Baked salmon in foil – an Indian-style spicy oven baked chilli salmon recipe that’s a prefect weeknight dinner dish for the busy cook. Salmon is the perfect fish to start with if you are exploring and experimenting with baking fish and the options for marinade is really endless. I have used an Indian-style spicy chill garlic pepper marinade here that you can adapt to your taste.
I am an 80’s child who grew up in Kerala, which Iโm sure you know if you have been hanging around this blog long enough. Coming from a non-vegetarian family in the state, I have eaten pretty much all seafood that comes through our markets but salmon was not one of them.ย
I donโt remember my first taste of it, it was possibly in Singapore, and I immediately knew it would be a love-hate relationship. I am not a fan of smoked salmon, I canโt take too much of it, and it has to be done well since the pink flesh and the fishiness is too much for me to handle if itโs cooked rare or medium rare.ย
Ok, I am probably not doing a good job of selling salmon to you now but the point is, I rarely cook with salmon and when I do, itโs usually baked with this spice mix that I concocted after much trial and error. The chilli pepper marinade is similar to whatโs used for Kerala-style fish fry but I add more pepper and more lime or vinegar since salmon takes to sourness really well.ย
Even if baked fish is not your thing, I urge you to give this baked chilli salmon a go, itโs really super simple to make and goes great with soups, pasta, or even just a side salad with lots of vegetables of your choice.ย
More easy fish recipes from Edible Garden:
Easy fish curry in coconut milk
Meera peera (from Kerala)
Kerala-style prawn roast
Chilli fish recipe
Baked salmon recipe
Ingredients
- 200 gram salmon fillet
For marinade
- 1 tsp chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or use 1/2 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder optional
- Salt to taste
- 2-3 tsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp oil I used coconut oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 320F/160C
- In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade to make a thick paste
- If itโs too thick, add more lime juice or 1-2 tsp water to make it spreadable
- Wash and pat dry the salmon fillet
- Cut out a piece of aluminium foil large enough to wrap your salmon fillet
- Take a baking pan (I use a pyrex glass baking pan) and place the aluminium foil inside
- Place the salmon in the foil
- Marinate generously with the marinade paste using your fingers or a pastry brush
- Pour a few drops of oil on top if the marinade looks too dry
- Cover with the aluminium foil
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 mins for the salmon to be well done
- Bake for a shorter duration if you like your salmon medium-done
- The baking time will also depend on how thick your salmon fillet is, mine was about 1.5โ thick in the thickest part
- Serve warm with a salad, pasta, roasted vegetables, potato mash, etc
How to make baked salmon ย step by step
Pre-heat oven to 320F/160C.ย In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade to make a thick paste
If itโs too thick, add more lime juice or 1-2 tsp water to make it spreadable
Cut out a piece of aluminium foil large enough to wrap your salmon fillet.ย Take a baking pan (I use a pyrex glass baking pan) and line with theย aluminium foil.ย Wash and pat dry the salmon fillet and place inside.
Marinate generously with the marinade paste using your fingers or a pastry brush
Pour a few drops of oil on top if the marinade looks too dry.ย Cover with the aluminium foil
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 mins for the salmon to be well done.ย Bake for a shorter duration if you like your salmon medium-done
The baking time will also depend on how thick your salmon fillet is, mine was about 1.5โ thick in the thickest part.ย
Serve warm with a salad, pasta, roasted vegetables, potato mash, etc
ย Notes:
- You can scour the surface of the salmon (like we do for fried fish) if you want the marinade to penetrate into the fillet, I usually donโt do this
- Salmon without itโs skin is best for this preparation since it allows the marinade to penetrate the flesh slightly during baking. If thereโs ย skin, the marinade will not go further and your fish may taste bland (especially if you like your seafood spicy)
- You can marinate and refrigerate the salmon pieces for up to 24 hours or you can also bake immediately
- Adjust ingredients to your liking. I like salmon to be on the sour side and add some lime wedges into the aluminium foil sometimes too
- The salmon lets out its own oils on baking so thereโs no need to add too much into the marinade or before baking
For baked salmon recipe in Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, French, Spanish, etc please use the Google translate button in the sidebar.
Share your pictures of baked salmon with #ediblegarden on social media. I’d love to check them out!
Joe
Nice flavor and will make it again.
Renu
Tried the baked Salmon today! Yummilicious! The family loved it! I used vinegar instead of lime juice. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
nags
Thank you Renu, so glad you and the family liked it ๐
Varsha
Good day. Yesterday we tried the butter chicken. We didn’t have fenugreek leaves. It tasted really delicious. Today I am making ur salmon recipe
nags
thank you varsha!
Nita Menon
I have been baking salmon for a long time and it tates fantastic when baked. Will try this new receipe this weekend. I usually marinate with turmeric, chilli powder, salt and bit of grated garlic and ginger. but this one sounds more spicy and yummy!
Nags- Love your receipe and so prod that you are managing both worlds so well.
nags
thank you so much nita, means a lot you left a note to say that ๐
nithila
good recipe
Roopa
Hey Nags,
Loved this receipe of yours !!!!
I tried it the other day and it came out very well, I have never attempted to cook salmon at home .This was my first attempt.
Thanks to you
nags
thank you so much!
al falah mj
super
Shanaz
Looks so yumm Nags. I love your all your recipes.
nags
Thank you Shanaz, very kind of you!
Shilpa Chatterjee
Very nice recipe. Just wanted to ask you, can we use any other fish instead of salmon.
nags
yes it should work with most firm-fleshed fish fillet
Sheena K
LOVE the marinade and how easy this is! Works with King fish fillet too. I added an extra dash of lime and some paprika for color.
nags
I need to try this with other fish fillet too, so far I am stuck with salmon because of how good it tastes! Thanks for the note.