Simple 15-Minute Baked Salmon

This delicious baked salmon is coated in olive oil and seasoned with garlic and thyme. 15 minutes in the oven, and it comes out perfectly cooked!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 346kcal

4 salmon fillets 6 ounces each, skin-on or skinless, about 1 inch thick, pin bones removed
2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position a rack in the middle of the oven.
Run your finger across the salmon fillets to check for bones. If your fish have bones in them, remove the bones with fish bone tweezers.
4 salmon fillets
Using a pastry brush or clean hands, coat the salmon fillets with olive oil.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sprinkle the salmon on both sides with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and thyme.
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking dish, skin side down. If using, arrange the lemon slices around the fish. Lightly brush the lemon slices with olive oil.
1 lemon
Bake the salmon, uncovered, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. This should take around 15 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
2 tablespoons parsley

Updated in 2026: See the article above the recipe card for an AMAZING variation with heavy cream that I make almost exclusively these days. It's so good and creamy.
Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
If you don't have a thermometer, you can check with a fork. The center of each fillet should be opaque and flaky. If it's still translucent and resists being flaked with a fork, it's not done yet. However, the best way to ensure the fish is done is to use a thermometer.
You can line the baking dish with nonstick foil to minimize sticking.
To cook frozen salmon, increase the baking time to about 20 minutes for 6-ounce fillets. Baking fish from frozen often helps prevent them from drying out. However, you should only do this with smaller, 6-ounce fillets. Bigger fillets could be undercooked in the middle if you cook them frozen. When cooking from frozen, it's especially important to check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don't like reheating them - they become fishy. So I flake them and use them cold as a salad topping the next day. If you prefer to reheat the leftovers, do so very gently. Cover the fish and reheat it in the microwave at 50% power, turning often, until heated through.