This easy baked salmon recipe is perfect for busy nights when you don’t want to fuss by the stove. Like poached or grilled salmon, a few simple tricks guarantee the fish is tender and juicy every time. Here, the salmon is baked in foil with tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and feta cheese for a satisfying one-pan dinner. Everything is seasoned with a bold blend of cumin, sumac, and oregano that brings a distinctly Mediterranean flavor and marries the whole dish together. Baked feta had its moment recently, from a very trendy baked feta pasta to baked feta appetizers on just about every restaurant menu I see. In my house, it’s been an easy way to make a weeknight dinner feel “fancier” since I can remember! The feta doesn’t melt but rather becomes deliciously soft and warm, bringing a nice tang and creaminess to the party. You can stop there, but I love to serve this salmon with couscous, lemony rice, or some nice freshly baked pita.
Ingredients for this Easy Baked Salmon Recipe
To make this easy baked salmon, you only need Mediterranean pantry staples, a medley of vegetables, and salmon. It’s the perfect easy recipe to add to your rotation.
Salmon: Slice a 1 1/2 pound salmon filet into 4 pieces, or buy four pieces of similar size. Produce: Cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms (I used baby bella, but anything you have on hand will work), and garlic roast together with the salmon. Fresh lemon juice lightens the richness of the fish in the final moments. Seasoning: Dried oregano, ground cumin, and fresh thyme give the salmon and vegetables a warming, aromatic quality. Sumac adds a nice tartness–you can learn all about sumac, stock up at our shop, or substitute with lemon zest if you’d like. Salt and pepper enhance the flavor. Feta cheese: Use a block of feta packed in brine (not precrumbled feta). The size works better for roasting and it tends to be higher quality. Extra virgin olive oil: Tenderizes, crisps, and imparts a nice flavor on both the fish and the vegetables. Use a high quality smooth variety, like any of the hand selected olive oils at our shop.
How to Bake Salmon
This easy baked salmon uses an easy technique that will give you flaky, tender fish every time! Here are the 6 simple steps for this one-pan weeknight dinner:
Get ready. Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, sumac, and cumin. Season the vegetables. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, and 4 to 5 whole garlic cloves to a large baking dish or sheet tray. Sprinkle with ½ tablespoon of the spice mixture and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil, toss to coat, and spread so that everything is in one layer. Bake the vegetables and feta. Nestle chunks of feta in between the vegetables and top with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Place in the heated oven on the center rack. Bake until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 10 minutes. Season the fish. Meanwhile, pat the fish dry and season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the remaining spice mixture. Bake the salmon. Carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven and nestle the salmon in with the veggies and feta. Top each fillet with a drizzle of olive oil, then cover the pan with aluminum foil to trap the steam. Return to the center rack of the heated oven until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, about 10 minutes. Finish and serve. Remove the salmon from the oven, carefully remove the foil, and immediately squeeze lemon juice onto the fish. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
How Long to Bake Salmon
Baking times will depend on the heat of your oven and the thickness of your salmon. My method, where the salmon is tented with foil and cooked at 425°F, takes about 10 minutes. I find that trapping the steam and a slightly hotter oven is the most consistently delicious (and fuss free!) method for baking salmon.
How to Tell When Baked Salmon is Ready
Salmon is ready when flesh turns from bright pink to opaque pink. If you set a fork near the thickest part and pull outwards it should easily flake. If you meet resistance with the “flake test,” simply return it to the oven and check every 3 minutes or so until it flakes easily.
How to Thaw Frozen Salmon
Don’t have fresh salmon fillets? No problem! Frozen salmon will work just as well. Allow the salmon to thaw in the fridge overnight. About 15 to 20 minutes before cooking, take the salmon out of the fridge and set it on your kitchen counter to allow it to rise to room temperature before cooking.
How to Store Baked Salmon
Baked salmon is best eaten immediately, but leftovers will keep in in the fridge for 2 days. I like to keep the salmon fillets separate from the vegetables and feta in different airtight containers. I don’t recommend reheating cooked salmon. Instead, keep it chilled and use it in a salad, like this Greek Salmon Salad. If you must, you can reheat the fish and vegetables briefly in a 350 degrees F heated oven, but be aware that salmon will quickly become dry (it may help to add a little liquid to the pan and cover with foil).
What to Serve with this Easy Baked Salmon Recipe
This easy salmon recipe with feta and vegetables makes a filling meal on its own. For a bit more heft, you can add a side of plain basmati rice, toasted orzo, or crispy smashed potatoes. For a bit of crunch and texture, I like to pair the salmon and vegetables with a fresh salad.
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