This Everything Bagel Foil Baked Salmon is a quick and easy dinner for busy weeknights. It's a no-muss, no-fuss 30-minute dinner that has just 7 simple ingredients and tastes incredible. Baking it in foil creates a deliciously flavored, moist fish that is bound to become a family favorite. Plus clean-up is a breeze!
Table of contents
- Easy Salmon Dinners
- Types of Salmon
- What to look for when buying salmon
- Baked Salmon Cooking Temperatures & Time
- Baked Salmon Ingredients
- How to Make Foil Baked Salmon
- How to Make Your Own Everything Bagel Seasoning
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations
- What to Serve with Foil Baked Salmon
- More Delicious Salmon Recipes
Easy Salmon Dinners
Fish is one of my favorite go-to meals. It is a healthy dinner with an abundance of protein vitamins and minerals, is low in fat, and cooks quickly. And salmon has to be at the head of the list. Baking the salmon in foil cooks it to perfection every time. All you need to do is season it, wrap it up in foil, bake it, and serve. It's practically foolproof!
Salmon is a delicious fish that does not need much to make it shine. I love to grill it like my Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce, Air Fry it like my Lemon Butter Salmon, and bake it in foil like this easy recipe.
When baking, all you need is some butter or oil and a few seasonings to make one of the best oven-baked salmon dinners you've ever tasted! The results of foil baked salmon speak for themselves - a flaky fish with a wonderful buttery, slightly toasty flavor, with the added benefit of veggies to complete it.
Types of Salmon
There are many types of salmon and each has a "best" method for cooking from baking to grilling to smoking. Wild salmon is the healthiest choice for eating. It can be any kind from king salmon to sockeye to coho.
King Salmon is the filet mignon of the salmon world. It has the highest oil content, an almost buttery flavor, and can be grilled, roasted, pan-seared, or baked.
Sockeye Salmon has a medium oil content, a rich flavor, and is best grilled or smoked.
Coho Salmon is milder with a medium-firm texture. It can be grilled, steamed, poached, or sauteed.
What to look for when buying salmon
- Look for fillets with bright bold color
- Make sure it is fresh fish with no fishy smells
- Ask for a fillet with the skin on for the moistest fish
- Purchase center cut 6-8 ounce fillets. This cut is the same thickness all over and makes for more even cooking
Baked Salmon Cooking Temperatures & Time
You can bake salmon at different temperatures but normally the higher the temperature, the quicker it cooks and the moister it stays. I like to bake mine at 400 degrees for this reason. The times listed below are for a 1" thick, 1 pound fillet.
350 degrees - bake for approximately 20-25 minutes is best suited for marinated salmon
375 degrees - bake for 15-20 minutes
400 degrees - bake for 12-18 minutes
425 degrees - bake for 7-12 minutes and is best used for dry seasoned salmon and a crispy skin.
Baked Salmon Ingredients
- King Salmon is a meaty fish that is perfect for baking. It has a high oil content which keeps it moist when cooked this way. Coho Salmon is also a good choice.
- Everything Bagel Butter is an easy bagel sesame seasoning blend. It flavors the fish with garlic and onion in place of herbs, gives it a toasty hint from the sesame seeds and a little crunch from the poppy seeds. The butter also adds moistness and richness and makes for the perfectly seasoned baked bagel salmon recipe. (see recipe notes for how to make your own bagel seasoning mix)
- Broccoli, Onion, Bell Pepper, and Grape Tomatoes add your vegetable serving and makes this an all-in-one dinner.
- Lemon Slices acid and tartness pair perfectly with fish, giving it the perfect flavor profile.
How to Make Foil Baked Salmon
- Gather all the ingredients and place salmon fillet, skin side down, on a square of foil.
- Divide the vegetables in half and scatter over the salmon.
- Melt the everything bagel butter and drizzle over both the fillets and vegetables.
- Ready for the final touch.
- Place two lemon slices on top of the fish.
- Wrap them in the foil and seal tightly. Bake.
Pro Tip: Always let the salmon come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to cooking. This ensures that the salmon cooks evenly and stays moist.
Tada! In less than 30 minutes you have a beautifully cooked piece of foil baked salmon that you can eat right out of the foil packet or serve it nicely dressed on a plate. An easy meal for a busy weeknight dinner and delicious enough for a dinner party. Plus it's a healthy fish recipe and fits low carb, gluten-free, and keto lifestyles.
Hint: A thicker piece of salmon will give you the best results. If using a cut other than the center cut, fold under the thinner ends so they don't dry out or burn.
How to Make Your Own Everything Bagel Seasoning
Mix 8 teaspoons white sesame seeds, 4 teaspoons black sesame seeds, 4 teaspoons poppy seeds, 4 teaspoons each dried minced garlic and onion flakes, and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Store this bagel spice in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Press on the top of the fillet or twist lightly with a fork in the thickest part of the salmon. If the salmon flakes, and separates easily, it is done. In addition, the flesh will be opaque instead of translucent.
Keep leftover salmon wrapped in foil or in an airtight container and it will last 3-4 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Place the salmon on a square of foil, rub it with a little olive oil, or drizzle some lemon juice on it, then wrap it tightly and place it on a baking sheet. Warm it in a 275-300 degree oven, for 10-15 minutes. This method will help preserve the flavor and moistness of the fish without drying it out.
Variations
Want more vegetables? Try adding cubed zucchini, asparagus cut into short lengths, sliced carrots
Love your starches? Add partially cooked sweet potatoes or white potatoes cut into cubes. How about rice? Take 1 cup instant rice and mix with 1 cup chicken stock and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to absorb liquid. Spoon around fish and seal packet.
Seasonings - omit the "everything bagel" butter and fix the fish simply with oil, salt, and pepper. Or try a sprinkle of fresh herbs such as rosemary or basil with oil, lemon juice, and some garlic.
Make it keto - Change out the onions for shallots.
Tomato variety - Use chopped tomatoes in place of grape tomatoes
What to Serve with Foil Baked Salmon
This salmon dish is a favorite meal of mine, made even better when accompanied by tasty side dishes. Side dishes like these cheesy, crispy Air Fryer Parmesan Zucchini, Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Cilantro Rice, or on the lighter side, a Roasted Vegetable Salad, or a Salad with Pomegranates and Oranges. Of course, everything tastes better with this crispy, garlicky Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
More Delicious Salmon Recipes
Bloody Mary Salmon is a quick and easy 2-ingredient salmon dinner that is flavored with bloody mary mix.
Crab Stuffed Salmon is a 30-minute dinner of salmon stuffed with a crab cake, covered with cheese, and baked.
Baked Asian Salmon with Maple Glaze is a slightly sweet, moist, and tender salmon covered with a maple glaze.
Find more deliciously easy seafood recipes on 2CM!
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Everything Bagel Foil Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 King Salmon fillets about 6-8 oz each
- 4 Tablespoons Everything Bagel Butter see notes on how to make your own
- 2-4 slices, thinly sliced onion (use scallions for keto diets)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup red bell pepper sliced
- 6 grape tomatoes
- 4 slices lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut 2 pieces of aluminum foil that will fit the salmon and other ingredients and be able to be wrapped securely. Spray foil with nonstick spray.
- Place one piece of salmon, skin-side down, on each square of foil.
- Scatter half of the onion, broccoli, bell pepper, and tomatoes on top of each fillet.
- Melt the butter and divide it between the two foil packets, pouring over the top of both the fish and the vegetables.
- Lay two slices of lemon on top of each salmon fillet.
- Seal the foil.
- Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and open carefully to avoid being burned by the steam.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on November 21, 2021.
Catch Sitka Seafoods says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe highlighting our incredible fish! I love all the tips you gave on how to maintain moisture! We are a small family business in Sitka, Alaska working hard to bring ethical and sustainably harvested small boat line-caught Wild Alaskan seafood to families across America.
Linda Warren says
It was our pleasure! Your fish is simply delicious!