Easy Baked Lemon Dijon Salmon
Easy Baked Lemon Dijon Salmon is a flavorful, healthy oven baked salmon recipe that takes only 5 minutes of prep and is on the table in 20 minutes!
Spring has arrived, albeit without the spring-y weather. It’s raining and gloomy and even my dog Kal doesn’t want to go outside.
Kal went to the back door so I went to let him out, and he took one look at the soggy wet ground and turned around and came back in.
My husband dubbed Kal a marshmallow for his aversion to getting wet, but I have to admit that I can’t blame him. 🙂
All that aside, this easy baked lemon dijon salmon has brought some brightness to my world today. The sunny yellow color of the lemon and dijon mustard combined with an explosion of flavor will do that for a person.
I’ve made this dijon salmon countless times because it requires minimal prep, making it great for busy weeknights, and I love it’s versatility.
I love serving it as a sheet pan supper as well with roasted fingerlings and vegetables like I did for this chicken dinner. If you’d like to do that, simply follow the instructions for this recipe and add the fish during the last 15 minutes or so of cooking time.
How to make this recipe
This lemon dijon salmon takes only 5 minutes of prep which I love.
- Stir your olive oil, dijon, lemon juice, garlic and thyme together and spoon half of the mixture over the salmon along with some lemon slices.
- After about 10 minutes, remove the salmon from the oven and spoon the remaining dijon mixture over the fillets and finish cooking for another 3-5 minutes.
How long to bake salmon
First, the thickness of the fish will determine how long you need to cook it. A good rule of thumb is about 10 minutes of cook time per inch, so purchasing salmon fillets that are the same thickness is ideal.
Next, the doneness of your fish will also be a factor. If you’d like your fish to be cooked to medium or still pink in the center, 10-12 minutes for a fillet that’s 1″ thick should be just right.
If you like your salmon cooked all the way through, 15 minutes or so of cooking time should be adequate.
I prefer my salmon cooked medium in order to get a nice moist fillet. When you cook it through, the salmon can dry out easily.
The salmon is done when the fat has rendered.
Recipe notes
- I love prepping the dijon sauce in advance so that all I have to do is slather it over my fillets and bake them when I’m ready. The sauce is also wonderful as a marinade for chicken!
- You can also cook this entire dish in advance and portion it into dishes with your favorite grains, rice, vegetables and salad for lunch or weeknight dinners.
- This recipe would be great on the grill as well. Check out this baked salmon in foil recipe!
What to serve with baked salmon
More salmon recipes:
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Easy Baked Lemon Dijon Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb. wild salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus lemon slices for topping
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the salmon fillets on a foil or a silpat lined rimmed baking sheet and blot dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the olive oil, garlic, dijon, lemon juice and thyme in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Spoon half of the lemon dijon mixture over the salmon fillets, top with the lemon slices, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with the remaining sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the fat has rendered and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The salmon will take more or less cooking time depending on the thickness. Normally fillets that are 1" thick take about 15 minutes to cook to medium. If you’d rather your salmon be cooked through, cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
- The sauce may be made in advance or the entire dish may be cooked ahead. Portion into dishes with your favorite grains, salad or potatoes for a great meal prep option!
- This meal can easily be made into a sheet pan dinner. Simply follow the instructions for this Sheet Pan Lemon Thyme Chicken and add the salmon during the last 15 minutes of cook time.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
32 Comments on “Easy Baked Lemon Dijon Salmon”
Just the presentation alone of this salmon dish looks beyond stunning, we eat loads of salmon in my household, and this will surely be a huge hit, thanks for the easy recipe 🙂
Thank you so much Albert — I appreciate your kind words! 🙂
This looks so good! Question – is there a particular kind of fish I need to buy for it to be safe to cook to medium? I LOVE medium salmon but I’m always nervous because I don’t buy sushi-quality fish.
Hi Sarah! I always buy wild salmon that’s nice and fresh — that’s really all I ever look for!
I’m with Kal – rain is my least favourite element from the sky! I am loving the 5 minutes of prep for this salmon – perfect for those busy weeknights. Can’t wait to try – we love all of your recipes, Marcie!
Rain isn’t the most fun and it’s just pouring right now! Thanks so much Katherine and I’m so glad to hear that you’ve liked the recipes you’ve made! 🙂
Thanks Puja!
I’m hoping the spring weather makes an appearance here soon, too! This salmon looks fantastic, Marcie! My husband and I eat it often, and I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. Love the lemon dijon combo!
This morning it was pouring and now it’s beautiful…the weather is just plain nuts lately. 🙂 Thanks Gayle!
My favourite way to cook salmon is with lemon, and I always pair it with a lemon dill sauce! This salmon sounds incredibly delicious Marcie, and I love the addition of Dijon mustard. Looks perfect for spring!
Now that my dill plant died I don’t use dill enough — that would be wonderful with this!
Whelp, Kieran is going to be mad at me because I’m drooling allll over his laptop. I love salmon so this recipe calls to me. Kieran doesn’t care for salmon so I rarely make it but I have a solution. I’ll make this mouthwatering recipe for myself and bake him some chicken! Thcis looks incredible delicious!
HAHA that’s funny! You can certainly make this all for yourself…I recommend it! 🙂
Lemon and Dijon go so well with salmon. I can’t wait to try this for dinner soon!
It’s the perfect pairing! Thanks Kristine!
Oh gosh, this salmon, Marcie!! I’m in love with that lemon dijon sauce. This looks INSANELY flavorful and so perfect for easy spring dinners!
Thanks Sarah! We’re crazy about this salmon!
Giiiiiirl this salmon is CALLING MY NAME! I’m obsessed with salmon in a big way, and that lemon dijon sauce looks absolutely sultry. Need to make this ASAP!
Thank you so much Julia! 🙂
Hi Marcie, just picked up salmon today for tonight’s dinner and found your blog after surfing for a recipe. Loved it!!! Thank you so much, it was delicious and will be putting it on our menu often, next time for company.
Hi Denise! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe — it’s one of our favorites. Thanks so much for leaving me your feedback!
Delish! I have made this several times . I recently served it at a ladies luncheon…got rave reviews. They loved the sauce …flavorful t subtle/ Thank You !
Thank you for your feedback and I’m so glad you love this recipe!
Just made this today and loved it….WOW! Super easy and not overpowering. This will be a new favorite from now on. Thank you so much for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear this — thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
I have honey mustard and grey poupon coarse ground mustard. Can either be substituted for the Dijon mustard
Either would work well! I think I’d use a combination of both honestly…they would work very well together.
We eat salmon at least once a week and this is our absolute favorite recipe. It’s easy and so tasty.
Absolutely loved it! Making it again tonight! Very easy, quick and delicious. Highly recommend!!
Thanks so much for the feedback Angela and I’m glad you love this as much as we do! 🙂
Love(adore)salmon and this hit the spot.Now in my favourites book
I’m very happy to hear that! 🙂