What temperature should I set my oven to for baking salmon?

a Whole Foods Market Customer
  • 168865 views
  • 8 Comments

8 Comments

abm August 12, 2014
Hi,
I usually place the fish into a pre-heated oven at 180C for 15 – 20 minutes. However, the time greatly depends on the thickness of the salmon.
I found this great post about how to cook salmon in the oven - http://magazine.siansplan.com/how-to-cook-salmon-in-the-oven/ - helped me a lot, definitely worth a read :)
 
micook July 19, 2013
I'm with the low and slow method. Jacques Pepin says 40 minutes at 200 degrees and I've found that it might need a little more if you've got a whole side. It comes out incredibly rich and moist. And for a party you can do a whole side on the plate you are going to serve it on. Doesn't get much easier.
 
Blythe M. July 18, 2013
No, in the case of Salmon, the higher temps toughen the fish and also cause an unpleasant leakage of a substance that turns white on the outside of the salmon, I'm not sure if this is melted fat or something else... Not pretty. At low temp, this does not happen, the fish stays silken though cooked through.
 
flgal May 19, 2011
I wish there was a way to edit a post, but since there isn't I must say that I was wrong with the 400 it is 375. I was baking salmon last night and realized what I had posted.
 
LucyS May 18, 2011
I'm sure all of these answers are great - I usually cook a 1-2" thick piece of salmon for about 15 minutes at 450. So I guess the answer is - any temp you want!
 
Mahrtians May 18, 2011
I am now sold on using a super low temp method, salmon lightly oiled, a bit of salt and pepper - baked at 250 for about 20 minutes, for fillets. It's from local chef Michael Schlow's book "It's About Time" and produces a silken, moist texture. Any of the normal high temp methods - broiled, grilled, etc. - produce a drier texture.
 
francesca G. May 18, 2011
This depends on how you like your salmon. Personally, I eat salmon -- assuming it's wild and sourced from an extremely reliable monger -- medium-rare (gasp) so were I to cook it in the oven, might actually broil it or sear it on the stove top and then cook it low and slow in an oven set at about 300-325. While salmon is not the most delicate of fish, I certainly wouldn't cook it on a temperature much higher than 350/180 C.
 
pierino May 18, 2011
Which cut? Whole fish, steaks fillets?? Generally I would say around 350F with the caveat that no two ovens are calibrated exactly evenly---don't trust that dial. But the thickness of the piece of fish matters.
 
Recommended by Food52