Oven Baked Salmon in Cast Iron

This oven baked salmon in cast iron is the most delicious and best way to cook up salmon. When you cook salmon in cast iron in the oven, the skin gets nice and crisp and the salmon comes out so tender and delicious. The dijon topping for this oven-baked salmon is so easy to make too and really big on flavor. I highly recommend making this so you can see how delicious it is and how easy making an amazing salmon dinner can be.

Now if you have followed me for a while, you know I love cooking with cast iron.

Just recently I tried out cooking salmon in a cast iron skillet in the oven and honestly, I wish I did this sooner. Cooking salmon in cast iron in the oven keeps the salmon filets really tender and it also makes for a quick and simple meal that is ready in 15 minutes.

The one thing you need to do is to ensure the cast iron pan is nice and hot. To do this, you will need to pre-heat it in an oven before adding the salmon.

You only need about 10 minutes for this recipe and it always comes out delicious.

Ingredients

There are only a few ingredients needed to throw this super simple cast iron salmon together and have it on the table.

• Salmon filets. About 1 inch thick is what I use for this recipe.
• Dijon mustard. Any brand will be fine. The dijon mixed with the spices below creates a beautiful crust on the salmon and adds delicious flavor.
• Olive oil. You can use regular olive oil or extra virgin.
• Spices (salt, pepper, and sweet paprika). This blend of spices is delicious with the salmon. You can certainly change it up a bit if you prefer.
• Lemon slices. Optional. Squeezing a bit of fresh lemon over the salmon after they are done cooking really brightens the flavors.

I like to add lemon slices to the top of my salmon when it is done cooking. It looks pretty and the lemon will impart some of its juices adding a little more flavor and complimenting the dijon topping.

If you do not have lemon that is ok. It will taste amazing without it.

How to bake salmon in cast iron

The first thing you want to do is pre-heat the cast iron skillet in the oven. I like to preheat the cast iron for about 10 minutes.

After you have done that, you make the dijon topping for the salmon. This is merely mixing the dijon, olive oil, and spices together.

Very easy!

Once the dijon topping is made, you can spoon the dijon dressing over the salmon filets. The topping is somewhat thick and it will stick to the top of the salmon when cooking.

This gives the most delicious flavor to each bite of salmon when you eat it!

Once the cast iron skillet is pre-heated and the salmon is nice and coated with the delicious dijon topping, you can now add the salmon to the hot cast iron.

Be careful during this step since the cast iron is hot! I like to use a fish spatula to place the salmon fillets in the pan.

You will hear the skin sizzle as it hits the cast iron. That is a great sound!

Top Tips

1. Make sure to preheat your cast iron pan well. Pre-heating the pan so it is very hot will ensure the salmon sears really well and that will help the salmon to release from the pan when it is time to flip it.
2. Coat the cast iron with oil before heating. Making sure your cast iron pan is nicely seasoned which just means it has some oil on it, will help the food you cook in it be less likely to stick. To do this, take 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and add that to your cast iron pan before heating. With a paper towel, rub the entire inside of your cast iron pan well with the oil. Now go ahead and pre-heat your pan. Ideally, you should oil your cast iron after every wash.
3. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees: According to the Food Safety Department of the U.S. government, fish should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches to ensure harmful bacteria are killed. You can easily check this by using a digital thermometer that you insert into the thickest part of the filet.

Faqs

Storing And Leftovers

Baked salmon makes really delicious leftovers. The one caveat is that when warming it back up, it will cook it a bit more so plan for that. I like to store the salmon in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 2 days.

If I want to reheat it, I like to wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. You can also not reheat the leftover salmon and just flake it apart and mix it with mayonnaise for a delicious salmon salad.

Serving Ideas

Now that you have made the most delicious and easy salmon ever, you may need some equally delicious sides to go with it. Here are my favorites to go with this salmon.

• Roasted garlic green beans. This is one of my favorites and it involves just green beans, garlic, and olive oil roasted to crispy perfection in the same hot oven that the salmon cooks.
• Roasted Cheesy Asparagus
• Rice
• Potatoes and Broccoli
• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Country Green Beans

If you like the Dijon topping on this cast iron baked salmon, you should check out my Dijon steak tips recipe. Same great topping but on steak!

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