Oven Baked Cajun Salmon (Printable Version)

Bold Cajun-spiced salmon fillets baked to juicy perfection in just 25 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner.

# What You Need:

01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on or skinless

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil

03 - 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning

04 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder

05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

07 - 1/4 tsp sea salt, adjust to taste

08 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

09 - 1 small lemon, cut into wedges

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil.

02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and arrange them skin side down on the prepared baking sheet.

03 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and sea salt until well blended.

04 - Brush or rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the tops and sides of each salmon fillet.

05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

06 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

01 -

The spice rub doubles as a marinade if you have an extra thirty minutes, and either way it tastes like you tried much harder than you did.
It is genuinely weeknight fast but impressive enough that guests will assume you spent the afternoon preparing.

02 -

Overbaking by even two minutes is the difference between silky salmon and something dry, so start checking at the twelve minute mark.
Cajun seasoning blends vary wildly in heat and salt between brands, so always taste yours before adding extra salt to the mix.

03 -

Letting the spice rubbed salmon sit for thirty minutes in the fridge before baking deepens the flavor dramatically without any extra effort.
Pressing the seasoning paste on with your hands instead of a brush gives you a thicker, more even crust that caramelizes better in the oven.