Name: Baked Asian Salmon in Foil
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds salmon (- skin on preferred); ⅓ cup lower-sodium soy sauce; 1 Tablespoon chili paste (- or chili sauce); 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce; 3 Tablespoons brown sugar; 1 large lime (- freshly squeezed); 3 cloves garlic (- minced); 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh ginger (- minced); salt and pepper (- to taste); rice, shelled edamame, cilantro (- to serve )

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Baked Asian Salmon in Foil is an easy weeknight dinner, but is impressive enough for guests on the weekend. The marinade is full of Asian ingredients which is key to this flavorful dish.

Salmon is a go-to here because it’s healthy and cooks so fast! We love grilling, so my Cedar Plank Salmon is a regular. When we make it indoors, I enjoy these Blackened Salmon Burgers with Avocado Crema and my Salmon Buddha Bowls!

Side shot of two large pieces of baked salmon.

Fish Lovers

We are seafood lovers at our home, and try to eat salmon or some other type of fish at least once a week. While we enjoy salmon, we also love eating other types of fish too. Just not the raw stuff!

If you enjoy tilapia, my Easy Fish Tacos are always a huge hit around here. Oh that Avocado Crema! We’ve also eaten a ton of shrimp lately, especially my Grilled Shrimp Tacos, and these super easy Honey Sriracha Shrimp Bowls!

Overhead shot of a chunk of baked salmon with marinade.

Ingredients Used

Salmon – I prefer to buy wild caught salmon, but you could also use farm-raised as well. If you can find some with the skin on, it’s adds moisture and flavor which is a good thing.
Low-sodium Soy Sauce – This is the base of the marinade, and using a lower-sodium version just makes sense. It still has SO much flavor.
Chili Paste – For some heat, which is balanced out with the brown sugar.
Oyster Sauce – Similar to hoisin sauce or fish sauce, this adds authentic flavor to Asian dishes giving them a boost of umami.
Brown Sugar – The sugar gives a bit of sweetness and counteracts the spiciness.
Lime – You’ll need one large lime, freshly squeezed.
Garlic – Three cloves of garlic, minced.
Ginger – You’ll need about 1.5 Tablespoons of minced (fresh) ginger, or less.

A bowl of the Asian marinade with limes.

How to make Asian Salmon in Foil

Make marinade. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl – the soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili paste, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic and ginger. Use a whisk to combine well.
Prep pan/foil. Take some foil and form it into a shallow “bowl”. It should be the size of the salmon. Place it on the sheet pan.
Assemble. Place the salmon in the foil “bowl” and then drizzle the marinade over top.
Bake. Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, approximately 18-23 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon. Be careful to avoid over-cooking. (See more below.)
Serve. Serve salmon with rice and edamame, or other sides of your choice.

When is salmon done?

Salmon is technically done when it registers 145 degrees on a digital thermometer. However, when I cook it that long, it’s dries out. There is a lot of carry-over cooking with salmon, and I use a fork to see if it’s done. If the salmon flakes easily with a fork, then it’s done.

For this recipe, my digital thermometer registered 125 degrees when I removed it from the oven. I let it rest awhile, and it was perfectly cooked. Done in the center and moist, as well!

Which varieties of salmon are available to buy?

There are many types of salmon available to buy in the U.S., including: Atlantic, Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon. All but the Atlantic salmon are harvested from wild fisheries in the Pacific Ocean, while the Atlantic salmon is primarily farm raised.

What is the best type of salmon to eat?

Wild-caught Pacific salmon are typically considered to be the healthiest salmon to eat. Both are fine to eat, but you should understand the differences in how they are raised and decide what is best for you.

According to livestrong.com, wild salmon swim between freshwater and the open ocean, consuming a varied diet of zooplankton and smaller fish. Farmed salmon are raised in pens and fed fishmeal, fish oil, and other protein-rich foods. While both types are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which are healthy unsaturated fats), farmed varieties typically have larger amounts of unhealthy saturated fats over their counterparts.

We have just recently started to buy Pacific salmon instead of farmed versions, and are surprised to find that they are still very tasty. In fact, we are starting to prefer it.

Overhead shot of two large pieces of baked salmon in foil.

Side Dishes to Pair with Salmon

Easy Mustard Roasted Potatoes – A super 3-ingredient (plus salt and pepper) potato recipe that is so tasty.
Roasted Brussels sprouts with Bacon – One of my favs, and goes perfectly with salmon.
Shaved Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Dressing – I forget about this one, and it’s time to make it again. So fresh!
Kale and Quinoa Salad – This is one of my personal favorites on the blog, and I love the combo of flavors.
…and so many more on the blog!

A plate of baked Asian salmon with a fork.

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xoxo ~Sue