Easy Bake Salmon

 

Easy Baked Salmon

 

I love Salmon. It’s probably my favorite protein.  Oh that doesn’t mean I don’t like chicken and I can put away a Ribeye steak in no time at all.  But there is something about the flavor of salmon and knowing that it is so healthy for me that makes me want to make it often.  Not much I can say about this particular salmon recipe other than it’s easy. Healthy. Baked. Delicious. It’s the most perfect, lemony, garlicky salmon every single time I make it.  This time I served it with steamed broccoli topped with a little mozzarella cheese.  Now that’s healthy!

Easy Baked Salmon

4 salmon fillets - about 6 ounces each

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt - or to taste

¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper - just a pinch if using finely ground black pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning blend 

1 medium lemon

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a large baking pan. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season generously with salt and pepper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir together the olive oil, garlic, herbs, and juice of 1/2 of the lemon. Spoon this sauce over salmon fillets, being sure to rub all over the tops and sides of the salmon so it has no dry spots. 

 

Thinly slice the remaining 1/2 of the lemon and top each piece of salmon with a slice of lemon.

Bake the salmon in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the salmon is opaque and flaky when pulled apart with a fork. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

What kind of salmon to use? 

Some kinds of salmon live in freshwater, some live in saltwater, and some live in both, depending on the season. The 6 main kinds of salmon are all of the Pacific variety. 

Wild caught Atlantic Salmon is what I use for most of my  recipes.  But I for baking I like to use King or Chinook because of its very high fat content that keeps it moist.  I typically avoid farm raised salmon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sockeye salmon is a red-colored fish and also happens to be lower in fat than other varieties. It’s a popular variety and quite tasty. 

King or Chinook salmon is very high in fat and super expensive. You’ll probably only find this fish in high-end fish markets or fancy restaurants. It has a delightful texture. 

Pink salmon is a very small, pale variety of the fish. This kind of salmon is most often used in cans and what you’ll find in most salmon cake recipes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chum salmon is a type that’s most popular for its roe, or eggs. They are the kind of eggs that you see in sushi rolls. 

 Coho salmon is another popular type of fish and is milder in taste than other types of salmon.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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