Oven Baked Salmon In Foil is the easiest way to make tender, flavorful salmon every time. The foil packets lock in moisture and infuse the salmon with lemon and fresh dill. Baked over a bed of asparagus, it’s the perfect recipe for a quick weeknight meal!
Oh gosh, do you believe it is almost the middle of the year? I told my husband yesterday that it feels like this year has just been flying by. I guess every year we feel the same way, right?
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to eat fresh dishes as much as possible, and I’m proud to say I’m still sticking to it. This oven-baked salmon perfectly meets all my needs! Here are the reasons why:
- It is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S and so easy to make for a weeknight dinner!
- This is one of our favorite salmon dinners because it’s fast and easy. I know you’re going to love this recipe as much as we do!
- You probably have all the ingredients on hand.
- You won’t dirty a baking sheet thanks to the foil packets.
- You have a whole meal ready to go in under 30 minutes! You can prep it in as little as 10 minutes and the clean-up is even faster.
- Last, you don’t even need to make a side dish, because the asparagus is already your side dish! But you can also serve it with quinoa salad and rice.
I’ve made many versions of oven baked salmon in foil, like Spicy Salmon in Foil or Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil. No matter what, the salmon is always so tender and packed with flavor.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Salmon Fillets: I recommend wild-caught salmon for the best flavor and texture. It’s richer, less oily, and bakes beautifully. I’ve tested both pre-cut fillets and one large piece cut into portions, and both work well as long as the pieces are similar in size for even cooking.
Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil gives the salmon a light, fruity flavor that complements the lemon and herbs. I’ve also tried avocado oil and melted butter. Both great options if you prefer a milder or richer taste.
Seasonings: I usually keep it simple with dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper, but this recipe is so versatile. I’ve tested it with lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, and a spoonful of pesto. All delicious twists depending on your mood.
Asparagus: Choose stalks that are uniform in size so they cook evenly. I’ve swapped asparagus with green beans, broccoli, or zucchini before, and they all roast beautifully alongside the salmon. If you’re craving something heartier, toss in a few baby potatoes, just start roasting them a bit earlier.
Lemon: Fresh lemon slices add brightness and a little zing that balances the richness of the salmon. I always squeeze extra lemon juice on top right before serving for that fresh, clean finish.
Fresh Herbs: Dill is my favorite with salmon. It adds a delicate, refreshing note. Parsley and chives are also great options for garnish and a touch of color.
Quick Note: Instead of oven baked salmon in foil, try making this recipe on the grill. It’s the perfect recipe for summer! Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the cooking time based on the heat of your grill.
How To Make Oven Baked Salmon In Foil
- First, preheat your oven to 400°F. Then, evenly season the salmon with oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Cut two pieces of foil large enough to fit the salmon and asparagus. Arrange the asparagus spears on the foil first, then the salmon fillets. Top each one with lemon slices and a sprig of fresh dill.
- Wrap the foil over the salmon and fold the top and bottom to close it. Seasoning the salmon and assembling the foil packets.
- Place the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Once they’re done, carefully unwrap the packets. Transfer the oven-baked salmon and asparagus to a plate and enjoy!
Olivia's Recipe Tips
- Please be very careful when you open the foil packet, as the steam inside is very hot.
- You may find a bit of water in the packets. Just remove it with a spoon before serving.
- Be sure to trim the woody ends from the asparagus. You can either snap them off or line the stalks up and trim the ends with a knife.
- If you’d prefer not to use foil, parchment paper works just as well!
-
Salmon is perfectly cooked when the internal temperature reaches 110 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part. Use an instant read thermometer for accuracy.
How do I know when the salmon is fully cooked?
The best method is to use a meat thermometer and check the salmon’s internal temperature. It’s done when the salmon reaches 145°F at its thickest part. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can also test it with a fork! Fully cooked salmon easily flakes apart when you press on it.
Oven Baked Salmon in Foil Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 16 asparagus spears
- 4 slices of lemon
- 1 tsp fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a bowl, place the two pieces of salmon. Pour 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
- Cut two sheets of foil. It has to be big enough to wrap the salmon and asparagus.
- First place asparagus (about 8 spears) on the sheet of foil. Layer fillets over asparagus. Then top each with about 2 lemon slices and 1 sprig dill.
- Wrap sides of foil inward over salmon then fold on top and bottom of foil to enclose.
- Place foil packets in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. The time will depend on the thickness of your salmon and the power of your oven.
- Unwrap and using a large spatula, transfer the foil packets to plates. Serve warm.
Notes
- This recipe was adapted from Cooking Classy.
- Do not wrap the salmon too tightly as the tin foil can take off some of the salmon, making it less pretty when serving.
- There’s no need to flip the foil packs in the oven.
- To store: Put leftover salmon into an airtight glass container and keep for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Rewarm leftovers in the microwave or air fryer.
- To freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag once the salmon fillets have reached room temperature. Freeze for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
Follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #primaverakitchen. We’d love to see your recreation.
Oh my GOSH, Olivia! This salmon is seriously so stunning! Salmon in foil is one of my all-time favorite weeknight dinners so I’m all over this! Love that you threw asparagus into the mix too. This is going on my dinner menu! Pinned. 🙂
So exciting that your family is coming to visit! I hope you all have the very best time! What a perfect way to start off the summer. I love this salmon recipe! I bet this would work great on a grill too!
It is so exciting your family is coming Olivia and you’re going on a tour with them. I bet you all going to have lots of fun. Please post some pictures of the beautiful places you are going to visit. This salmon looks super yummy, it’s another recipe of yours I would love to cook for my family, especially for my daughter who is addicted to salmon!
Olivia! This salmon with asparagus looks absolutely perfect! And so easy too – love it! Hope you have such a wonderful time with your family! I always treasure the time with mine – so exciting that they’re staying for 3(!) weeks!! Have fun!
Simple, healthy and delicious…the perfect dinner.
This is so simple and easy I like this recipe, Pinned. Have a great vacation with the family.
I am all over simple, easy and delicious recipes like this one! Looks like the perfect weeknight dinner!
I pinned this as well. Everything looks so good together: salmon and asparagus, two of my favorite things…
Glad you like it 😉
So simple but SOOOO delicious. Love your eye for photography. Nicely done!
Thanks a lot 😉
I just made this for dinner and it was PERFECT. 20 minutes is exactly the right amount of time and the prep took no time. The family loved it, even my 6 year old cleaned his plate! Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear that you and your family loved this recipe. Thanks a lot for your feedback. I really appreciate it 😉
Aluminium+acid( citric acid from lemon) = TOXIC
Have you tried making tiny holes in your foil and placing a large baking sheet on the rack under this so the water doesn’t collect making it soggy. Salmon baking into “white” stuff is why I stopped baking salmon. Also 400 seems really high to me. Maybe 325-350? O
I randomly came across this recipe last night and fixed this for supper. Huny got some asparagus earlier in the day to go with a large piece of salmon I cut in half. I followed this recipe except I didn’t have any lemons so I used an orange. I used the foil but placed the packet into an iron skillet and covered that with foil. I did bake at 400 degrees but since the pieces of salmon were so large I cooked them an additional 20 minutes. Very good! I had some leftover mashed potatoes and served those as well. Fast, Easy and Good!
Hi, Teresa. I am so glad to hear that. I love this recipe too 😉
If you want to eat something healthy, try to cook your salmon in parchment paper instead of foil, since it’s toxic with lemon !
Can you wrap it in parchment paper and then foil? I couldn’t think parchment alone would create a tight enough seal to keep steam in.
Yes, you can 😉
Made this today, was so easy and so delicious! Thank you for recipe!
Great to hear that 😉
One question to you Olivia
What do you serve with the Salmon?
Best regards
Gunnar Kr.
I love to serve with quinoa salad or black beans salad or rice.
Check these links below:
Quinoa Salads: https://primaverakitchencom.bigscoots-staging.com/9-healthy-fresh-quinoa-salads/
Black Beans Salad: https://primaverakitchencom.bigscoots-staging.com/black-bean-mango-salad/
Rice: https://primaverakitchencom.bigscoots-staging.com/how-to-make-fluffy-rice/
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Looks delicious! I have one question though – the recipe says:
2 salmon fillets (It is about 4 once each)
I assume that should say 4 ounces each – to my way of thinking this recipe should feed 2 people – not 4.
A 4 ounce fillet should be a serving for 1 person. Is that correct?
Regards,
Pam R
You are totally correct. It feeds 2 people and not 4. Thanks a lot for your comment 😉
I tried this recipe tonight and it was great! I do not cook salmon very often. Are you supposed to leave the black scales on the bottom of the salmon? When I cooked it, some of the scales were cooked onto the asparagus. How would you prevent that?
Hi, Kayla
I always cook salmon with the black scales on the bottom of the salmon, but you can remove it before cooking if you desire 😉
I felt this was a little overcooked. I would cook the asparagus separately with some olive oil & parmesan cheese on the same baking sheet. I felt that the lemon did reduce the oily taste of the salmon. Make again, not sure
Is the parsley just for look or is it supposed to go in the foil before baking?
It is supposed to go in the foil after baking!