Standing in your kitchen with a beautiful salmon fillet, the question hits: how many minutes does this need? The answer depends on your oven temperature and the thickness of your fish. Most salmon cooks in 12 to 20 minutes. Get the timing right, and you’ll have tender, flaky fish that melts on your tongue. Get it wrong, and you’re chewing through dry, chalky disappointment.
The Simple Answer: Temperature and Time
Your oven temperature determines how long salmon needs to cook. Higher heat means faster cooking but requires more attention. Lower heat gives you a gentler, more forgiving window.
| Temperature | Time for 1-inch fillet | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 350°F | 20-25 minutes | Gentle, foolproof cooking |
| 375°F | 15-18 minutes | Balanced everyday method |
| 400°F | 12-15 minutes | Quick weeknight dinner |
| 450°F | 10-12 minutes | High heat, locked moisture |
These times work for a standard 1-inch thick fillet. Thickness matters more than almost anything else. A thick piece of salmon needs more time than a thin one, regardless of what temperature you choose.
How Thickness Changes Everything
Here’s the golden rule: salmon needs about 4 to 5 minutes per half inch of thickness. That means a half-inch fillet at 400°F takes roughly 8 to 10 minutes, while a 1.5-inch thick piece needs 18 to 20 minutes at 375°F.
Measuring Your Salmon
Find the thickest part of your fillet. That’s where you measure. Salmon often tapers toward the tail end, which means one piece can have sections that cook at different rates. The thick center guides your timing. The thinner edges will be done first, which is fine.
Adjusting for Thin or Thick Cuts
Thin fillets (under 1 inch): Subtract 2 to 3 minutes from standard timing. These cook fast. Blink and they’re overdone.
Thick fillets (over 1 inch): Add 3 to 5 minutes. Thick salmon needs patience. Rushing it leaves the center raw while the outside dries out.
Whole side of salmon (2 to 3 pounds): Plan for 20 to 25 minutes at 375°F. A full side has more mass and holds more moisture, so it can handle slightly longer cooking without drying out.
Cooking Frozen Salmon: The Time Difference
You can absolutely cook salmon straight from the freezer. Add 5 to 10 minutes to your fresh salmon cooking time. The trick is starting with a hot oven and covering the fish initially.
Preheat to 450°F. Place frozen salmon in a foil-lined dish and cover tightly for the first 15 minutes. This traps steam and starts the thawing process. Then remove the cover, brush with oil, season, and cook uncovered for another 10 to 12 minutes until the flesh turns opaque and flakes with a fork.
Frozen salmon won’t have quite the same texture as fresh, but it’s a lifesaver when you forgot to defrost.
How to Tell When Salmon Is Done
The Temperature Method
An instant-read thermometer removes all guesswork. Insert it into the thickest part of the fillet. The USDA recommends 145°F for food safety. At that temperature, salmon is fully cooked, opaque throughout, and flakes easily.
Many chefs prefer salmon cooked to 125 to 135°F for a slightly translucent center. This gives you medium-rare salmon with a silkier, more buttery texture. It’s safe if your salmon is fresh and high quality.
Visual and Texture Cues
If you don’t have a thermometer, your eyes and fingers work fine.
Color shift: Raw salmon looks translucent and deep pink or orange. Cooked salmon turns opaque and lighter in color. When the center is just barely opaque with a hint of translucency remaining, it’s perfect.
Flake test: Gently press a fork into the thickest part and twist slightly. Cooked salmon flakes apart into distinct sections. If it resists and stays in one solid piece, it needs more time.
Texture: Press the top of the fillet with your finger. It should feel firm but still give slightly, like pressing the flesh at the base of your thumb when your hand is relaxed.
White stuff: Those white beads that sometimes appear on the surface? That’s albumin, a protein that solidifies when heated. It’s harmless. It shows up more when salmon cooks quickly at high heat or when it’s slightly overcooked.
The Poke Test
Press the thickest part of the salmon gently with your fingertip. Raw fish feels soft and squishy. Cooked fish feels firmer and springs back slightly. This takes practice, but once you get the feel, you won’t need a thermometer.
Common Mistakes That Ruin Timing
Cold salmon straight from the fridge: Let your fillet sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking. Cold fish takes longer to cook and cooks unevenly. The outside overcooks while the center stays raw.
Overcrowded pan: Give each piece of salmon space on your baking sheet. Crowding traps steam and changes how heat circulates, which throws off your timing.
Skipping the preheat: Putting salmon in a cold oven means it heats gradually as the oven warms up. You lose control over timing. Always preheat fully.
Opening the oven door repeatedly: Each time you peek, the temperature drops. That adds time and creates uneven cooking.
Ignoring carryover cooking: Salmon continues cooking after you remove it from the oven. The internal temperature can rise another 5 degrees. Pull your fish out about 2 minutes before it reaches your target temperature.
Does Skin-On vs Skinless Change Timing?
Barely. Skin-on salmon might take an extra minute, but the difference is negligible. The skin acts as a protective barrier between the flesh and the heat source, which actually helps cook the fish more evenly and keeps it moist.
If you’re not a fan of eating salmon skin, leave it on during cooking anyway. After baking, slide a spatula between the skin and the flesh. The cooked skin peels away cleanly, leaving you with perfectly cooked, skinless salmon.
Oven Methods: Covered vs Uncovered
Foil-Wrapped Salmon
Wrapping salmon in foil creates a steam pocket that locks in moisture. This method is nearly foolproof for avoiding dry fish. The enclosed environment means slightly longer cooking time. Add 2 to 3 minutes to standard timing.
Fold the foil up around the salmon, leaving a little space at the top so steam can circulate. Seal the edges tightly. You can add lemon slices, herbs, or butter inside the packet for extra flavor.
Uncovered on Sheet Pan
Direct heat on an uncovered fillet gives you faster cooking and the option to broil at the end for a slightly crispy, caramelized top. This works beautifully for high-heat methods at 400°F or 450°F.
Line your sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Brush the salmon with oil or butter before baking to prevent sticking and add flavor.
Parchment Paper Method
A middle ground between foil and completely uncovered. Place salmon on parchment, then fold the sides up loosely around the fish. You get some steam retention without a fully sealed environment. Timing stays close to standard uncovered methods.
Quick Reference: Your Salmon Timing Cheat Sheet
| Salmon Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh, 1-inch, skin-on | 400°F | 12-15 min |
| Fresh, 1-inch, skinless | 400°F | 12-14 min |
| Frozen, 1-inch | 450°F | 20-25 min |
| Thin fillet (0.5-inch) | 400°F | 8-10 min |
| Thick fillet (1.5-inch) | 375°F | 18-22 min |
| Whole side (2-3 lbs) | 375°F | 20-25 min |
One Last Tip: Let It Rest
After you pull salmon from the oven, resist the urge to dig in immediately. Let it rest on the pan or a plate for 2 to 3 minutes. The heat redistributes throughout the fish, and the juices settle back into the flesh instead of running out onto your plate when you cut into it.
Carryover cooking during this rest period finishes the job. If your salmon looks slightly underdone when you remove it, those few minutes of resting usually bring it to perfect doneness.
Trust your thermometer when you’re learning. Trust your instincts once you’ve cooked a few batches. Every oven runs a little different, so adjust timing based on what works in your kitchen. The salmon will tell you when it’s ready.
