Want to impress every single person in your life? Make them our easy, foolproof Slow Baked Salmon. It’s seriously that good. We’re talkin’ melt-in-your-mouth, just like at the very best restaurants. Here’s why we love it so much:
- Easy clean up! Use parchment paper or aluminum foil and there is literally no mess left behind.
- Delicate, subtle flavor! The compound butter is made from a mix of shallots, lemon zest, and fresh herbs, which slowly melts into the salmon as it bakes. If we had to describe it in one word: luxurious!
- When you bake salmon low and slow, it becomes impossibly tender and flaky. It’ll feel like the salmon is melting in your mouth! Gentle cooking is the way to go here
If you don’t like salmon, try the same slow baked recipe, but with arctic char. It’ll cook a tiny bit quicker (it’s a thinner fish), but will yield a similar result.
Love salmon as much as we do? Try our Sheet Pan Salmon or Make-Ahead Salmon Rillettes next. Or check out all our easy seafood recipes! Whatever you’re craving, we’ve got dinner covered.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh salmon: We like to make a whole side of salmon, but you can use individual fillets as well. Skin on or off, it’s your choice! This is Atlantic salmon, though you can check out our salmon guide for more information on the different species.
- Herb shallot compound butter: You’ll need 1 stick unsalted butter, minced shallot, lemon zest, fresh chives, dill, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Capers: These are added at the end, just before serving. Capers add a salty, briny bite and a bit of acidity to cut through the richness of the salmon and the compound butter.
- Lemon wedges, for serving: Because seafood always benefits from a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
What is compound butter anyway? It’s simply a mix of butter and other ingredients. It’s used to enhance the flavor in another dish (steak, salmon, etc.). Here, the herb shallot butter slowly melts into the fish and infuses it as it bakes. It has a delicate flavor that pairs beautifully with salmon.
For a similar recipe, be sure to check out our Slow Baked Steelhead Trout!
How To Slow Bake Salmon
There are exactly 2 steps to mastering slow baked salmon. The first is: season the salmon. This can either be straight up Kosher salt and black pepper or a fun seasoning blend. We recommend taking 5 minutes and making our herb compound butter, which gets spread lovingly on top of the fresh salmon. If you want, though, you can skip this entirely, season the salmon simply, and then move onto step 2.
Bake the salmon: no matter what you top it with, the idea is to bake the salmon at a low temperature for a longer period of time. With an oven preheated to 275F, it takes about 20-25 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 120F.
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
How To Serve
Consider pairing this with crispy roasted potatoes or white rice and your favorite roasted vegetables. A few of our most beloved side dishes are roasted broccolini (my family’s personal favorite side dish), crispy roasted brussels sprouts, and Sicilian cauliflower.
If you prefer to serve this over something creamy, try our Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Parsnip Purée (we love this in the fall and winter!).
For a quick side salad, consider trying our light, easy arugula salad. It can be on the table in just 5 minutes!
While no sauce is necessary, sometimes we like to serve this with a drizzle of our aioli recipe — it’s the perfect sauce for seafood!
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
Slow baked salmon is a dream come true for busy weeknights!
- Make-ahead: Leave a stick of butter out on the counter in the morning, then spend 5 minutes prepping the remaining compound butter ingredients. When you get off of work, simply combine in a bowl to make the simple herb shallot butter. If preferred, you can mix everything together a few days in advance, then refrigerate until needed. When ready, place on salmon and bake.
- Leftovers: Allow salmon to cool completely, then place in an airtight container and transfer to a refrigerator. Use within 3 days. Remember, seafood has a shorter shelf life than other proteins.
- Freeze: You can, of course, freeze cooked salmon, but we really like the texture of slow baked salmon when it’s fresh. If freezing, place in an airtight container and use within 2 months. Thaw overnight in a fridge before reheating.
FAQs
The difference is in the temperature. Slow baking refers to cooking under 400F, while slow roasting refers to temperatures above 400F.
Albumin is a protein that exists in salmon in liquid form when it’s raw. When salmon cooks, the flesh contracts, pushing out albumin to the surface. There, it turns white and thickens. It is safe to eat, but it may not look very appealing.
That’s completely personal preference. In the instance of slow baking, the skin doesn’t crisp up, so you’re not missing out on much if you decide to remove it.
Be sure to line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil that’s been coated with oil or nonstick cooking spray.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the fish! Remove salmon from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120F, as the temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
- Use high-quality salmon! This makes a big difference in the taste. Look for salmon that has a bright color. Here, we’ve used wild Alaskan salmon, which has a bright red color.
- Season the salmon well. Don’t skip the Kosher salt and black pepper!
- Use fresh herbs. There’s a time and a place for dried herbs, but if you can, use fresh dill and chives. They add a light, delicate flavor that we just love.
I’m not one to make promises, but… I guarantee that you’ll make this again and again. A weeknight staple the entire family will adore!
If you make this Weeknight Slow Baked Salmon, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Other salmon recipes to try next!
20-Minute Honey Garlic Salmon 25-Minute Pesto Salmon (with any type of pesto!) Creamy Baked Salmon Florentine (Gluten-Free) Cucumber Slices with Salmon & Yogurt Sauce How To Make Pan-Seared Salmon Piccata
Tender, Slow Baked Salmon with Compound Butter
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3½ lb salmon or arctic char, skin-in or off
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large shallot minced
- 2 Tbsp chives thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp dill finely chopped
- 2 tsp lemon zest from 1 lemon, then cut lemon into wedges
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp capers drained
Instructions
- Prep the salmon. Preheat oven to 275F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat salmon or arctic char dry with a paper towel, then place on the baking sheet.
- Make the herb shallot butter. In a small bowl, combine 1 stick butter, chopped shallot, 2 Tbsp chives, 2 Tbsp dill, 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Mix well, then spread evenly on top of the fish.
- Cook the salmon. Bake until barely cooked through, about 20-25 minutes (time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish — pull salmon out when it registers 120F in the center). Top with capers, then serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Tip: Leave the butter out in the morning so it’s room temperature when you assemble dinner in the evening.
- Make-ahead: Leave a stick of butter out on the counter in the morning, then spend 5 minutes prepping the remaining compound butter ingredients. When you get off of work, simply combine in a bowl to make the simple herb shallot butter. If preferred, you can mix everything together a few days in advance, then refrigerate until needed. When ready, place on salmon and bake.
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This recipe is the perfect weeknight meal. It’s moist, flavorful, delicious and takes no time to throw together. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out. Makes a delicious leftover to top on salad… if you have any leftovers. Thank you ari for this delicious recipe.
Making me so happy over here – thank you, Lena! xo
It is such a great recipe. Easy to make and SO GOOD. The salmon is so flavorful and will melt in your mouth. I made it twice, my whole family loved it. Thank you Ari for a great recipe.
literally the best! I’m so glad your family enjoyed this — one of our favorites!
Love this recipe and can’t wait to make it again! Xo
thank you, thank you!
So easy and delicious!
the easiest and most impressive weeknight meal!
So simple but sooo delicious! Feels like a weekend meal but fast enough for any day of the week. Sometimes we switch up the herbs based on what we have and it always turns out so tasty! Thanks for the recipe Ari!
LOVE THIS, thank you, Kyra!!
Coming from someone who doesn’t like fish recipes this recipe is so easy and delicious!!!
How did I not know you don’t like fish?!? This one is for the books!
This recipe deserves STARS STARS STARS and more STARS, did I mention Stars? Yes caps lock I am shouting it’s that good. Approved by not only myself but the entire family. I did tweak it just a little by adding some homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning in the mix (heavenly) but nothing beats the original recipe.
I swear we will be making this years to come! Thank you!
I still need to try this with jerk seasoning, I think that is GENIUS! Thanks so much for sharing the love with your family! xo
I made this salmon for dinner, Wow! Fantastic! I will be making it again for sure. I new it had to be good since you’re three little ones like it. Thank you for sharing. ????
This makes me SO HAPPY!!! Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!
Turned out bomb!
Thanks!
LOVE hearing this! Seriously one of our weeknight staples. So glad you enjoyed!
I love, love, love this recipe. I make it often. I think I might make it the star of my Passover seder this year. (Many in my family are off meat —the old folks for cholesterol reasons and the young folks for environmental reasons. )
I am so, SO happy to hear this! It’s a total crowd pleaser, and even people who THINK they don’t like salmon end up loving this one. Honored to have some small presence on your Passover seder menu!!! xo, Ari
Life-changingly good were the first words out of my hubbys mouth and I couldn’t agree more! This is perfectly moist and succulent and I’m not sure I’ll ever want salmon another way. Simple enough for a weeknight but incredibly delicious and fancy enough for a dinner party. This ticks all the boxes. I couldn’t get the stars to work but please go ahead and add 5 STARS if you can to this review. Thanks for a great recipe.
Marie, this makes me SO HAPPY to hear!!! You’re right — this salmon is perfect on a weeknight or for entertaining (as we often do). Thanks so much for leaving the note about the stars. It seems to be working on my desktop and mobile (from the comment form, not the recipe card), wish I could figure out why it wasn’t working on your end – ugh! xo, Ari
OMG 5 stars for this recipe! I went from not knowing what I was having for dinner to this magnificent dish on my table 30 mins later! Loved the flavor combo here, doesn’t get better than butter, capers, and lemons. Gonna make this over and over!! Love this recipe Ari!
HELL YES to butter, capers, and lemon!!! So so so glad you loved this one, it’s absolutely a family fav in our house! xo, Ari
I made this dish the other day and fed all the roommates. Everyone loved it and went for seconds. Thank you for such a simple and delicious recipe!
Thanks for the feedback, Jane! Yes, this is the best simple weeknight meal. Quick prep time always wins! I’m so glad you were able to share it with friends! xo, Ari
Amazing! So easy and super delicious. The squeeze of lemon before eating is a must – it really elevated it to the next level (unless you’re my 5 year old, who asked for lemon and then said it was “too sour”. . .)
That’s how I feel about the capers — can’t live without them!! And so funny about Milo and the lemon. Colin is OBSESSED with lemons and has to have them to squeeze on top of salmon when we eat it lol!
Very yummy recipe! Ari doesn’t mention a difference (that I see, but I may be wrong) between skin on and skin off salmon. I only had skin off but want to try again sometime with skin on! I also used bleu cheese stuffed olives because I didn’t have capers. Tasted great!
Hi Victoria! Thanks for the note — I’ll go back and add to the instructions that we use SKIN ON, but there’s no issue at all to use skin off. It doesn’t change the cook time, and it’s purely a matter of preference whether you want to eat the salmon skin. Definitely try it again with capers, I think they make the dish! xo, Ari
So delicious, tasty, and easy! I tweaked the baking temp and length but this is my favorite salmon recipe I’ve found so far. Will be my new go to for salmon!! Love your feed and recipes!
LOVE hearing this!! It is so easy to make and we love the delicate flavor and texture. I’m thrilled this has become a favorite of yours as well!! xo, Ari
This salmon was pure perfection! My wife and I will definitely be including this recipe in our weekly rotation.
Yesssss, it is so, so flavorful! Beyond thrilled you enjoy it as much as we do! xo, Ari
LOVE this recipe!! Even my mom (who generally refuses to eat salmon) and husband (who is skeptical of seafood at best) both tried it and loved it! Super easy, so good. It’s perfect for both your normal weeknight meal and if you’re looking to impress, so you can’t go wrong with this!
Morgan, I am SO HAPPY to hear this!! It honestly is a ridiculously easy salmon dish to make, and yes, it tastes so luxurious! Always an impressive recipe! xo, Ari
This was so incredibly easy and the salmon came out perfectly cooked! I loaded up on the capers because we love them in our house. Everyone including my 5 year old gobbled it up.
We ADORE capers too! The brinier, the better! Your 5 year old is amazing! xo, Ari
Can’t wait to try this technique! One question, I’m not a big fan of chives. Is there another herb you could recommend that would also work? (not a fan of dill either 🙂 )
Hi Tracy! It’s SO easy — a perfect weeknight dinner! I would try subbing out those herbs for something like tarragon or chervil. They’re both a little different, but would work beautifully with the salmon. If those don’t appeal to you either, go with basil and parsley! xo, Ari
I love to cook and try new and exciting recipes, but my fiancé is the kind who finds a favorite recipe or way to cook a protein and wants to stick with it. Because of this I’m always cautious when I take a favorite of his (in this case salmon) and try something new, but this recipe exceeded all expectations for both of us!!! After the first bite he was asking where I learned to make salmon so flavorful and delicious! I think this is our new “go-to” salmon recipe! Cannot recommend this recipe enough! Thank you, Ari!!
Lindsey, this is amazing! I get it, trying new preparations can be stress-inducing. I’m so glad this worked out. Isn’t the salmon completely luscious?! Thanks so much! xo, Ari
Should I use fresh or dried herbs for the butter?
Fresh herbs! Will taste quite different with dried herbs (so if you ever do that, cut back on the quantity of each by at least half). If you are concerned about having extra fresh herbs around, you can always make another batch of the compound butter and then freeze it for the next time you make the dish! xo, Ari
This salmon is so flavorful and easy to make! It is going to be in my family’s weeknight rotation for sure! The salmon is perfectly cooked and so delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!
Thanks, Caitlin!! We love it too, so easy and quick, but has the best flavor! xo, Ari
This was delicious. I didn’t have capers so I added a little crumbled goat cheese on top before serving and it was a hit. I also didn’t have quite enough time to bake it at 275 so I raised the temp to 325 and cooked for about 18-20 minutes and it was still very very moist. My butter was frozen so I microwaved it for about 30 seconds and then added everything as suggested and consistency was good. Great easy recipe.Thank you!
Love that you adapted it to work for you! Agree, such a moist salmon recipe! xo, Ari
Holy Jesus, was that good. Never had capers before, what an amazing touch. Wife is raving about this!! I’m a total fan of low and slow salmon!!
Right?! It is so simple, but super luxurious. Thanks for the feedback! xo, Ari
Truly the most delicious salmon recipe I’ve ever made! And this review is coming from someone who is NOT a cook and can barely navigate my way around a kitchen. When I want to impress (kids included!), this is my go-to salmon recipe, perfect for lunch, dinner, brunch, “make-ahead and bake while you’re welcoming guests!” Great for non-salmon lovers (yes, that’s what guests tell me A-L-L O-F the T-I-M-E!). You will be so pleased you tried it. Thanks, Ari!
Thank you, thank you!! A total crowd pleaser all around! xo, Ari