This Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon is irresistible. The recipe is packed with chili lime flavor and baked to perfection for a quick weeknight dinner, then topped with cilantro and fresh limes. It's healthy and your taste buds will love this one too!
I love making salmon for dinner. It's super quick and it's one of the healthy foods my kids eat and don't complain about. It's so weird because I wouldn't touch fish as a kid, and my youngest daughter's favorite food is salmon and clams.
This recipe tastes delicious with my Coconut Lime Rice and mango pico de gallo recipe. Top with this Cilantro Lime aioli for the ultimate pair up! You can make all of it in 30 minutes and it creates these delicious fruity bowls with just a hint of spice.
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Why You'll Love This Baked Salmon Recipe:
- Quick. It only takes 20 minutes to make.
- Flavor Packed. The chili lime glaze is so delicious on the salmon and it's topped with fresh limes and cilantro.
- Easy Prep Work. This recipe takes 5 minutes to prep, then stick it in the oven to bake.
- Healthy. It's super healthy and packed with Omegas.
If you love seafood, make sure you check out these Thai Shrimp Tacos with Asian Slaw. They are out of this world!
The Health Benefits of Salmon:
An article from Safebeat.org discusses the Health Benefits of Salmon and there are so many. It is one of the most nutritious fish you can eat because it is full of healthy fats, which are good for the heart and skin.
Healthline.com published an article discussing Wild Salmon vs Farm Raised, which states that wild salmon has more minerals like calcium and iron, while farm raised has more fat and lower cholesterol. The reasons for this is because they are fed different diets.
I personally choose wild fish over farmed whenever I can. I do notice that wild sockeye salmon seems to dry out faster in the oven vs a farm raised atlantic salmon. Perhaps it is from the higher fat content in the farm raised salmon that keeps it moister.
My conclusion is that ANY Salmon is worth eating! Try this Blackened Salmon in the Air Fryer and Sweet Chili Sauce Salmon too.
The Ingredients:
Salmon- I'm using a wild sockeye salmon, which I love for it's rich texture and flavor. This piece is about 1 ½ pounds, which feeds our family of four. If you are feeding 4 adults, you will need about 2 pounds.
Garlic and Shallot- A nice addition to chili lime glaze for flavor and gives a subtle little crunch while eating.
Cumin, Chili Powder, Lime Juice, Lime Zest, Salt and Olive Oil- The perfect Mexican flavors to create the best chili lime glaze to spread over the salmon filet.
Cilantro- The perfect fresh herb to garnish the salmon before serving.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon (Step by Step Instructions):
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the salmon out on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet, with skin side down. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, garlic, shallot and salt together. Brush over salmon. Top with lime slices.
Step 2: Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon. Once internal temp reaches 135 degrees, pull salmon out of the oven and tent with foil for 3 minutes.
Step 3: Sprinkle cilantro over the salmon before serving. If making bowls, pair this salmon with rice and mango pico de gallo.
Expert Tips:
- For easy clean up, line the cookie sheet with foil.
- I highly recommend an instant read thermometer for cooking fish in the oven.
Recipe FAQs:
I'm not sure if there is a best way, as it is all delicious. I find the easiest way is to bake it in the oven.
I don't rinse my salmon before cooking it, as the USDA says it is just a way to spread bacteria. I know people go crazy over this, but you do what you feel is best.
Salmon cooks differently according to the thickness of the fish. If you have a thinner piece it will bake faster than a thicker piece. I cook my salmon to an internal temperature of 135 to 140 degrees, which takes between 12-16 minutes. Then, tent with foil when it comes out of the oven for about 3 minutes. You can use an internal thermometer and check the thickest portion of the salmon. If you like salmon on the medium side, you can pull it with an internal temp of 125 degrees.
Don't bake it frozen. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and use it the next day.
Storing and Reheating This Recipe:
Store the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days. When reheating, wrap the salmon in a foil packet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Serve over a salad or rice. Yum!
More Healthy Recipes You Will Love:
Recipe
Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon is irresistible. The recipe is packed with chili lime flavor and baked to perfection for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ pounds of fresh salmon, look for a piece with similar thickness throughout the whole filet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice from 1 lime
- zest from ½ a lime
- 4 lime slices for topping
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup minced cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Lay the salmon out on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet for easy clean up.
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, garlic, shallot and salt together. Brush over salmon. Top with lime slices.
- Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon. If you enjoy your salmon more rare, pull it around 125 degrees.
- Once internal temp reaches 135, pull salmon out of the oven and tent with foil for 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle cilantro over the salmon before serving.
Notes
- For easy clean up, line the cookie sheet with foil.
- I highly recommend an instant read thermometer for cooking fish in the oven.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Dominik says
Hello Tara, I just tried out your Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon recipe and it was absolutely delicious! The chili lime glaze gave the salmon a perfect balance of flavors and the fresh cilantro and lime slices were the perfect finishing touch. I also appreciate that the recipe only takes 20 minutes to make, making it a perfect weeknight dinner option. I will definitely be adding this recipe to my regular rotation. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Tara Smithson says
Thanks so much for making it & for the review. I love a good quick weeknight meal too!
Tara
Lisa says
This was super good. I love the chili lime glaze. Thanks for the recipe!