How Long to Bake Salmon

Bake a 1-inch salmon fillet at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes easily and reads 145°F in the thickest part. At 350°F, plan on 16 to 20 minutes.

How Long to Bake Salmon by Oven Temperature

Oven temperature changes the time more than anything except thickness. For a typical 1-inch fillet of about 6 ounces, baked uncovered on a sheet pan, these ranges get you to done. Start checking at the low end of each range, because fillets vary and ovens run hot or cool.

Oven temperature	Bake time (1-inch fillet)	Best for
350°F (177°C)	16–20 min	Gentle, even cooking; sauced or glazed fillets
375°F (191°C)	14–18 min	A middle ground with light browning
400°F (204°C)	12–15 min	The everyday default for weeknight fillets
425°F (218°C)	10–13 min	Faster cooking and more browning on top

A long-standing rule of thumb from extension services is 10 minutes per inch of thickness at 450°F (232°C), measured at the thickest point. It lines up well with the hotter end of this table and is a handy check when your fillet is thicker or thinner than 1 inch.

How Long to Bake Salmon at 400°F

At 400°F (204°C), a 1-inch fillet takes 12 to 15 minutes. This is the temperature most home cooks reach for because it is hot enough to set the surface and render a little fat without drying the edges before the center cooks. Individual 6-ounce portions usually land at 12 to 14 minutes, while a thicker center-cut piece can run to 15 or 16.

Thickness sets the clock. Measure the fillet at its thickest point with a ruler, then use the times below as a starting point at 400°F.

How Long to Bake Salmon at 350°F

At 350°F (177°C), a 1-inch fillet takes 16 to 20 minutes. The lower heat is forgiving: the gap between just done and overcooked is wider, which helps when you are cooking several fillets of uneven size or using a sugary glaze that could scorch at higher heat. The trade-off is less browning on top.

For thicker pieces at 350°F, add roughly 4 to 6 minutes for every extra ½ inch of thickness. A whole side baked at this temperature typically needs 20 to 25 minutes.

Skin-On vs Skinless Salmon

Skin-on and skinless fillets of the same thickness bake in about the same time, within a minute or two. Place skin-on fillets skin side down on the pan. The skin acts as a buffer between the hot metal and the flesh, so the bottom of the fish stays moist, and the cooked flesh lifts away from the skin easily if you prefer not to eat it.

Skinless fillets cook slightly more evenly from all sides but can stick to a bare pan. A sheet of parchment or a light coat of oil solves that. Neither type needs flipping in the oven unless a piece is unusually thick.

How Long to Bake a Whole Side of Salmon

A whole side of salmon, usually 1½ to 3 pounds, bakes at 400°F (204°C) in about 15 to 20 minutes. That may seem fast for so much fish, but a side is long rather than thick: the center is often only 1 to 1½ inches deep, and the thin tail end cooks first.

Because a side has a thick end and a thin end, the tail will be firmer than the center when the thickest part is done. Tucking the thin tail under itself evens out the thickness. Check the temperature at the thickest part near the head end, not in the middle. Sides heavier than about 2½ pounds can need 20 to 25 minutes.

How Long to Bake Salmon in Foil

Salmon sealed in a foil packet takes about 5 minutes longer than uncovered fish, so plan on 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F (204°C) for a 1-inch fillet. Extension guidance for fish cooked in foil or in sauce follows the same rule: add 5 minutes to the usual time.

Foil traps steam, so the fish cooks partly by moist heat. It stays tender and picks up flavor from anything sealed inside, such as lemon, herbs, butter or thinly sliced vegetables, but the surface will not brown. Open the packet carefully, away from your face, because the steam is hot. If you want some color, open the foil for the last 3 to 5 minutes.

How Long to Bake Frozen Salmon

Frozen salmon can go straight into the oven. Plan on roughly double the thawed time, or about 20 minutes per inch of thickness, according to extension guidance. A widely used method from the Alaska seafood industry calls for a hotter oven to drive off surface ice quickly:

1. Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or coat it with oil.
2. Rinse off the ice glaze. Run the frozen fillet under cold water to remove the frost, then pat it dry.
3. Oil and start the bake. Brush both sides with a high-heat oil and bake for 4 minutes.
4. Season and finish. Add salt and seasonings, then bake another 10 to 13 minutes, until the center is opaque and flakes.

Seasoning sticks better once the surface has thawed, which is why it goes on after the first few minutes. A frozen whole side takes much longer, roughly 30 to 40 minutes at 400°F. If you would rather bake from thawed, move the salmon to the refrigerator 12 to 24 hours ahead.

What Temperature Should Baked Salmon Reach?

USDA and FoodSafety.gov list 145°F (63°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for fish, measured at the thickest part. As an alternative check, they say fish is done when the flesh is no longer translucent and separates easily with a fork.

Many cooks choose to pull salmon earlier, at about 125°F to 135°F (52°C to 57°C), because they prefer a softer, more translucent center. Salmon can feel dry and chalky well above 140°F. That is a texture choice, and the USDA figure remains the safety guideline. Either way, the temperature climbs a few more degrees as the fish rests on the hot pan.

How to Tell When Baked Salmon Is Done

An instant-read thermometer is the most reliable test: insert it sideways into the thickest part of the fillet and look for 145°F (63°C). Without one, these visual signs work well.

• The flesh has turned from glossy, translucent orange to opaque pink.
• A fork pressed into the thickest part separates the flesh into flakes with little resistance.
• White beads of albumin are starting to appear on the surface. A lot of white means the fish is approaching overcooked.

Check a minute or two before the end of the expected time. Salmon goes from moist to dry quickly, and you can always return it to the oven for another 2 minutes.

Step-by-Step: How to Bake Salmon Fillets

This method works for 1 to 6 fillets at 400°F (204°C) and takes about 20 minutes start to finish.

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Set a rack in the middle and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
2. Dry and season the fish. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels, brush with oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Space the fillets. Lay them skin side down with a little room between pieces so hot air can circulate.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Start checking at 12 minutes for 1-inch fillets, sooner for thinner pieces.
5. Check and rest. Confirm the thickest part reads 145°F or flakes easily, then let the fish sit for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Common Mistakes When Baking Salmon

Most dry baked salmon comes down to time and heat rather than the recipe. Going by the clock alone is the biggest one: a ½-inch fillet and a 1½-inch fillet can differ by more than 10 minutes at the same temperature. Crowding the pan is another, since fillets packed edge to edge steam rather than roast and cook unevenly. Skipping the drying step leaves surface moisture that keeps oil and seasoning from sticking. Finally, sweet glazes made with honey or maple can burn at 425°F (218°C), so either bake glazed salmon at 350°F to 375°F or brush the glaze on during the last few minutes.

How Long Does Baked Salmon Last?

Cooked salmon keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the air temperature is above 90°F (32°C). For longer storage, cooked fish can be frozen for about 4 to 6 months, though texture is best when eaten sooner.

Leftover salmon is good cold, flaked into salads, pasta or rice bowls. If you reheat it, a covered dish in a 275°F (135°C) oven warms it gently and helps keep it from drying out; heat until it reaches 165°F.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions that come up most often about baking salmon.

Should I cover salmon when baking it?

No need for uncovered fillets at 375°F to 425°F; leaving them uncovered helps the top brown. Cover or wrap salmon in foil when you want a softer, steamed texture, and add about 5 minutes to the bake time.

How long does it take to cook salmon in the oven at 425°F?

A 1-inch fillet takes about 10 to 13 minutes at 425°F (218°C). Thin fillets around ½ inch can be done in 6 to 8 minutes, so check early.

Do I need to flip salmon in the oven?

No. Baking cooks the fillet from all sides at once, so it can stay skin side down the whole time. Only very thick pieces, around 1½ inches or more, benefit from a flip, and only if you want even browning.

Is it better to bake salmon at 350°F or 400°F?

Both work. 400°F (204°C) is faster, at 12 to 15 minutes for a 1-inch fillet, with a little more browning. 350°F (177°C) takes 16 to 20 minutes and is more forgiving, which suits glazed salmon or fillets of uneven size.

Why does white stuff come out of salmon when it bakes?

That is albumin, a protein in the fish that pushes to the surface as the muscle fibers firm up. It is safe to eat. A lot of it usually means the salmon cooked hot or long; a lower oven temperature or pulling the fish a minute or two sooner reduces it.

Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service; FoodSafety.gov; Clemson Cooperative Extension; University of Minnesota Extension; Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.