Foil packet salmon is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside — fork tender and perfectly cooked every time! Plus, you can cook veggies in the foil too!
Baked Salmon in Foil
We LOVE salmon in the Rodriguez house and eat it for dinner at least once a week. My husband is the chef of the family and has developed an awesome method to cook perfect salmon on the stovetop. However, he decided to try something new and bake salmon in foil.
My husband might make salmon every week, but I’ve never had salmon like this! He’s totally one-upped himself this time! This baked salmon in foil is amazingly moist and juicy and flakes apart with a fork. It literally melts in your mouth!
You can see here how just how juicy this foil packet salmon turned out:
Why Bake Samon In Foil?
I was chatting with a couple friends this week and they both admitted that they’d never tried salmon before. If you’ve never cooked salmon (or even tasted it), then this is hands-down the easiest way to do it.
One of the reasons people say they don’t like or haven’t tried salmon is that it’s dry. But that just means it wasn’t cooked right!
When you steam salmon for part of the cooking time, it traps moisture from escaping and keeps the fish nice and tender and juicy. The key is to also cook the salmon uncovered for a few minutes too, so you get a crispy coating and it’s not all one texture.
This steaming method works on both the stovetop with a lid on the pan, or in the oven by wrapping the salmon in foil. Both are super easy and almost foolproof!
Our simple honey sriracha glaze adds just the right amount of a sweet and spicy kick, though you could swap out sauces and seasonings for a new flavor each time.
Bonus: there’s practically zero cleanup! Just toss the foil!
Ingredients
- 1-2lbs Salmon filets
- Fresh vegetables (we used carrots, red/orange bell pepper, and green beans)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Kitchen Tools Used
For your convenience, I’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used to make this recipe; disclosure policy available here.
For the Honey Sriracha Glaze:
- 2 TB sriracha chili sauce
- 4 TB hoisin sauce
- 2 TB honey
Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl until well-combined.
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet completely with aluminum foil.
- Place salmon fillet in the middle of the foil and surround with vegetables.
- Spoon the honey sriracha sauce over the salmon filets and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, to your taste.
- Fold sides of foil up and over the top of the salmon. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
- Remove baking sheet from the oven, open the top of the foil packet so most of the salmon is exposed and finish in broiler for 5-7 minutes.
Salmon will be slightly crispy on the outside and a perfect juicy medium inside; the meat will flake easily with a fork.
Prep Tips
- If you use a large pieces of salmon, the foil might not entirely cover the top of the salmon when you fold up the sides of the foil. In that case, use a smaller piece of foil to cover any open space and seal the salmon and vegetables inside.
- Our sriracha honey glaze is simply a suggestion for flavoring your salmon. If you don’t want a spicy dish or just want to keep it simple, you can instead coat the salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When serving, garnish with lemon slices and parsley, or other fresh herbs.
- You can use pre-cut salmon filets, as shown in our photos, or a whole side of salmon if you’re feeding a family. We’ve prepared this foil pack salmon both ways, with the same process and cooking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Keep Salmon From Drying Out In The Oven?
Baking salmon in foil is the easiest way to ensure that your salmon stays moist and juicy while cooking. We do uncover ours for the last few minutes to get a slightly crispy crust on top of the salmon.
Another way to keep your salmon from getting too dry is to choose a fatty cut of salmon. Think of it like marbling in steak, the fat cooks off and helps keep the protein juicy while cooking. Look for salmon filets with plenty of white between the orange flesh. It doesn’t even have to be the most expensive salmon! Farm-raised is often nice and fatty and stays juicy.
How Do You Know When Salmon Is Done?
While the FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for most seafood, this is going to give you salmon that is very well done (firm and dry). However, most chefs (and our family) prefer to cook their salmon just to medium doneness. This is about 130-135°F and your salmon will flake apart easily with a fork.
If you like medium salmon, then this oven baked salmon is going to be just the way you like it, no thermometer needed! If you like your salmon a little more well done, you may want to cook for a few extra minutes, but that’s entirely up to you! I recommend trying your salmon medium (following our recipe directions) and see what you think, before you decide to cook longer.
How Long Does Salmon Stay Good In The Fridge?
Uncooked raw salmon will stay good for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. You’ll want to freeze your fresh salmon filets if you’re not able to cook them within that time frame.
Leftovers can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To reheat your leftover salmon, you can use the microwave or the oven. To reheat in the oven, place your salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet and put it in the oven while you preheat to 350°F. When the oven reaches temperature, your salmon should be warmed through.
Can You Eat Salmon Skin?
Yes, salmon skin is edible! However, I personally only like salmon skin when it’s fried until crispy. When I bake salmon (like in this recipe), I usually save the salmon skin for the dog and cat.
That being said, you want to leave the skin ON during cooking because it helps keep the salmon filet together and provides a layer of protection from overcooking on the bottom.
More Easy Salmon Recipes To Try:
- How to Cook Salmon on the Stovetop
- Wasabi Salmon Bowl with Sushi Rice
- Walnut Crusted Salmon
- Maple Glazed Salmon
- Shrimp and Salmon Pasta with Lemon Broth
Baked Salmon Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
If you tried this recipe and loved it too, please rate it!
Baked Salmon in Foil (Foolproof Recipe)
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Foil
- Small bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- 1-2 lbs Salmon
- Vegetables we used carrots, red/orange bell pepper, and green beans
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Honey Sriracha Glaze:
- 2 TB sriracha chili sauce
- 4 TB hoisin sauce
- 2 TB honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet completely with aluminum foil. Place salmon fillet in the middle of the foil and surround with vegetables.
- Paint salmon fillet with Honey Sriracha Glaze, or sauce of your choosing. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, as much or little as you prefer.
- Fold sides of foil up and over the top of the salmon. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
- Remove top piece of foil so most of the top of the salmon is exposed. Finish in broiler for 5-7 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: This post was originally created as a part of a sponsored campaign for Whole Foods. It has since been updated with new photos and recipe tips.
I’ve tried a LOT of salmon, but what you get at Whole Foods Market is a cut above the rest. It’s rich and buttery and super clean. This was one of the best pieces of salmon I’ve ever had in my life…no exaggeration!
For more about seafood sustainability, recipe ideas, and the latest specials, visit Whole Foods Market here.
Pin our Easy Baked Salmon Recipe on Pinterest:
You might also like:
Foil Packet Cajun Shrimp and Sausage
- Cowboy Caviar - March 24, 2023
- Bunny Bait - March 22, 2023
- 20 Thrifty Kitchen Hacks - March 21, 2023
DNN says
You know that picture alone of that deliciously looking Salmon could virtually get thousands of likes cross many social platforms. I just had the blurt that out, because it just looks so good to me. I have to admit I flopped many times when I tried to grill fresh Salmon in the backyard with a little bit of either oil or cooking spray on the aluminum foil with poked holes in the aluminum foil grilling the Salmon, as pieces of meat kept breaking apart. I so called myself trying to be cute at the time. Unfortunately, my backyard cooking skills didn’t cut the mustard in making my Salmon look as good as yours. 🙂