Cilantro Lime Baked Salmon

This sheet pan Cilantro Lime Baked Salmon recipe is quick, easy, and a great way to prepare salmon during the week. The fresh salmon is coated with olive oil, fresh cilantro, lime, and jalapeños, then baked in the oven. The salmon comes out moist, flaky, and delicious!

Check out my Air Fryer Mahi Mahi and my Keto Tuna Patties for more delicious seafood recipes!

This cilantro lime salmon recipe is perfect if you are new to preparing salmon or looking for a fresh and healthy salmon recipe to add to the weeknight rotation. I get it: cooking a fresh salmon filet can be intimidating, but with these step-by-step instructions, you'll bake moist, flaky, and incredibly flavorful salmon every time!

Salmon is a rich, mild flavored fish that pairs well with bold and subtle tastes, but in my humble opinion, cilantro and lime are the perfect combination of flavors for this juicy, mouthwatering fish.

Salmon doesn't cook as quickly as white fish varieties, but the few extra minutes of waiting will be worth it. Even so, you can have this sheet pan salmon on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Salmon is very low carb and a great omega-3 fatty acids and protein source.
• Fresh salmon is naturally delicious. Cilantro and lime make it even better.
• Making this salmon a meal is simple and a great option for meal prep and weeknights.
• It's made with naturally gluten free, dairy free, and keto ingredients.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Salmon: I recommend buying wild pacific salmon fresh from the fish counter or a local seafood market. However, quality frozen salmon filets also work and have great flavor, but they must be thawed in the refrigerator before baking.
• Salt & Pepper: Enhances the salmon's naturally sweet, buttery, and rich flavor.
• Cilantro Lime Sauce: One taste of this vibrant, zesty sauce, and you'll want to put it on everything (so double up the recipe!). It's made with olive oil, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and lime, a dynamic blend of flavors that pairs perfectly with salmon.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 400 ℉. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Step 2: Make cilantro lime sauce. Add the olive oil, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice to a food processor and process until the mixture is a spreadable, paste-like consistency.

Step 3: Prep salmon for baking. Place the salmon (skin side facing down) on the baking sheet, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper. Smear the cilantro lime mixture over the top, coating the fish in an even layer.

Step 4: Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the thickest portion of the salmon reaches 145 ℉ (about 15 minutes). Serve warm with your choice of healthy sides.

NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!

Expert Tips

• Feel free to use several small salmon filets instead of one large filet, but make sure small filets are cut the same size, so they cook evenly.
• Whether you make this with skin-on or skinless salmon is a matter of preference. I like leaving the skin on for the added flavor and nutrients.
• If you add the whole jalapeño to the cilantro lime mixture, expect it to be SPICY! To lower the heat, scrape out the seeds and inner membrane with a spoon, and only mix in what you can tolerate.
• According to the FDA, the internal temperature of salmon should be at least 145 ℉. If you don't have a meat thermometer, check for doneness by gently pressing into the thickest part of the fish with a fork. When it's finished, the flesh will easily flake and break apart.
• Keep an eye on the oven. Salmon tends to go from cooked perfectly to overcooked quickly.

Variations & Serving

If you have room on the baking sheet, you can add vegetables and bake everything at once. Toss the veggies with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper before spreading them out in an even layer around the salmon. Thin asparagus, quartered new potatoes, zucchini, broccoli florets, radish, and grape tomatoes are great options.

You can also make this baked salmon with cilantro and lime a meal by serving it with a couple of these healthy side dishes.

• Green Salad
• Pea Guacamole
• Roasted Potatoes
• Creamy Polenta
• Copycat Chipotle Cauliflower Rice
• Steamed Rice
• Black Beans

Feel free to experiment with the protein. You can also use the cilantro and lime mixture as a marinade for fish, shrimp, chicken, pork loin, and lean cuts of beef.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Once cool, salmon will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing: It also keeps well in the freezer. Place the salmon in a freezer-safe container or wrap tightly in foil, and store frozen for 4-6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Recipe FAQ‘s

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Oven Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon

5 from 31 votes

By Kate

This sheet pan cilantro lime salmon recipe is quick, easy, and a great way to prepare salmon during the week. Fresh salmon is coated with olive oil, fresh cilantro, lime, and jalapeños, then baked in the oven. The salmon comes out moist, flaky, and delicious!

Pin Recipe Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 15 minutes mins

Total 30 minutes mins

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 235kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Special Equipment

• ▢
  Silicone Spatula
• ▢
  Meat Thermometer
• ▢
  Food Processor
• ▢
  Non-Stick Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 pounds fresh salmon
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 jalapeño roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cilantro roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 garlic clove
• ▢ 1 lime juiced

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
• Add the olive oil, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice to a food processor and process until the mixture is a spreadable, paste-like consistency.
• Place the salmon (skin side facing down) on the baking sheet, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper. Smear the cilantro lime mixture over the top, coating the fish in an even layer.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the thickest portion of the salmon reaches 145°F (about 15 minutes). Serve warm with your choice of healthy sides.

Notes

• Feel free to use several small salmon filets instead of one large filet, but make sure small filets are cut the same size, so they cook evenly.
• Whether you make this with skin-on or skinless salmon is a matter of preference. I like leaving the skin on for the added flavor and nutrients.
• If you add the whole jalapeño to the cilantro lime mixture, expect it to be SPICY! To lower the heat, scrape out the seeds and inner membrane with a spoon, and only mix in what you can tolerate.
• According to the FDA, the internal temperature of salmon should be at least 145°. If you don't have a meat thermometer, check for doneness by gently pressing into the thickest part of the fish with a fork. When it's finished, the flesh will easily flake and break apart.
• Keep an eye on the oven. Salmon tends to go from cooked perfectly to overcooked quickly.
• Storing: Once cool, salmon will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: It also keeps well in the freezer. Place the salmon in a freezer-safe container or wrap tightly in foil, and store frozen for 4-6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 31gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 114mg

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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