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This baked parmesan garlic herb salmon in foil will win you over! The foil seals in the amazing flavor and bakes the salmon to tender and flaky perfection!
I LOVE salmon and it’s always my favorite thing to order it’s on the menu! I can’t get enough of how delicate and delicious it is. You have to try these tried and true favorites like Air Fryer Salmon, these Croquettes, and my Garlic Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon!
Baked Parmesan Garlic Herb Salmon in Foil
Making the salmon in foil keeps the flavors and moisture in for a fool-proof dinner that is luscious. I LOVED the flavor that the parmesan garlic herb gave to this salmon. It turns out tender and flakey and packed with all of my favorite flavors. The garlic herb butter takes salmon to the next level! It’s so tender and flakey that the salmon literally falls apart with a fork. Broiling the top for a couple of minutes crisps the edges and creates the perfect finishing touch. Get ready for this baked salmon in foil to melt in your mouth!
The method of baking salmon in foil just may be my very favorite! It’s easy to prepare and it bakes up quickly for those busy nights. And the best part is that clean-up is a breeze! I just crumble up the foil and throw away the mess. For more foil dinners try making these hobo dinners, these fajitas, or another easy salmon recipe with summer veggies!
Ingredients Needed
Super easy with simple ingredients, you can prep this baked parmesan garlic herb salmon recipe in no time! Most of the ingredients you most likely will have on hand. Follow the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Salmon: This works for all varieties of salmon and cuts. I used king salmon, but pick your favorite!
- Butter: You want it good and soft but not melted.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon and salmon are the perfect pairing of flavors.
- Olive oil: Adds moisture and helps everything stick together.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic will taste best but you can use jarred in a pinch.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate your own cheese for the best flavor and melting ability.
- Italian Seasoning: A perfect blend of several herbs that taste amazing together.
- Salt and Pepper: Season to taste.
- Fresh Parsley: Fresh parsley adds color and a bit of freshness!
The Best Parmesan Garlic Encrusted Salmon Recipe
This baked parmesan garlic salmon in foil is my go-to meal to impress my quests. Especially when they stop by last minute because it’s super easy to get to the dinner table. A five-star baked salmon meal that will wow your family!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Layout a piece of foil long enough to fold up the salmon inside.
- Make the Garlic Herb Butter: In a small bowl combine the softened butter, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Prep the Salmon: Place the salmon skin side down on the foil. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Gather the foil around the edges of the salmon, but do not cover the salmon completely.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the salmon is firm. Broil the top for the last 1-2 minutes to brown.
- Garnish: Remove from the oven and garnish with additional chopped parsley and parmesan cheese if desired.
All About Baked Salmon in Foil
Picking good-quality salmon at the grocery store can be intimidating so here is what you need to know! Here are my tips to help you out and to know the differences between salmon at the store.
- Types of Salmon: Wild, farm, and International are all types of salmon that can be found in stores today. There are a lot of pros and cons so I would highly recommend doing your research. I would recommend avoiding internationally caught or farmed salmon at all costs. They are not regulated like the US and they often use antibiotics, and pesticides that are not allowed in the US. They also often misuse wastewater, potentially contaminating the fish.
- Cuts of Salmon: Salmon is sold as a whole filet, a small filet, or as salmon cuts. Whole and small filets are the most common and easiest to cook and find. Salmon steaks are U-shaped with part of the spine in the middle.
- What to Look For In Buying Salmon: When buying fresh salmon, look for glossy and firm-to-touch. Salmon meat should be bright and saturated in color. Do not buy salmon that is chalky, dry, sticky, or too soft to the touch. Avoid salmon that has cracks or breaks in the muscle or collagen sheaths. Fish should smell fresh, clean, and slightly briny like the ocean, never fishy.
- Fresh vs Frozen: Buy fresh if you are using the fish within 2 days, otherwise stick to frozen. Salmon is often frozen immediately after being caught and preserves the nutrients and freshness.
Tips For Making Baked Parmesan Garlic Herb Salmon in Foil
So juicy and so full of flavor these tips are going to help make an amazing foil salmon! Once you pick your salmon this baked salmon in foil is easy to make and tastes amazing with my parmesan garlic herb butter.
- Golden Crust: When the salmon is just about done, open the foil and broil for the last 2-3 minutes. This will create a perfect crust on top of the salmon!
- When is the Salmon Done? The best way to tell if salmon is done is to look at it. The salmon flakes easily when it is finished cooking and it will also change in color from translucent to opaque. The internal temperature should be 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Do Not Overcook: It is easy to overcook salmon and then it becomes tough and dry. It is better to undercook it slightly and let it finish cooking as it rests than to overcook it.
- Using Frozen: I use frozen salmon filets all the time and they work beautifully. Thaw them overnight in the fridge. You can also thaw the salmon in a bowl of cold water that you change every 10-15 minutes till it is thawed.
- Can I leave the Skin? Yes if your salmon has the skin on, you can leave it on! It has great nutrients. Be sure to rinse your salmon and pat dry with a paper towel before placing the skin side down on the foil.
Storing Leftover Salmon
This baked salmon in foil is great for lunch the next day! The salmon warms up perfectly and the leftovers are still flakey and delicious.
- In the Refrigerator: Leftovers can last for up to 3-4 days when stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To Reheat: When you are ready to eat your leftovers, cooking them up in the air fryer is my favorite way! Reheat them in an air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-5 minutes. It keeps the texture perfectly flaky every time. Alternatively, you can reheat any leftovers in the microwave until warmed through!
Perfect Sides to Serve With Salmon
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Baked Parmesan Garlic Herb Salmon in Foil
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds salmon of choice
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut a piece of foil long enough to fold up around the salmon. Place the foil on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl combine the softened butter, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Place the salmon skin side down on the foil. Gather the foil around the edges of the salmon, but do not cover the salmon completely. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the salmon is firm. Broil the top for the last 1-2 minutes to brown.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with additional chopped parsley and parmesan cheese if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was great!! I had a smaller piece of skinless salmon, but used the same measurements for everything else and just spread it on the top in a thick layer. The end result was lots of fresh garlic flavor, less of a crust, and the salmon was somewhat poached in butter — we loved it!!! Will try it with pasta next time do we can enjoy more if the extra herb butter on the noodles.
Question.. neither the step by step recipe nor the video actually shows you making the foil into a packet. Is the salmon only cooking on a flat piece of foil or am I creating a sealed packet for cooking?
Thanks for your response.
Easy to put together and sooo delicious.
In the recipe it says “softened” butter….mix everything in softened butter but the video shows melted butter. Confusing. It probably won’t change things too much but which is it?
Simple and delicious. We have salmon at least weekly, so we need lots of great salmon recipes. This one is definitely in the rotation (about once every 6 – 8 weeks). Great job Alyssa!
Hi Mark! Thanks for trying out this recipe! I’m so happy you liked it- salmon is the best.
Wow! What an amazing recipe. I got a side of salmon from Lidl, cut into portions and cooked for about 30 minutes. My family loved it and so did I! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
What kind of salmon do you recommend? I see so many different types in the grocery store, I don’t know which one to buy.
Thank you!!
I usually get Sockeye or Atlantic salmon fillets at the store.
Check out Wild Alaskan Company. We have been getting our salmon and other fresh fish from there for about 3 years and it beats anything you can find in the market. I had some of their salmon and tried this recipe and it was awesome.
I’ve made this 3 times so far, and I absolutely love it! Thank you for sharing this recipe – found from pinterest!!
I actually don’t like salmon, what would I need to change if I used tilapia instead? It being much thinner than salmon would I only need to cook it less time or should I lower the temperature to cook for the same amount of time to give the other ingredients time to meld together?
I haven’t tried this specific recipe with tilapia so I would have to try that before giving recommendations. But, here is a recipe for baked tilapia instead: Baked Tilapia and Roasted Veggies
Made this tonight and it was so good! My husband and I loved it! I just got back to cooking again and this was pretty easy even for me.
Nope. Couldn’t taste the fish, flavors so strong. Also caught on fire under the broiler!
I needed a new salmon recipe to mix things up and this was a hit! Thank you 🙂
This dish is awesome! Nice tasty flaky juicy fish. My husband and I enjoyed it very much. I would reduce the salt a but. It might have been my I cheese. Definitely on my rotation