How to Cook Salmon

If you know how to cook salmon, you’re minutes away from a delicious fish dinner! Salmon has a wonderfully mild flavor that pairs well with many sauces and toppings.

You can serve it to picky kids or even adults who aren’t big fans of fish. Plus, it’s filling enough to satisfy the hungriest appetites.

You can cook salmon in the oven, broiler, on the grill or in a pan on the stove. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can You Eat Raw Salmon?

There is a risk of developing infection or getting parasites from eating raw fish. Federal guidelines state raw fish must be frozen at a certain temperature for a specified period to kill off any parasites before it can be eaten.

If you want to eat raw salmon, look for sushi-grade salmon, called “sashimi.” It’s been frozen at minus 40°Celsius.

Remove Any Salmon Bones Before Cooking

Before cooking, rinse the salmon and feel for any bones to remove. If you find any, you can remove them with tweezers or your fingers.

How to Know When Salmon is Done

The key is to cook the salmon just until it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque inside. You want tender, moist salmon, not tough or dry.

If you have an instant-read thermometer, insert it in the thickest part of the fish after cooking it. The salmon is done when it reaches 145°F.

How to Cook Salmon in the Oven

Baking salmon in the oven is this editor’s favorite method. Try it with this Mediterranean Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner.

Grease a baking dish or foil-lined sheet pan. Place the salmon, skin side down, on your pan.

Add seasonings and top it with oil, butter or mayo. Add any other toppings or sauces.

Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes if your salmon is more than an inch thick. If using wild salmon, which is thinner than farm-raised, check for doneness after 10 minutes.

How to Broil Salmon

Broiling salmon gives it a flavorful crust. Season the salmon and place it on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet.

Broil on low for five minutes. Then flip the salmon over and broil for up to five minutes, just until it’s cooked through.

You can use this method to make Spicy Sesame Salmon Avocado Bowls.

How to Grill Salmon

A great way to make grilled salmon is to wrap the fish in foil first to prevent it from sticking to the grill. Heat the grill to medium high and place the wrapped salmon on the rack. Grill each side for 10-15 minutes, until done.

Grilling salmon on soaked cedar planks provides a delicious and wonderful smoked flavor with relatively little work. The key is soaking the plank for at least 2 hours before placing it on the grill.

How to Cook Salmon in a Pan

To cook salmon in a pan on the stove, you can sauté or poach it.

To sauté salmon, cook it skin-side down in some melted butter over medium-high heat for two minutes. Flip the fish over, cover the pan with a lid and cook the salmon for three minutes.

Remove the skin, then flip the salmon again and cook it for another minute or more, uncovered, until the salmon is done. Use this method with Sriracha Glazed Salmon.

To poach salmon, place it in a pan and cover it with water. Add salt and any herbs, then cover the pan and let the water come to a simmer.

When the water is simmering, turn off the heat. Cover the pan and let the salmon sit for 20-30 minutes, until done.

How to Keep Salmon Warm after Cooking

Keep cooked salmon warm for up to 30 minutes by placing it, uncovered, in an oven heated to 200°F. Cooked salmon can stay at room temperature, covered, for up to two hours. Then, it must be refrigerated.

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