For a family dinner or a meal with friends, this whole baked salmon with creamy seafood sauce is a dish that’s both delicious and easy to prepare.
Salmon, a flavorful and much-loved fish, is oven-baked with just a few spices to preserve its delicate texture. It is then generously topped with a rich, creamy sauce made with shrimp and squid.
This recipe is easy to scale depending on the number of guests. A whole 2 kg (about 4.4 lb) salmon is perfect for 5 to 6 people. If you’re hosting a larger gathering, you can opt for a 4 kg (8.8 lb) fish or more, just adjust the other ingredients accordingly. However, make sure you have a large enough oven to accommodate a fish of that size.
If a whole salmon feels like too much, you can also use salmon fillets or steaks, served, for instance, over a bed of creamed leeks, for a dish that’s just as flavorful and easier to portion.
Table of Contents
Tips :
Ask your fishmonger to gut and clean the salmon. You can also ask them to remove the head if it doesn’t fit in your baking dish.
For a whole salmon, plan about 300 to 350 g (10.5 to 12 oz) of raw salmon per person. This takes into account the inedible parts like the bones and the head. If you are serving salmon fillets, 180 to 200 g (6.5 to 7 oz) per person is usually enough.
Do not overcook the salmon to keep it moist and tender inside. Gentle cooking is ideal to preserve the fish’s tenderness. Generally, allow about 15 minutes of cooking time per kilogram (about 7 minutes per pound) at 180°C (350°F), but keep a close eye to avoid drying out the fish.
For salmon steaks, cook for 15 to 25 minutes depending on their thickness.
Check the doneness by testing the thickest part of the salmon, it should flake easily with a fork without being dry.
The seafood sauce can be prepared in advance without the cream, then reheated at the last minute by adding the cream and finishing the cooking a few minutes before serving.
Once the salmon is cooked, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes outside the oven. This allows the flesh to firm up, makes it easier to carve, and improves the texture when eating.
Ingredients for 1 baked salmon (Serves 6-8)
Note: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article
Salmon Marinade
- 1 whole salmon (about 2 kg / 4.4 lbs)
- 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill (or fennel fronds)
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
Cream sauce with seafood
- 400 g (14 oz) peeled shrimp, or a mix of half shrimp / half squid
- 400 ml (13.5 fl oz) heavy cream (for cooking)
- 200 g (7 oz) fresh button mushrooms, or 1 medium can of baby button mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan or Edam cheese
Vegetable Side Dish
- 500 g (about 1 lb) Brussels sprouts, or a mix of other vegetables (artichoke hearts, baby potatoes, green beans, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or garlic powder
- Oregano or Herbes de Provence
Preparation steps :
Prepare the Marinade
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
In a dish, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce (optional), dill, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
Generously coat the inside and outside of the salmon with this marinade.
On a baking tray, lay a large sheet of parchment paper, place the salmon on top, then wrap it in a sheet of aluminum foil.
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 35 minutes, or until the salmon is fully cooked. Allow approximately 15 minutes of cooking per kilogram. Check the doneness at the thickest part: the flesh should easily flake with a fork.
Prepare the Side Dish
Meanwhile, steam the Brussels sprouts or cook them in a little water. If you are using other vegetables or a mix, cook them the same way.
Drain the vegetables, then plunge them into an ice water bath to set their green color. Next, sauté them in olive oil with salt, pepper, chopped garlic or garlic powder, and Herbes de Provence.
Prepare the Creamy Sauce
In a frying pan, sauté the onion and chopped garlic in a drizzle of olive oil. If you are using garlic powder, add it after the shrimp.
Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, then add the peeled shrimp.
Season with salt and pepper, and let simmer until all the cooking juices have evaporated.
If you are using squid rings, first cook them in a little water for 15 minutes, drain, then add them to the pan along with the mushrooms and shrimp.
Turn off the heat and set aside until ready to serve.
Just before serving, pour the heavy cream over the shrimp and mushrooms, let it thicken for a few minutes over low heat, then add the cheese. Stir until it’s fully melted, then turn off the heat. The sauce should be nicely thick and coat the ingredients well.
Carefully take the salmon out of the oven, remove the aluminum foil, then place it with the parchment paper directly onto the serving dish. Gently peel away the parchment paper by sliding it out from under the fish.
Remove the skin from the top of the salmon using a knife or a flat spatula, then pour the creamy seafood sauce over the top.
Arrange the sautéed vegetables around the salmon for a beautiful presentation. You can also sprinkle some chopped dill or chives on top to add a touch of freshness and color.
Garnish with a few lemon slices and serve immediately!
Baked Salmon with Creamy Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Salmon Marinade
- 1 whole salmon about 2 kg / 4.4 lbs
- 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill or fennel fronds
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce optional
Cream sauce with seafood
- 400 g (14 oz) peeled shrimp, or a mix of half shrimp / half squid
- 400 ml (14 oz) heavy cream (for cooking)
- 200 g (7 oz) fresh button mushrooms, or 1 medium can of baby button mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan or Edam cheese
Vegetable Side Dish
- 500 g (about 1 lb) Brussels sprouts or a mix of other vegetables (artichoke hearts, baby potatoes, green beans, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or garlic powder
- Oregano or Herbes de Provence
PREPARATION
Prepare the Marinade
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- In a dish, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce (optional), dill, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Generously coat the inside and outside of the salmon with this marinade.
- On a baking tray, lay a large sheet of parchment paper, place the salmon on top, then wrap it in a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 35 minutes, or until the salmon is fully cooked. Allow approximately 15 minutes of cooking per kilogram. Check the doneness at the thickest part: the flesh should easily flake with a fork.
Prepare the Side Dish
- Meanwhile, steam the Brussels sprouts or cook them in a little water. If you are using other vegetables or a mix, cook them the same way.
- Drain the vegetables, then plunge them into an ice water bath to set their green color. Next, sauté them in olive oil with salt, pepper, chopped garlic or garlic powder, and Herbes de Provence.
Prepare the Creamy Sauce
- In a frying pan, sauté the onion and chopped garlic in a drizzle of olive oil. If you are using garlic powder, add it after the shrimp.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, then add the peeled shrimp.
- Season with salt and pepper, and let simmer until all the cooking juices have evaporated.
- If you are using squid rings, first cook them in a little water for 15 minutes, drain, then add them to the pan along with the mushrooms and shrimp.
- Turn off the heat and set aside until ready to serve.
- Just before serving, pour the heavy cream over the shrimp and mushrooms, let it thicken for a few minutes over low heat, then add the cheese. Stir until it’s fully melted, then turn off the heat. The sauce should be nicely thick and coat the ingredients well.
- Carefully take the salmon out of the oven, remove the aluminum foil, then place it with the parchment paper directly onto the serving dish. Gently peel away the parchment paper by sliding it out from under the fish.
- Remove the skin from the top of the salmon using a knife or a flat spatula, then pour the creamy seafood sauce over the top.
- Arrange the sautéed vegetables around the salmon for a beautiful presentation. You can also sprinkle some chopped dill or chives on top to add a touch of freshness and color.
- Garnish with a few lemon slices and serve immediately!
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your comments.