This slow-roasted salmon recipe is your way to tender, evenly cooked, never-dry salmon every time! With garlic, fresh thyme, and rosemary, and baby potatoes, this is an easy one-pan dinner everyone will love.
Salmon is a fatty fish, and slow-roasting it with a bit of olive oil produces just the most succulent, almost custardy, perfectly flaky fish you just won’t be able to resist!
There are endless ways to cook salmon. I love them all for different reasons, as you can tell from our many salmon recipes. But the beauty of a slow-roasted salmon is that it’s a dead-simple way to cook the fish perfectly without drying it out. And it only takes 10-ish more minutes!
I like to roast potatoes at the same time, so you just have to throw together big salad like Greek salad while the salmon is in the oven. And don’t even bother cutting it into even pieces. Just bring the whole fish to the table and break it up with a fork or the back of a spoon into tender flakes everyone can partake of. Trust me, the messy presentation is part of the fun!
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
You really just need three ingredients to slow roast salmon: Fish, salt, and olive oil. From there, I like to add bold Mediterranean flavor and heft with a few easy ingredients:
- Baby potatoes: I turn this recipe into a full sheet pan meal by roasting potatoes at the same time, but you can skip ahead if that’s not your thing. Or swap other veggies, like roughly chopped carrots, cubed sweet potatoes, or halved Brussels sprouts.
- Seasoning: Fresh thyme and dried rosemary give the salmon an aromatic quality, but you can get creative with the flavors you love. Greek oregano, sweet paprika, and Italian seasoning (I make my own) all come to mind. Kosher salt and black pepper perk up the flavor.
- Garlic: A hefty dose of garlic gives the silky salmon its bold, irresistible flavor. If you can’t do garlic, you can substitute with finely chopped shallot or thinly sliced green onion.
- Olive oil: Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor and antioxidant-boost.
- Salmon fillet: Center cut fillet is preferred here, as it will roast more evenly. That said, this recipe works great for just about any cut you have–or any meaty fish like halibut or cod, for that matter.
- Lemon: Some fresh zing is essential, cutting through the richness of the fish. Lime is a worthy substitute.
How to Roast Salmon (Low and Slow!)
Slow roasted salmon stays quite pink and silky, but don’t mistake this for the fish being undercooked. Check with a thermometer, or pull back with a fork in the thickest part of the fish. If it flakes with no resistance, that means it’s done, even if it’s still pink.
Roast the Potatoes (optional)
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Scrub and halve 1 pound of baby potatoes. Prepare 4 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves. Mince 5 garlic cloves.
- Season the potatoes. Put the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a big pinch or two of salt and pepper. Toss to make sure the potatoes are well coated.
- Roast the potatoes. Arrange the potatoes, cut side down, on a sheet pan or baking dish. Roast in the heated oven for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the salmon from the fridge and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside at room temperature while the potatoes roast.
Turn Down the Heat and Slow Roast the Salmon
- Get ready to roast the salmon. Remove the potatoes from the oven and turn the heat to 250°F. Push the potatoes to one side to make room for the salmon. Brush the pan with a bit of olive oil, then add the salmon. Drizzle about 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil over the fish. Spread the remaining fresh garlic on top (I use the back of a spoon to spread the garlic evenly all over the fish fillet). Sprinkle with the remaining fresh thyme and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Slow roast the salmon. When the temperature has lowered to 250°F, return the salmon and potatoes to the oven for 15-18 minutes for medium rare, or up to 25 minutes for medium. Times will vary depending on the thickness of your fish and how hot your oven runs. To check for doneness, insert a fork in the thickest part of the salmon, it should meet no resistance and should flake easily. Or, insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the fish, it is ready when the internal temperature registers 125 degrees F for a medium-cooked salmon. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the salmon. Serve immediately.
What to Serve with Slow Roasted Salmon
Slow roasted salmon is quite silky, so I like to add some texture and color variety with crunchy salads and seared veggies. We have so many recipes that would fit well here, but here are some favorites:
- Crunchy salads: Smashed Cucumber Salad, Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad.
- Colorful veggies: Use your open stove to make Sautéed Green Beans or Asparagus.
More Roast Salmon Recipes
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Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved
- 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (divided)
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary (divided)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, minced (divided)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound salmon fillet
- 1 lemon, halved
Instructions
- Season the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Put the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and a big pinch or two of salt and pepper. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to make sure the potatoes are well coated.
- Roast the potatoes. Arrange the potatoes, cut side down, on a sheetpan or baking dish. Roast in the heated oven for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the salmon from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside at room temperature while the potatoes roast.
- Get ready to roast the salmon. Remove the potatoes from the oven and turn the heat down to 250°F. Push the potatoes to one side of your pan to make room for the salmon. Brush the pan with a bit of olive oil, then add the salmon. Drizzle about 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over the salmon fillet. Spread the remaining fresh garlic on top (I use the back of a spoon to spread the garlic evenly all over the fish fillet). Sprinkle with the remaining fresh thyme and dried rosemary.
- Slow roast the salmon. When the temperature has lowered to 250°F, return the salmon and potatoes to the oven for 15-18 minutes for medium rare, or up to 25 minutes for medium, depending on thickness of fish (see note).
- Finish and serve. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the salmon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- How long to cook the salmon? Times will vary depending on the thickness of your fish and how hot your oven runs. To check for doneness, insert a fork in the thickest part of the salmon, it should meet no resistance and should flake easily. Or, insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the fish, it is ready when the internal temperature registers 125 degrees F for a medium-cooked salmon.
Nutrition
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I can’t rave enough about this recipe. The salmon was like butter. Only issue was that the salmon took 35 minutes to reach 125 degrees so the potatoes were overcooked. But that’s an easy fix now that I know the adjustment. Low and slow is a winner in my book!
Thanks for sharing, Jenny!
This looks delicious. I am in San Francisco and wondering what kind of Salmon I should buy…thanks. I always seem to choose Salmon that tastes too fishy!
Hi, Linda! I’m a fan of wild caught sockeye. I highly recommend finding a good seafood counter in your area and having a conversation with them about different varieties to find something that suits your taste.
Another winner. So easy and flavourful! I have made this about once a week since discovering it. Having this with the Greek Salad tonight. Love it.
Wonderful! Thanks, Ragna!
Amazing , flavorful and easy to follow recipe. Loved it and husband said this will be his favorite salmon dish . My son-in-law even got the recipe. Thanks Suzy.
My pleasure, Connie! So glad you all enjoyed it!
Hi, can you tell me where you get the cast iron pan?
Hi there. This particular pan is from Amazon. Here is the link: https://amzn.to/3l8nZL3
Hi Suzy,
How do you keep the chopped garlic from overcooking when roasted with potatoes at the high heat?
I really like your recipes. Thanks! Rochelle
Hi there! Having the garlic coated in olive oil does help a lot. I’ve not had any issues with this
Made this tonight, possibly the best Salmon we’ve ever had. Added small peeled carrots, wow. I must comment on how detailed these recipes are, from start to finish. Loved it!
Wow! What a great compliment! So glad you enjoyed it, Susan!
Did not cook it yet but my mouth is watering:)
We were in Norway a few years ago and a chef cleaned a fresh salmon for the presentation, then tossed the cubes in a simple Asian style sauce and let us sample right away outstanding
Have you tried Gravlaks..?
I hope you enjoy this recipe! I have not tried Gravlaks. Sounds like I may need to, though!! 🙂
This is just amazing. I was skeptical the salmon would cook that fast but it cooked in 18 minutes perfectly! Next time, a bit more salt but I will make this again, likely weekly. I do think it needs like a vegetable to go with it, maybe green beans or asparagus, Great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Great recipe and easy to follow. Loved the simplicity and possibilities to add tzasiki or other flavours. Thanks so much for posting.
My pleasure, Sam! Enjoy!
Very simple recipe and easy to adapt for one serving. However, it took much longer for my piece of salmon to cook. 25 minutes was not nearly enough. I even used an instant read thermometer at 135, and it still felt “not done” to me. Maybe I am used to dry (well done?) salmon and I need to adjust my expectations?
Hi, Judy! Ovens do vary, which can affect actual cooking time. Good call on using the thermometer!
Really, really tasty and delicious recipe that was easy to follow. This was the first recipe I’ve done from Suzy but will surely not be the last! Salting the bottom of the salmon skin made it extra crispy and delicious, the combination of herbs hit the spot and a good splash of olive oil made the salmon perfect!
Thank you so much, Mitchell!
OH Suzy! You took my favorite food and made it even better. Salmon is always my first choice when dining out; and, I frequently fix it at home. But, I’ve always broiled it, which, if I’m lucky and time it perfectly, is great. But, too often, I don’t time it perfectly; and, I’ve ruined a lot of salmon. This is so much better than constantly watching the broiler; and, the salmon and potatoes roasted with the spices — brilliant!. It made me think of the delicious foods I enjoyed when I visited Egypt. Shukran!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Janice! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Delish and so easy, exactly what I needed tonight! Thank you for posting!
Awesome!! Thanks for giving it a try!
Should I use salmon with or without skin?
I use salmon without the skin for this one.
I just happened to have everything for this simple recipe. The tips are spot on! Salmon is super succulant and tender. Thank you so much for sharing
Yay! Thanks, Amanda!