Foil baked salmon is one of the best ways to cook healthy salmon fillets. The lemon, dill, & garlic make this a delicious recipe for salmon baked in foil.
Ahh salmon. You either love it or hate it. Seriously though, why is fish so hard to get right? It goes from underdone to dry as heck in about 30 seconds I swear!
One of the best ways that I’ve found to cook salmon is to wrap it in foil. It keeps all the juices and flavors in really well, and really does prevent it from drying out.
This is one my favorite recipes for salmon because not only is it delicious, it’s also really healthy!
Should you bring your salmon to room temperature before cooking?
No, you definitely shouldn’t bring your salmon to room temperature, but it should be completed thawed before you bake it. Pull your fresh or thawed salmon filet directly from the fridge, season and cover in foil, and place it in the oven while it’s still cold.
When I make this recipe, I use previously frozen salmon that I’ve thawed overnight. Do not put frozen salmon in the oven, it will not turn out good, it won’t absorb the flavors, and it won’t cook evenly. Make sure to always start with fresh or thawed salmon!
How long should I bake salmon at 425 degrees?
The best rule of thumb is to bake your salmon filet at 425 degrees for 5-6 minutes per half inch of the thickest part of the salmon.
To measure your salmon: Place your salmon on a piece of foil, and use a ruler to measure from the skin up at the thickest part of salmon filet. So, if your salmon filet is 2 inches thick, bake it for 20-24 minutes. And don’t forget to wash your ruler after measuring!
I’ve been using this rule of thumb for awhile now and my salmon has been coming out almost perfect every time! Wrapping it in foil and using this timing method keeps it moist, delicious, and not over-cooked at all!
What happens if you cook salmon too long?
If you bake your salmon in the oven for too long, it will become dry, tough, and almost inedible. If you’re salmon feel firm, stringy, or dry, it’s probably overcooked.
It’s very easy to overcook salmon, so follow the recipe closely based on how thick your salmon filet is.
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Healthy Foil Baked Salmon
Salmon itself is really healthy because of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. These nutrients are essential for brain health and development, so this makes a great food for growing toddlers (just watch for bones) and you pregnant mamas.
That’s why I give my baby girl salmon whenever we eat it, it’s so good for her health!
Flavoring the salmon with only olive oil, herbs, and spices also keeps it heart healthy with so many unsaturated fats and not much sodium at all.
Serve this up with some greens, roasted asparagus, or some sauteed broccoli, and it’ll be a complete, healthy meal for the whole family!
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Budget Friendly
This foil baked salmon recipe comes together for $9.08 or $2.27/serving. That’s actually fairly cheap considering salmon is one of the pricier protein sources in the grocery store.
The price I used to calculate this is $7.84/lb of fresh salmon. You can get frozen salmon in the freezer section for much cheaper than this (around $5/lb), so that can be a good option, too. Either way, yay for saving money!
Recipe
Foil Baked Salmon w/Garlic & Dill
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fresh or thawed from frozen
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 gloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp dry dill or 1/2 tbsp fresh
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Place the salmon skin-side down on the foil.
- Combine lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Pour garlic dill mixture all over the salmon.
- Fold the aluminum foil up and over the salmon until it is completely enclosed in a foil packet. Leave some room for air to circulate inside the foil packet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes per half inch of salmon (measure at the thickest part of the salmon fillet), or until it is easily flaked and reaches an internal temp of 145° at the thickest part of the salmon fillet.
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
This foil baked salmon recipe comes together really easy, and will be a healthy addition to your collection of go-to dinner recipes!
xoxo Megan
Libbie says
I love finding simple and delicious recipes that turn out so fancy! The family is definitely impressed, thank you!!!
Megan Byrd, RD says
This one does feel fancy, doesn’t it!? It always reminds me of summer!
Tammie Fischer says
I’ve cooked a lot of salmon and this recipe is the bomb. Yep no chance getting a dry result. Thank you!