This oven baked salmon in foil is an easy veggie-packed dinner that comes together quickly. You’ll love the bold Mediterranean flavors with garlic, fresh thyme, and a buttery lemon sauce!
Photo Credits: Ali Redmond
The humble tin foil dinner is a thing of beauty–quick to prepare and easy clean up! And one of my absolute favorites is this simple meal with veggies and salmon all wrapped in one perfect little packet.
We have a long tradition in the Mediterranean of baking veggies, fish, and meat wrapped in parchment, from Salmon En Papillote (in paper) to Lamb Kleftiko . Foil is arguably easier to work with, as there’s no need to fold it perfectly. Plus, you still get all the benefits of trapping the steam and keeping in all the juices, which makes everything so deliciously tender and flavorful.
This oven baked salmon in foil is so darn easy to make, but the end result definitely looks and eats like a fancy dinner. You can serve it right in the foil packet, if you like. No shame in that!
- Ingredients and Substitutions for this Recipe
- How to Oven Bake Salmon in Foil
- What to Serve with Foil-Baked Salmon
- More Oven Baked Salmon Recipes
- Oven Baked Salmon in Foil Recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions for this Recipe
To me, this foil baked salmon is peak Mediterranean vibes: simple seasonal produce, lots of flavor, and nothing too fussy.
- Salmon: Center-cut usually bakes best, as it’s the same size all the way through. But feel free to use what you have.
- Olive oil : Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor.
- Garlic: A bold amount of garlic is what makes the sauce so delicious. If you must, swap with 4 shallots.
- Seasoning: Sweet paprika adds a mild chili pepper flavor without dominating. Thyme adds a fresh, aromatic quality (fresh rosemary is a worthy substitute). Kosher salt and black pepper make everything more lively.
- Butter: Just a touch (2 tablespoons in total) of butter adds a nice richness to the sauce, but simply swap with olive oil if you avoid butter.
- Lemon: A fresh hit of citrus is a must, but lime also works well.
- Summer squash: Any kind, like zucchini or yellow squash, works well. Swap with other quick-cooking seasonal vegetables, like asparagus, snap peas, or mushrooms.
- Tomato: An on-the-vine tomato in the summertime is a special treat, but you get away cherry or grape tomatoes in the off season.
- Green onions : Adds a mild sweet and savory flavor that complements the garlic’s boldness.
- Parsley: Adds a lovely freshness. I wouldn’t skip the fresh herbs, but cilantro or basil can also work well.
How to Oven Bake Salmon in Foil
I see recipes like this foil baked salmon as an opportunity to use up whatever vegetables I have on hand. With the abundance of summer squash, zucchini and tomatoes these days, that’s what I used this time around. But this recipe will work well with other vegetables like green beans, asparagus, broccoli…you can change things up to meet your needs.
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Press, grate, or finely chop 15 garlic cloves. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Halve and slice 2 summer squash and 1 large tomato. Slice 2 large green onions. Prepare 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves.
- Set up your packets . Prepare 4 large pieces of foil on a large baking sheet (about 12×17-inches, or large enough to completely wrap 4 (5 ounce) salmon fillets ( heavy duty foil works well here).
- Season the salmon. Drizzle olive oil generously over each of the salmon fillets, then place them with the oiled side down on the prepared foil sheets. Spread half of the garlic over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Add one thyme sprig to each salmon.
- Season the veggies. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining crushed garlic with the melted butter, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika , 1/3 cup of olive oil , and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the squash, tomato, and green onions. Toss to coat the veggies in the sauce.
- Bake the salmon. Fold the foil over the salmon and vegetables. Cover completely and seal each packet shut. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Finish and serve. When ready, carefully transfer the salmon and vegetable foil packets with a spatula to individual serving plates. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Foil-Baked Salmon
With the veggies, this is a bright and colorful weeknight meal all on its own. That said, it also makes for a great centerpiece for a casual and festive dinner party. Some ideas to serve along:
- A Fresh Salad : Something crunch to contrast the silky salmon, like Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad) .
- A Satisfying Grain: Something simple, like plain basmati rice or Greek lemon rice goes well with the garlicky salmon.
- To Drink? This Blood Orange Cocktail with Rosemary complements the salmon’s savory-citrusy flavor.
- Something Sweet? End the meal with a light treat, like Greek Yogurt Popsicles or Lemon Sorbet .
More Oven Baked Salmon Recipes
Fish and Seafood
Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon
Fish and Seafood
Baked Dijon Salmon with Lemon and Garlic
Entree
Easy Greek Salmon
Fish and Seafood
Salmon in Parchment Paper (Salmon en Papillote)
Browse all Mediterranean recipes .
Visit Our Shop .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each)
- ▢ Extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ 15 garlic cloves, pressed, grated, or finely chopped (divided)
- ▢ Kosher salt
- ▢ Black pepper
- ▢ 4 fresh thyme sprigs (or 2-3 teaspoons dried thyme)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ▢ 1 large lemon, juiced, plus lemon wedges for serving
- ▢ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ▢ 2 summer squash (any kind; like zucchini or yellow squash), halved and sliced
- ▢ 1 large tomato, halved and sliced
- ▢ 2 green onions, sliced (both white and green parts)
- ▢ 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare 4 large pieces of foil on a large baking sheet (about 12×17-inches, or large enough to completely wrap the fish.
- Season the salmon . Drizzle olive oil generously over each of the salmon fillets, then place them with the oiled side down on the prepared foil sheets. Spread half of the garlic over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Add one thyme sprig to each salmon.
- Season the veggies. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining crushed garlic with the melted butter, lemon juice, paprika, 1/3 cup of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the squash, tomato, and green onions. Toss to coat the veggies in the sauce.
- Bake the salmon. Divide the vegetables into 4 equal portions over (or next to) the salmon fillets. Fold the foil over the salmon and vegetables, cover completely and seal shut. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Finish and serve. When ready, carefully transfer the salmon and vegetable foil packets with a spatula to individual serving plates. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and Spanish paprika used in this recipe.
- The salmon fillets are meant to be eaten right out of the foil. However, if you prefer to remove them, once baked, let the salmon fillets sit in the foil for 3-5 minutes and then very carefully lift each out with a large metal spatula.
Nutrition
The Mediterranean Diet Starter Kit
The vibrant pantry essentials you need to start cooking the Mediterranean way.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Oven Baked Salmon in Foil
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 15 garlic cloves, pressed, grated, or finely chopped (divided)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs (or 2-3 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 large lemon, juiced, plus lemon wedges for serving
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 summer squash (any kind; like zucchini or yellow squash), halved and sliced
- 1 large tomato, halved and sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced (both white and green parts)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare 4 large pieces of foil on a large baking sheet (about 12x17-inches, or large enough to completely wrap the fish.
- Season the salmon . Drizzle olive oil generously over each of the salmon fillets, then place them with the oiled side down on the prepared foil sheets. Spread half of the garlic over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Add one thyme sprig to each salmon.
- Season the veggies. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining crushed garlic with the melted butter, lemon juice, paprika, 1/3 cup of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the squash, tomato, and green onions. Toss to coat the veggies in the sauce.
- Bake the salmon. Divide the vegetables into 4 equal portions over (or next to) the salmon fillets. Fold the foil over the salmon and vegetables, cover completely and seal shut. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Finish and serve. When ready, carefully transfer the salmon and vegetable foil packets with a spatula to individual serving plates. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and Spanish paprika used in this recipe.
- The salmon fillets are meant to be eaten right out of the foil. However, if you prefer to remove them, once baked, let the salmon fillets sit in the foil for 3-5 minutes and then very carefully lift each out with a large metal spatula.
Nutrition
QR code
Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/mediterranean-style-oven-baked-salmon-in-foil/
