Baked Paprika Salmon with Onions
This Baked Paprika Salmon with Onions is moist, flavorful, and comes together quickly. A flavored butter seasoned with paprika, lemon pepper, and garlic salt does all the heavy lifting. The onions keep everything juicy and add a subtle sweetness. It’s a simple weeknight dinner that tastes anything but.
This is my mother-in-law’s recipe. She made us this dish a few weeks ago and I loved it. It was super moist, flavorful, and easy to make. My husband asked my mother-in-law whether it was her own recipe or something she learned from somewhere else. Apparently, she got the idea from an Instagram video, then made some adjustments and added onions. I never expected my mother-in-law to be learning recipes from social media. How funny and wonderful!
This salmon is really easy to put together and doesn’t require too many ingredients. Here are a few things to note:
Flavored Butter:
This flavored butter is the only seasoning in this dish. First, bring the butter to room temperature so the seasoning can be easily mixed in. It has paprika, lemon pepper, and garlic salt. That’s it. Mix well and set aside.
Salmon:
I have used both 6-ounce and 8-ounce fillets and they both work well. Just make sure the skin is removed. I like using fattier salmon, like king salmon or Atlantic salmon.
Onion:
White onion is the way to go. It’s milder and less pungent than yellow onion, and has a slight sweetness and a little crunch after cooking.
Baking Time:
Baking time is around 15 to 18 minutes depending on the size of the salmon. I don’t like cooking salmon too long. It’s perfect when the center is slightly translucent and not fully cooked through. The internal temperature should read 120°F to 125°F.
Topping:
This dish can be a little rich, so it’s nice to lighten things up with some freshness and citrus. I added chives on top and served lemon wedges on the side.
This recipe has without a doubt become part of my weeknight rotation. The flavors are complex from all the spices, and all that seasoning melts right into the onions. I just couldn’t get enough of those onions. I kept scooping them over my steamed rice. And if you don’t count the time needed for the butter to come to room temperature, the whole thing comes together in just 35 minutes. It’s a really satisfying and easy meal. This one is a keeper, and I have my mother-in-law to thank for it.
Baked Paprika Salmon with Onions
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1¼ teaspoons paprika
- ¾ teaspoon lemon pepper
- ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 medium white onion, (thinly sliced)
- 1 pound skin off salmon fillets, (2 8-ounce fillets or 3 6-ounce fillets)
- 2 teaspoons chive or green onion, (finely minced)
- Lemon wedges, (for serving)
Instructions
- 1 hour ahead, take out butter, cut into cubes and place into a small bowl. Set aside and let the butter comes to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C) with a rack in the center position.
- Once the butter is softened, add paprika, lemon pepper and garlic salt. Mix well.
- In a 9 x 13 baking pan or casserole dish, add the onion and spread them out evenly.
- For the salmon, pat dried with paper towels. Place the salmon on top of the onion, by leaving spaces in between. Using a flexible spatula, spread the seasoned butter all over the salmon fillets, including the bottoms and the sides.
- Bake in the oven for 15 – 18 minutes. The internal temperature should be about 120˚F. Remove from oven. Top with chive and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- I prefer white onion for this recipe. White onion is milder and less pungent than yellow onion. The onion won’t be 100% cooked through, so you want milder without a strong aftertaste.
- I like to serve this dish with steamed rice or mashed potatoes and some simple vegetables.
