Southwest Baked Salmon {15 minutes}

Southwest baked salmon is an easy broiled salmon recipe with a delicious spice mixture that’s ready in only 15 minutes! Great for a quick dinner or for meal prepping.

So earlier this week I shared my southwest salmon burgers as part of Burger Month. Go check out that post if you love salmon as much as I do. And if you want to win some seriously awesome swag!

Today’s recipe is also salmon-based and the newest in a long line of ridiculously easy salmon recipes.

Cause I love salmon — it’s my favorite fish for both the flavor and for how healthy it is — and I love super easy fish recipes that I can make with on-hand ingredients.

I’ve shared my easy BBQ salmon, bourbon salmon, honey lime salmon and honey Dijon salmon.

And this baked Mediterranean salmon that's full of flavor and also ready in just 15 minutes.

Today we’re keeping it simple (again, still, always) with a really easy but delicious southwest baked salmon. It uses a homemade southwest seasoning mixture that’s based on an Emeril Lagasse recipe.

All you have to do is measure and mix the spices, sprinkle them over the salmon and give it a quick roast in the oven.

Voila! A healthy salmon dinner (or lunch, or meal prep) that is ready in under 15 minutes! And has GREAT flavor!

Plus, you can use this roasted salmon in so many ways.

(Because of that, I make this a lot and in different ways, too. Check out this Air Fryer salmon for a different version of this recipe if you have an Air Fryer at home.)

I’ve got some ideas on that, as well as notes and toppings, coming your way.

Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on easy southwest salmon:

• I prefer wild salmon because it has more flavor and is a tad healthier than farmed salmon, but either will work. Just make sure your salmon is completely thawed if it’s been frozen.
• The seasoning mixture here is really easy to mix together and has great flavor. You can sub a store-bought southwestern seasoning mix if you prefer, but it might be a bit saltier.
• I love using a bit of butter on top of each fish filet so that it melts and helps brown the salmon and add extra richness. You can substitute a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if you prefer.
• You could also skip those if you want to lighten this up and just use a slice of lime on each salmon as it roasts, squeezing the juice over it after it comes out of the oven.

Now, what to pair this with?

Here’s a few ideas you can check out...

Serving ideas for baked salmon:

- This salmon goes great with steamed brown or white rice and a steamed vegetable. You can even make it into a rice bowl and add your favorite toppings.

- Other grains like faro or quinoa would be great pairings too. Or use cauliflower rice to keep this a low-carb recipe.

- This also goes great with roasted potatoes like my spicy roasted potatoes or paprika potatoes. Add a salad and you are set!

- You can use this roasted salmon for tacos! After it rests, flake it with a fork and pile it into some soft tacos or tortillas, add some coleslaw and dig in!

Also, I love having leftovers of this for a grain bowl or a wrap the next day. (Which is why I say it’s a great meal prep recipe; it’s delicious warm or cold.)

This would also be amazing with the Mexican coleslaw recipe I shared at the beginning of the month that I’m utterly obsessed with.

Next, in case you're a newbie, let me just say, broiling fish is a super quick and easy way to make it delicious. But you do need to keep an eye on it and be careful!

Tips on broiling salmon:

- Make sure to preheat your broiler on high to get it ready. The oven rack should be about 4-6 inches from the broiler. (Too close and it'll burn the top of your salmon before it cooks through. Too far away and it won't brown up the top of the filets.)

- Place the prepared salmon skin side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Easy peasy clean up.

- Broil the salmon for 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness. For a good-sized, 1-inch thick piece, check the salmon for doneness at 7-8 minutes.

- The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is pink and just slightly translucent in the center. (It should not look red or raw in the center.)

- Let the salmon rest for a few minutes before serving.

And that's it - SO quick and easy!

But of course, as with most of my recipes, I’ve got topping ideas for you.

Use whatever of these suits your fancy to make this recipe just perfect for you!

Topping ideas for southwestern salmon:

- Pico de gallo or fresh salsa

- Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole

- Dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream

- Sliced green onions

- Fresh chopped cilantro

- Hot sauce, sriracha or pickled jalapeños for a spicy kick

- Squeeze of fresh lime juice

I hope you give this a try for a quick salmon dinner that you can have on the table in no time. I think you are going to love it!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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4.58 from 14 votes

Southwest baked salmon

Southwest baked salmon is an easy broiled salmon recipe with a delicious spice mixture that’s ready in only 15 minutes! Great for a quick dinner or for meal prepping.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Total Time13 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

1x2x3x

Cook Mode

Ingredients

For the southwest seasoning:

• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (can reduce or omit)

For the salmon:

• 4 (6 oz.) wild salmon filets
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces (or sub olive oil; see notes)

Optional toppings:

• Pico de gallo or fresh salsa, sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole, dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, sliced green onions, fresh chopped cilantro, hot sauce, sriracha or pickled jalapeños for a spicy kick, squeeze of fresh lime juice

Instructions

• Preheat the broiler on high and place a rack about 4-6 inches from the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray with cooking spray.
• Place the salmon filets on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down.
• Combine all of the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
• Generously season the tops of each salmon piece with the seasoning mixture. Top each salmon filet with a pat of butter.
• Broil salmon on high for 6-8 minutes, until it flakes easily and is pink and just slightly translucent in the center. (The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish.)
• Let the salmon rest for 3-4 minutes then serve with desired toppings.

Notes

I love using a bit of butter on top of each filet so that it melts and helps brown the salmon and add extra richness. You can substitute a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if you prefer.

You could also skip those if you want to lighten this up and use a slice of lime on each salmon as it roasts, squeezing the juice over it after it comes out of the oven.

This salmon goes great with steamed brown or white rice and a steamed vegetable. You can even make it into a rice bowl and add your favorite toppings. It's also great for tacos or in a wrap.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 495kcal | Trans Fat: 1g

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