Slow Roasted Salmon

This slow-roasted salmon recipe is moist, flavorful, and easy to make. It’s a quick and delicious meal that’s perfect for weeknights but also celebratory enough for special occasions. It uses mostly pantry ingredients, and it’s ready in just 35 minutes!

salmon baked low and slow on a baking sheet - 1

Whether for weeknights or special occasions, we all need quick-win recipes like this one. This juicy, slow-roasted salmon comes together easily with a few ingredients: a bit of olive oil, the perfect mix of seasonings, some salt, and fresh dill.

We like to bake salmon low and slow like this because it retains more of its moisture and oils, resulting in that melt-in-your-mouth texture. It takes a little bit more time, but it’s well worth it. Serve it up family-style for a casually elegant dish that pairs well with any vegetable, salad, or pasta dish. And don’t forget about a glass of wine, like a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, for a well-rounded dinner!

Ingredients you’ll need

The list of ingredients might be small, but this slow-roasted salmon dishes up big flavor. It’s made with mostly pantry ingredients, which keeps things simple, too. Here’s everything you’ll need:

Salmon – fresh, wild-caught salmon is best. Or you could also use steelhead trout.
Seasonings – chili powder and smoked paprika for mild smoky spice, and Italian seasoning for a rounded blend of herbs.
Sea salt – enhances all the other flavors.
Olive oil – for coating the fish, helping the spices to stick, and keeping things moist.
Dill – fresh minced dill for its slightly citrus taste.

slow roasted salmon hot out of the oven - 2

a close up of a spatula picking up a pice of slow roasted salmon - 3

Should I remove the salmon skin?

Removing the salmon’s skin is optional, but we like to do so when slow-roasting. With all the moisture, the skin never has a chance to crisp up, so it ends up gummy and unappetizing.

We prefer to remove the skin before because we find it’s easier, but you could do it after as well, and just discard it. To remove the skin, use a sharp knife with a blade that is longer than the width of the salmon filet, and cut at a downward angle as close to the skin as possible.

See my How to Remove Salmon Skin post for detailed, step-by-step instructions.

Serving suggestions

This is a versatile salmon recipe that we make often. It’s perfect for weeknights, but we also love serving it at dinner parties and special occasions, too. Here are some ways we love to enjoy this simple salmon baked low and slow:For a heartier meal, serve it family-style with some creamy roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable side like garlic butter asparagus or garlic parmesan zucchini .

To add protein to a delicious salad like our spring mix salad or crispy kale salad with roasted beets .
With some simple roasted root vegetables and pears .
Tucked into some warm tortillas with shredded cabbage, and drizzled with our shrimp taco sauce .
With a bowl of pasta smothered in our dreamy cauliflower alfredo sauce .
Top it with different fresh herbs you have on hand like mint, chives, cilantro, thyme, or rosemary.

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