• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pinch and Swirl
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Recipes » Main Course Recipes » Fish And Seafood Recipes

    Slow Roasted Salmon

    Published: Aug 6, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 22 Comments

    Gluten FreeLow CarbPaleoMediterraneanPescatarian

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Once I discovered that Slow Roasted Salmon always comes out buttery and meltingly tender, I've never looked back. Dinner party elegant, but easy enough for a weeknight it never disappoints.

    Slow Roasted Salmon served on a white oval platter

    Brushed with olive oil and seasoned simply with salt and pepper, the salmon fillet cooks low and slow. This recipe has you drizzle the cooked salmon with a silky lemon butter sauce with capers and finish with a shower of fresh chives and parsley. But that's just one of endless options. Take the finishing touch in any direction that compliments the rest of your meal (suggestions below).

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Slow Roasted Salmon
    • Salmon Cooking FAQ
    • Recipe Options:
    • What To Do with Leftovers
    • What to Serve Alongside
    • How to Make Slow Roasted Salmon
    • Slow Roasted Salmon
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Slow Roasted Salmon

    Slow Roasted Salmon Ingredients on a white marble board
    • Salmon: Ideally a wild salmon fillet of uniform thickness. A tail cut works just fine, but the thinner areas will cook more than the thickest parts. Salmon varieties to look for: King Salmon (also called Chinook Salmon), Coho Salmon, or Sockeye Salmon.
    • Olive Oil: Your favorite extra-virgin variety.
    • Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    • Butter: Salted or unsalted butter - whatever you have on hand.
    • Capers: Ideally tiny, firm, flavorful non-pareil capers, rinsed and drained.
    • Lemon: You'll need one lemon to juice for the sauce and a second if you'd like to serve your salmon with lemon wedges.
    • Chives: Look for perky, deep green chives.
    • Parsley: Fresh flat leaf or curly parsley - use the variety you like best.
    Slow Roasted Salmon served on a white oval platter

    Salmon Cooking FAQ

    Do you cook salmon on high or low heat?

    You can cook salmon on high or low heat, depending on the texture you're looking for. You'll find recipes as low as 200˚F and as high as 500˚, or broiled salmon that, on full broil, cooks at 550˚F.

    Can you overcook salmon?

    Cooking salmon can be tricky because It's so easy to overcook, particularly when you are cooking it at a high temperature. And, like other meats, it will continue to cook from residual heat once you remove it from the heat source (oven, grill, or stovetop), so it's important to remove it before it reaches your target temperature.

    Can you eat salmon skin?

    Yes, you can eat salmon skin, but it's best when crispy. This is easiest with pan seared salmon. With slow roasted salmon, you could crisp the skin in a skillet at the end of cooking, but you run the risk of overcooking the flesh.

    How do you know when salmon is finished?

    You'll know your salmon is finished cooking when the tip of a knife meets no resistance and the flesh is slightly opaque (it will be less opaque / milky white with slow roasted salmon than salmon cooked at higher temperatures). For internal temperature, the FDA recommends 145˚F, but many chefs recommend 125˚F.

    What temperature should Salmon be cooked at?

    For slow roasted salmon, cook at 275˚F.

    How do you keep salmon moist when baking?

    Slow roasting salmon is the best way to keep it moist when baking!

    Taking a bite of slow roasted salmon

    Recipe Options:

    Feel free to experiment with different sauces and aromatics to finish your salmon. Here are some suggestions:

    • Prepare this salmon recipe, but add minced fresh garlic cloves instead of capers to the lemon butter mixture and finish with fresh dill or a variety of fresh herbs and lemon zest. Or drizzle with my Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce.
    • Top cooked salmon with a Mango Avocado Salsa or Pico de Gallo.
    • Drizzle with a mixture of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and a touch of honey. Finish with a shower of sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion.

    What To Do with Leftovers

    If you're fortunate and end up with leftover salmon, it's wonderful the next day served cold on a salad or broken up and tossed with pasta (like Garlic Butter Noodles) and sautéed vegetables for an easy meal. Or do what we usually do and make these fabulous Fish Cakes - typically made with leftover cooked cod or halibut, but salmon works great too!

    What to Serve Alongside

    • Arugula Salad (Just 6 simple ingredients in this salad that everyone loves.)
    • Sugar Snap Pea Salad (When sugar snap peas are at their spring peak, this is the way to go.)
    • Lemon Garlic Asparagus (The perfect balance of rich and bright, this is a 10 minute side dish that you'll learn to make by heart.)
    • Strawberry Spinach Salad (We enjoy this on repeat when strawberries are in season.)
    • Creamy Cucumber Salad (This would be particularly good with the dill topped recipe option above!)

    How to Make Slow Roasted Salmon

    Step 1: Place salmon fillet in a rimmed baking sheet, skin-side down. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake 25-35 minutes until fish is lightly opaque and a knife tip meets no resistance. Remove from oven.

    slow roasted salmon before and after baking

    Step 2: While salmon rests, melt butter in a small skillet; stir in lemon juice and capers and remove from heat.

    melting butter in skillet and pouring in lemon juice
    lemon butter sauce with capers in skillet

    Step 3: Transfer salmon to serving platter and drizzle with sauce; finish with minced chives and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

    spooning lemon butter sauce with capers over salmon
    slow roasted salmon served
    Slow Roasted Salmon

    Slow Roasted Salmon

    Marissa Stevens
    A foolproof recipe for salmon that's buttery and melt in your mouth tender!
    5 from 9 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 332 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ pound salmon filet ideally wild
    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 tablespoon capers
    • 1 small lemon juiced, 2-3 tablespoons
    • fresh lemon wedges for serving, optional
    • 1 tablespoon minced chives
    • 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 275˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Place salmon filet on prepared baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Bake skin-side down 25-35 minutes, until salmon is slightly opaque and there is no resistance when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
    • While salmon rests, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in capers and lemon juice. Remove from heat.
    • Transfer salmon to serving platter and drizzle with melted butter mixture and sprinkle with chives and parsley. Arrange lemon wedges on platter if desired and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 34gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 181mgPotassium: 871mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 360IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword date night, dinner party, gluten free
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Fish and Seafood Recipes

    • Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp
    • Tuna Tartare
    • Salt and Pepper Shrimp
    • Shrimp Fra Diavolo

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Laurel Stein says

      July 25, 2021 at 3:56 pm

      Sounds amazing. Looking to cook ahead and serve cold. Would this recipe be appropriate?

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        July 25, 2021 at 4:53 pm

        Hi there, Laurel. Yes, absolutely! We enjoy the cold leftovers on salad whenever we make this.

        Reply
    2. Yukon Cornelius says

      March 29, 2021 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      Made this with King Salmon, the arugula salad mentioned, pesto pasta and french bread. Really good. I so very much wanted to add garlic to the butter sauce but made as instructed and likely won't mess with garlic next time either. My only note is personally I was very liberal with the parsley/chive combo.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        March 31, 2021 at 8:32 am

        So glad you enjoyed this, Yukon! Thank you for your cooking notes too.

        Reply
    3. Beth says

      January 27, 2021 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      Marissa, 10 stars for this absolutely tender and delicious dish! Flaky fish, perfectly slow cooked. I used a thermometer to get the perfect temp. The sauce is light, so flavorful and just perfect on the fish. I now have my favorite way to make salmon! Amazing!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 27, 2021 at 8:29 am

        Aww...Beth, you made my day. So glad this was a hit!

        Reply
    4. Valentina says

      August 19, 2020 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      Marissa, this is a beautiful salmon dish. I've been making a lot of salmon lately, as I especially love it in the summertime. I've poached it slowly, but never roasted it this way. I must try it! And that caper sauce -- yum! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 19, 2020 at 10:12 am

        I bet poaching it slowly is delicious too! We poach chicken all the time, but I never think to poach fish. Thank you, Valentina!

        Reply
    5. Katerina says

      August 09, 2020 at 3:43 am

      5 stars
      I love the look of this texture, Marissa! You are so right, it's so easy to overcook salmon and then you end up with something quite dry and unappetising. I am in love with the sound of this butter too, yum! What a perfect weeknight dinner.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:48 am

        Thank you, Katerina! I love when something this good is easy enough for a weeknight!

        Reply
    6. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      August 07, 2020 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      It's been a while since I slow roasted salmon. Your photos have me drooling and wondering why I don't make it more often! Obviously I have seen the error of my ways and I'll be preparing your beautiful salmon recipe PRONTO! You knocked this out of the park - it looks truly perfect!! Pinned!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:48 am

        aww...thanks so much, Cheyanne! xo

        Reply
    7. David @ Spiced says

      August 07, 2020 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      What a cool idea! Whenever we make salmon, we typically either grill it or bake it. The idea of roasting salmon at a lower temperature is intriguing. I totally have to try this out now! Looks like a delicious recipe, Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:49 am

        Thank you, David. I hope you'll give this a try!

        Reply
    8. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

      August 06, 2020 at 7:31 pm

      5 stars
      Did you know that just last night I had to toss a beautiful piece of salmon!? So sad. I thawed it overnight in the fridge, but when I went to cook it, it had a bit of a slime to it. I didn't want to risk it! Anyway, salmon is one of my fave things to eat, so now I definitely have to try this slow roasted technique of yours!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:49 am

        Oh no...that's such a crummy feeling. Hope you'll give this method a try!

        Reply
    9. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

      August 06, 2020 at 11:07 am

      5 stars
      I've never cooked salmon low and slow like that but, from your pics, it looks like I need to try! Looks incredibly tasty, Marissa, and just perfect for date night at home with a glass of vino 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:50 am

        Being the fish love that I know you are, I think you'll love it, Dawn!

        Reply
    10. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      August 06, 2020 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      Totally looks melt in your mouth tender Marissa! My husband Tom would love the lemon and capers. Nice and light, so it's the perfect summer dish. Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:51 am

        Yay! I hope that you and Tom love it, Mary Ann!

        Reply
    11. angiesrecipes says

      August 06, 2020 at 8:16 am

      The salmon did turn out really tender and juicy. I too like to slow roast the salmon once in a while..my favourite is still pan sear them until CRISP..because the skin is the BEST part :-))

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        August 10, 2020 at 11:51 am

        That crispy skin is pretty delicious!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    The best food happens at home. I love delicious food prepared simply with fresh ingredients and that’s just what you’ll find here! You can count on me for well tested, mouthwatering recipes designed for home cooks. Learn more →

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    12 Recipes to Know by Heart Book Cover
    Subscribe for Free E-Cookbook

    Reader Favorites

    • Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
    • Lemon Garlic Pasta
    • Bacon Wrapped Scallops
    • Homemade Ramen Noodles
    • Homemade Tonic Water
    • Shrimp Tacos
    • Mashed Red Potatoes
    • Gyro Meat Recipe
    • Pork Belly Ramen
    • Grilled Lamb Chops

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Meet Marissa
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 PinchandSwirl

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Email