12-Minute Herb & Mayo Salmon
If you are looking for an easy salmon recipe, then look no further! This is my go to salmon dish that is easy enough for weeknight dinner and tasty enough to serve to guests. The salmon is coated in a delicious sauce made with dill, lemon, capers and mayonnaise and baked in the oven until flakey. This Herb & Mayonnaise Salmon takes just 12 minutes to make start to finish and truly couldn’t be any easier to make.
I am a salmon lover and cook it quite regularly when I want a fast and healthy dinner that isn’t chicken. Although I cook it often, I have to confess that the majority of the time, I make it the same way. So here it is, a very simple, very fast and very delicious way (and practically the only way) I make salmon.
Why You Will Love This Herb & Mayonnaise Salmon
- It is truly foolproof to make! You can’t get an easier salmon recipe than this to prepare which makes it the perfect recipe to try whether its your first time cooking salmon or you make it regularly.
- If you are looking for easy dinners, look no further! This delicious baked salmon takes just 12 minutes to prepare start to finish! It’s the perfect quick meal for busy weeknights when you are short on time.
- Whether you are a salmon lover, or are feeding this to picky kids, it’s an easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love.
- Leftover salmon is just as tasty the next day enjoy warm, or cold on a salad.
- This salmon with mayonnaise is Whole30, Keto, Paleo, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
What You Need To Make This Salmon With Mayonnaise & Herbs
For this recipe you will need:
- Salmon – I prefer wild salmon, but any fresh salmon of choice works.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite mayonnaise brand or you can alternatively use homemade. I have even made this dish with an egg free mayonnaise and it turned out great.
- Garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic cloves rather than jarred garlic. If you are in a pinch then garlic powder would also work although the flavor of the mayo sauce will be different.
- Capers: they add a wonderful saltiness to the sauce and should not be skipped.
- Lemon: The mayonnaise sauce requires 1 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice so I recommend cutting the lemon in half and using half for the juice and cutting the other into lemon slices which are placed on the salmon before baking.
- Dill: Either fresh dill or dried dill works, see more details about quantities below.
Fresh Dill or Dried Dill?
Although I prefer using fresh dill in this recipe, dried works as well. Because dried herbs have a much stronger concentration of flavour due to the water being removed during dehydration, you should always use less dried herbs than fresh in a recipe. As a general rule, use 3 times the amount of fresh herbs to dried, so for this recipe which calls for 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh dill, only use 1/2 tablespoon of dried dill in its place.
How To Make This Salmon With Mayonnaise & Herbs
It truly couldn’t be any easier to make, it’s foolproof!
- Place the salmon filets skin side down in a baking pan or on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and season salmon with black pepper and sea salt.
- In a bowl stir together the mayonnaise, lemon, capers, garlic and dill. Taste the mayonnaise mixture to ensure that you are happy with the way it tastes and adjust the sauce as needed.
- Spoon the mayo mixture on top of the salmon fillets, ensuring that there is a thin layer of mayo on the top as well as the sides. Place a lemon slice onto each piece of salmon
- Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes (the baking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon fillets)
Find the full instructions in the recipe card below.
How To Tell When The Salmon Is Done Cooking
There are a few different ways to tell whether the salmon is properly cooked:
- Color: Cooked salmon changes color from translucent or raw to opaque. Look for a shift from bright, translucent pink to a lighter, opaque pink or peach. The flesh should be evenly colored.
- Texture: Gently press the salmon with a fork. When it’s cooked, the fish flakes easily. The flakes should be moist but not overly mushy.
- Internal Temperature: Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the cooked fish. As a rule of thumb, salmon is done when it has a temperature of 145°F (63°C). Be sure to always test the thickest part of the salmon rather than the thinner part which will always cook faster.
Can This Salmon with Mayonnaise Be Made In The Airfryer?
It can! Place the coated salmon in the airfryer and cook for 7 minutes at 400º Fahrenheit.
What To Serve With This Salmon With Mayonnaise & Herbs
I like to add some green beans or asparagus tossed in olive oil to the baking sheet with the salmon that you can bake at the same time for an all in one easy meal.
Other great side dishes to serve with this salmon include:
- Charred Asparagus
- Roasted Radishes
- Lemon Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds
- Roasted Fennel with Garlic and Herbs
- Roasted Broccoli
- Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Can I Make This Herb & Mayonnaise Salmon In Advance?
For the best results I wouldn’t recommend cooking the salmon until right before eating. You can however make the dill, caper and lemon mayonnaise and spread it over the salmon and leave in the fridge up to a day in advance. Then simply put it in the oven to cook before serving.
What About Leftovers
Leftover Salmon with mayonnaise will last for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I find that leftovers are best enjoyed cold straight from the fridge. While you can reheat them in the oven or a microwave, they can quickly become overcooked and dry out. It’s best to reheat salmon low and slow at 300° Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes until just warmed through.
Here are a few more salmon recipes that you might enjoy…
- Pistachio Crusted Salmon
- Blackened Salmon with Green Sauce
- Garlic Honey Mustard Salmon
- Easy Spinach Stuffed Salmon
- Cajun Salmon Burgers with Mango Salsa
- Coconut Ginger Salmon
- Spicy Baked Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon Traybake
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Easy Herb & Mayo Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (approx 6oz each)
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1 tsp capers
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/2 lemon thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius)
- Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish and season each with salt and pepper
- Finely dice the capers, dill. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice to a bowl and stir in the capers, dill and garlic. Once well mixed spoon the mayo mixture onto each of the salmon fillets and spread it out evenly in a thin layer. Top each of the salmon fillets with a slice of lemon.
- Bake the salmon in the oven for 8 minutes. Sprinkle with additional dill before serving.
Airfryer Instructions
- Preheat the airfryer for 2 minutes at 400 degrees
- Place the salmon fillets coated in the sauce into the airfryer basket and cook for 7 minutes.
Nutrition
This receipe was quick and easy as promised. It was delicious. Definitely saving this to make again!
Easy, fast and yummy!
Rainy outside … perfect in oven … warmed the kitchen & so delicious!!! Thanks … 🤗🍑
I got a really good avocado oil based mayo recently that I’ve been using a lot of different ways and this was a win for sure. I used a little Sriracha sauce in the mayo to give it a kick and limes instead of lemons but the freshness of the dill and the overall creaminess still came through. I wouldn’t have thought salmon smothered in mayo would be so good but I am pleasantly surprised!
I make this recipe several times a month. Love it! Good enough for company. So easy. I don’t change anything. It’s great as written. Thank you!
Seriously one of the best salmon recipes I’ve eaten! It’s so so good! 😋
This is soon delicious!! My husband & l really enjoyed it. I served it with asparagus & cauliflower with hollandaise sauce.
Oh so tasty! I will definitely cook my salmon this way always!!
I made my pieces bigger so I had to cook it for 20 min total. ( about 5″ across)
Thanks so much
My hubby absolutely loved this. He said it was the best he ever had. And this is coming from a 54 year old ex-navy man. He is on Keto diet but also has to watch his sodium intake so I sub the capers with an artichoke spinach dip that just blended with the rest of your ingredients perfectly. Thanks so much.
This is a fantastic recipe! I’ve made it several times and it’s so delicious. Absolutely love it! I like making extra and making a salmon salad next day for lunch. I do cook it a bit longer as I like my salmon cooked all the way through. An added bonus is that my place does not smell like fish afterwards. I think the mayo contains the cooking smells?
Excellent and easy!
I have a question. In the introductory narrative of the recipe, you say to bake in the oven for 12 minutes. In the directions in the Header, you say cook time 8 minutes. In the recipe that is printed out, it says 7 minutes. Please clarify for me. Looking forward to making this.
4 minutes prep time plus 8 minutes baking time equals 12 minutes.
Delicious! And the capers actually don’t make it too salty. Wonderful recipe! Thank you!
Wonderful recipe! I am so surprised my house does not smell like fish when cooking haha. It’s really delicious and easy. And yes, great for leftovers for lunch the next day as a cold salad. I am a super fussy foodie on fish. I’ve made this twice and actually can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!
I have made this many times, and every time I receive tons of compliments – great recipe!
Amazingly delicious and easy. My entire family gobbles this up. I’m on keto so the perfect keto dinner. My only question is in the nutrition info, how much would a serving be? Thank you for sharing.
OMG don’t walk, RUN to make this herb salmon!!! So delicious, you just can’t go wrong with the garlicky creaminess on top of salmon. I didn’t have fresh dill, soni used some dried dill, and I absolutely LOVED it, and I can’t wait to see how much better it’s going to be with some fresh dill!! Another winner for sure!
I just made this, adding a small amount of finely chopped red onion to the mayo mixture. It was fabulous! My husband, who isn’t all that fond of salmon, ate two!! I need not say anymore!!
My mayo falls off my salmon. Is my problem because I’ve been putting to much mayonnaise on the salmon?
It helps to rinse your salmon and oat dry before applying your mayo 🙂
Delicious!
So delicious and easy to make!
Amazing
To assemble, spread the herbed mayonnaise on top of a slice of toasted bread and top with the salmon, bacon, tomato slices, and arugula. Serve with the remaining lemon slices.
I am so glad I found you via the Whole30 takeover! This recipe was amazing and so fast and easy. It took longer for my oven to heat up than anything else. Make extra to add to tomorrow salad.
The perfect fast recipe for weeknight dinner 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
So glad I made 4 because it’s delicious cold the next day on a salad. Easy peasy!
I normally don’t like leftover fish but I totally agree, its great as leftovers!
I usually don’t like capers because they’re too salty. What is a good substitute for this recipe?
Just add a bit of extra salt to the mayo to replicate the saltiness from the capers.