Baked Salmon Lemon Pepper (Printable Version)
Flavorful baked salmon featuring zesty lemon pepper seasoning.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on or skinless
→ Seasonings
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
04 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Citrus
06 - 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
→ Garnish
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How-To:
01 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Brush each fillet evenly with olive oil.
04 - Sprinkle the lemon pepper seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper evenly over the fillets.
05 - Top each fillet with 1–2 lemon slices.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is just opaque in the center.
07 - Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with extra lemon wedges, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The whole dish comes together in less time than it takes to boil pasta, but tastes like you actually tried.
- Salmon practically cooks itself once you get it in the oven, so there's zero babysitting required.
- That lemon pepper combination is bright and punchy without ever tasting heavy or overdone.
02 -
- The skin-on side should face down on the pan so it renders into something almost crispy, which protects the delicate flesh above.
- The moment you see the salmon turn from translucent to opaque in the thickest part, it's done—another two minutes and the texture flattens.
03 -
- If you catch yourself with a few extra minutes before dinner, brush the salmon with oil and seasoning, then let it sit in the fridge for 15 minutes—the flavors settle in deeper.
- Buy salmon from a fishmonger if you can, not the grocery store case; the quality difference is real and worth the small effort.