil, it will make for easier clean-up!)
- Season the salmon as desired.
- Roast the salmon, uncovered, in the oven (a higher oven temp works well for fish) until the salmon starts to flake when you test it with a fork
How to remove the skin from salmon?
If your salmon has the skin attached, you can either remove it before cooking or after. It’s easier to remove after cooking because the skin releases much easier after it’s been cooked.
To remove the skin before cooking, you will need a cutting board and a thin, sharp knife that is at least as long as the width of your piece of salmon.
Here are the steps…
- Lay the salmon, skin side down, on a cutting board
- Starting at the narrow end of the salmon piece, slice down through the salmon meat just to the skin (don’t cut all the way through the skin).
- Turn the knife to a 45-degree angle pointed toward the other end of the piece of salmon. Firmly hold the end tip of the salmon piece with your other hand.
- Firmly hold the end tip of the salmon, and start to slide the knife back and forth while gently pushing the knife toward the opposite end of the salmon until the skin is fully removed. Maintain the 45-degree angle of the knife.
Think of it like you’re scraping the salmon off the skin in one piece.
To remove the skin after cooking, you will need a metal spatula, and I sometimes use a fork or second spatula to help maneuver the salmon.
Here are the steps…
- If you are working with a large piece of salmon, you can cut the salmon into serving size pieces before removing the skin if desired. You can either cut through the skin or just cut down to the skin but not all the way through the skin. Either way works.
- After cooking the salmon, slide a metal spatula under the salmon meat, right above the skin.
- Continue to slide the spatula under the salmon meat until it is fully released from the skin.
- Lift the salmon off the skin and place on plates or a serving platter.
By the way, this process works whether you roast, grill or cook your salmon in a skillet.
What ingredients are in this Roasted Salmon Recipe?
This roasted salmon recipe uses just 7 ingredients, with 2 additional optional ingredients. Check your pantry because you might have a lot of the ingredients already!
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Wild caught salmon
- Olive oil
- Paprika (or smoked paprika if you prefer)
- Dried oregano
- Granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
- Coarse salt
- Ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper (optional, if you like it spicy)
- Lemon wedges (optional, for squeezing over at the end)
I’d love to hear if you make this super simple Roasted Salmon Recipe! If you do or if you have any questions about the recipe, drop a comment below, or take a photo, post it on Instagram, and tag me (@freshfoodbites) so I can see it!
Roasted Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound skin-on wild-caught salmon filet*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange the top oven rack in the upper one-third of oven. Line a medium shallow baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Rinse salmon; pat dry with paper towels. Arrange salmon, skin side down, in prepared pan. Brush top of salmon with oil. In a small bowl combine paprika, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using). Sprinkle evenly over salmon.
- Place pan of salmon on the upper oven rack. Roast salmon for 7 to 9 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.
- To serve, use a metal spatula to cut salmon into four portions and lift the salmon meat off the skin. If desired, serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
