Baked BBQ Salmon | Kara Lydon

A quick and easy weeknight sheet pan meal, this Baked BBQ Salmon is perfect for when we’re craving BBQ but want minimal clean up.

If you’re a fan of sheet pan dinners for their ease and minimal clean-up, you’re going to love this Baked BBQ Salmon!

Ready in just 40 minutes, this is a perfect weeknight meal to add to your dinner rotation!

The salmon is cooked until it’s buttery and flaky – no overcooked salmon here! Perfectly paired with spiced sweet potatoes and crunchy green beans, it’s the perfect meal for when you’re craving BBQ vibes. 

And as an added bonus – this recipe boasts omega-3 fatty acids! They’re helpful for heart, brain, and cardiovascular health, and are found in fatty fish like salmon. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Notes on Ingredients

Salmon: Fattier cuts (aka not wild or sockeye) will work best here for texture and flavor. I find it easiest to buy pre-cut filets to save time and ensure everything is evenly cooked. 

BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite variety or brand! I used Kansas City style BBQ sauce – think thick, sweet, and tangy!

Spices: I chose chili powder and smoked paprika for extra spice and smoky BBQ flavor. 

Sweet Potato and Green Beans: To add some veg and some starch. You could swap for other starches and veggies, like white potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, snap peas, carrots, squash, and more. 

Equipment You’ll Need

Sheet Pan

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How to Make Baked BBQ Salmon

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush salmon with BBQ sauce on all sides. Set aside.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, add sweet potato wedges, 2 tablespoons olive oil, chili powder and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss together to evenly coat.

Step 3: Spread sweet potato onto baking sheet.

Step 4: Toss green beans in the same bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to evenly coat.

Step 5: Spread out onto baking sheet, saving room in the middle for the salmon. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Step 6: Lower oven to 300 degrees F. Add salmon onto baking sheet.  

Step 7: Cook until salmon is flaky and reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F (for medium salmon), about 20 minutes.

Expert Tips

The USDA safe internal cooking temperature recommendation for fish is 145°F but I like to cook my salmon to medium consistency (which is the standard texture you’d get at a restaurant unless you specify otherwise). To achieve medium salmon, I like to cook my fish until it reaches a temperature of 135 degrees F. You can also gauge the doneness of your fish by inserting a fork into the the thickest piece of the fish and seeing if it easily flakes. If it does, it’s likely done!

Recipe FAQ

What’s the best temperature to bake salmon?

I prefer baking my salmon at 300 or 325 degrees F. The lower temperature takes a bit longer, but it ensures the salmon cooks slowly, does not dry out, and gets that perfect flaky texture. You can go up to 350F, or even 425F, but you’ll want to cook it for less time. 

How long should you bake the salmon? 

At 300 degrees F, with a 6 oz filet like I used, it will take about 20 minutes, but this depends on the size of your filet. If you plan to roast your salmon whole, without cutting into filets, it will take longer (25-35 minutes depending on the thickness of your piece of fish). As I noted above, it will take less time at higher temps. Wild salmon, which I did not use here, has less fat, so if you choose sockeye or a similar variety, you’ll want to take the cook time down as well.

If you want to be sure, use a meat thermometer! The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees F. 

How do you keep salmon from getting too dry?

Beware of over-cooking! Though the USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees F, I find the best texture is found at 135 degrees F (for medium salmon), but this is totally up to you. If you don’t have an instant thermometer, try breaking the salmon apart with your fork. When done, it should separate (or flake) very easily with light pressure, and the center should no longer appear raw. 

I’d also suggest choosing fattier cuts, as it will retain more moisture and be harder to overcook. Adding sauce, like BBQ here, will also help bring back the soft, moist texture you’re looking for!

For more tips on cooking salmon, check out my Slow Cooked Salmon and my Air Fryer Salmon!

Storage and Preparation

You can marinate the salmon up to 24 hours ahead of time for even more BBQ flavor. If you’re trying to plan ahead, I love to cut and prep my veggies the day before, too. 

Once cooked, salmon will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Personally, I like to eat it cold once it’s been in the fridge. If you choose to reheat, it may dry out a bit. Baked salmon can last in the freezer for 4-6 months, but the texture and flavor may change. Make sure to let it cool completely and wrap it tightly and store in an airtight container to seal in as much moisture as possible. 

Recipes That Pair Well

For more cookout inspiration, check out my other recipes below!

If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure
to pin it on Pinterest!

This recipe was retested, reshot and revamped to bring you the most delicious (and most beautiful) dish! The original post was published June 2019.

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