Oven-Baked Paprika Salmon

This paprika salmon is delicious! Paprika pairs well with the bold flavor of salmon. It's an easy recipe, too, ready in less than 30 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 355kcal

2 salmon fillets 6 ounces each, ½-inch thick, pin bones removed
Olive oil spray
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking dish with nonstick foil or high-heat-resistant parchment paper and lightly grease it.
Place the salmon fillets on a large plate or on a cutting board. Spray both sides with olive oil and sprinkle them with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, in the prepared baking dish.
Bake until the fish is opaque and cooked through, for about 15 minutes. Check with an instant-read thermometer - its internal temperature should reach 145°F. Serve immediately.

If you prefer an oil with a high smoke point, use avocado oil.
We're using sweet paprika in this recipe. Not smoked paprika and not hot paprika (here's a look at types of paprika). So read the label on your paprika and make sure you're picking the correct spice.
Having said that, smoked paprika is not a bad choice if you enjoy smoky flavors, and hot paprika will work if you like spicy foods. But the first time you make this recipe, I recommend using regular paprika.
You can use frozen salmon, although the oil and spices adhere better to thawed salmon, so try to thaw it overnight in the fridge. If you use frozen fillets, they'll need to cook longer. Try 25 minutes instead of 15.
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. Sometimes, I flake them cold and use them as a salad topping the next day for lunch.