Baked Salmon Lemon Pepper (Printable version)

Tender salmon fillets flavored with lemon zest, juice, and black pepper, baked to perfection in minutes.

# List of ingredients:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on or skinless

→ Seasonings & Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large lemon, zest and juice
04 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)

→ Garnish

08 - Lemon wedges, for serving
09 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with olive oil.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, sea salt, minced garlic, and dried thyme if using.
03 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and arrange them skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Brush the lemon pepper mixture evenly over the top and sides of each salmon fillet.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
06 - Transfer to serving plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley if desired, then serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's foolproof enough for a weeknight but elegant enough to feel like you're doing something special.
  • The lemon and pepper do all the heavy lifting—you don't need complicated sauces or techniques.
  • Your kitchen smells incredible while it bakes, and the fish comes out impossibly tender every single time.
02 -
  • Salmon keeps cooking after you pull it from the oven, so stopping just shy of fully opaque keeps it from drying out.
  • If you marinate the fillets for 20–30 minutes before baking, the lemon juice starts breaking down the surface and the flavors sink deeper.
03 -
  • Buy salmon from a fishmonger if you can and ask them when it came in; older fish tastes fishier and you want something that tastes like the ocean, not like it's been sitting around.
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking at 11 minutes and use a meat thermometer rather than guessing; it takes the anxiety out of the equation.

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