Name: Garlic-Herb Baked Salmon in Foil
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb salmon (about 4 salmon fillets*); 2 tablespoons butter (melted); 1 lemon (zested & juiced); 4-5 garlic cloves (minced); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (1 tablespoon dried)

Recipe

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A simple recipe for baked salmon in foil that yields perfectly tender, flaky salmon coated with delicious garlic-herb sauce.

When I want an easy, low-mess dinner that tastes like you put in way more effort, this foil-baked salmon delivers every time.

Salmon Baked in Foil

When I'm driving home late from work and think about the salmon in the fridge that needs to be cooked for dinner, baking the salmon in foil is the first recipe that comes to mind (hello, easy cleanup).

This leads to sending a text in our family chat requesting "someone, please, preheat the oven." Most nights, I use the buttery garlic & herb sauce in the recipe below (because it's delicious), but other times, I keep it simple and just sprinkle my famous salmon seasoning, and it's good to go (like so good).

Ingredients

Salmon fillets are the main attraction here, available with the skin on or skinless (both options work). Melted butter is mixed with lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, and a combination of salt and pepper for seasoning. If you have fresh parsley, great; if not, dried parsley also works.

garlic-herb sauce in a bowl with raw salmon in foil

How to Bake Salmon in Foil

Making this recipe is super simple, which is why it's going to become a go-to for you as well.

Preheating the oven first is essential. Then, cut a large piece of aluminum foil, bigger than the baking sheet, so you have enough foil to wrap it all up.
Get the salmon ready by placing it, skin-side-down (if yours has skin), in the middle of the large piece of foil. Then, combine the buttery herb sauce ingredients in a bowl, and pour it over the salmon fillets. Close the foil onto itself to wrap the salmon inside.
Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Then let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How easy was that? Check out this quick recipe video with extra tips for baking salmon in foil perfectly every time:

Oven-Baked Salmon With Skin On or Off?

Salmon, with or without skin, is a matter of personal preference and availability, depending on where we shop. You'll always bake it with the skin on and at the bottom (skin-side-down). After it's cooked, the salmon separates easily from the skin, so don't worry, it practically removes itself.

One Whole Piece or Fillets

A whole piece of salmon will take about 5 minutes longer to cook than individually cut fillets but both can be baked in the oven in foil.

How Long to Bake Salmon in Foil

The foil traps the heat and bakes the salmon from the inside, locking its moisture and cooking it to perfection at 400F in just 15 minutes. According to the FDA, salmon is done when the internal temperature reaches 145F.

What Else You Can Bake in Foil with Salmon

Since salmon cooks fast, you'll want to roast smaller, more tender veggies in the rack below, like roasted lemon garlic asparagus, some simple broccoli florets, or mixed frozen vegetables.

Garlic-Herb Baked Salmon in Foil

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

A simple recipe for baked salmon in foil that yields perfectly tender, flaky salmon coated with delicious garlic-herb sauce.

5 from 83 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

1 lb salmon, about 4 salmon fillets*
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lemon, zested & juiced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon dried

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Cut a piece of aluminum foil slightly bigger than the baking sheet. You'll need to be able to fold it over and wrap the salmon with it. Place the salmon fillets in the middle of the baking sheet.

Season:

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Pour the buttery-herb mixture over the top of the salmon. Then, fold the foil in from the sides, closing the salmon inside. Like a foil packet.

Bake:

Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. When baking a whole piece of salmon, the baking time will be approximately 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully open the foil packet, and check that the temperature in the middle part reads 145F on a thermometer; or poke it with a fork and notice that the salmon flakes off easily, it's no longer wet-pink looking. Let the salmon rest in the foil for 5 minutes and serve.

Notes

If cooking a whole piece of salmon vs fillets, expect the cooking time to increase by about 5 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the middle area of the salmon is no longer wet-pink, and the internal temperature is 145F.