Easy Broiled Salmon Recipe
Published November 13, 2019. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
If you’re in a pinch and need a seriously delicious entrée to serve up to family and guests, then this easy broiled salmon recipe with garlic, lemon, and a delicious sauce comes together in under 30 minutes. If you’re a huge salmon fan like me then absolutely check out my Salmon Burgers or Brown Sugar Salmon.
While it happens all year long, it seems during those holiday months, a lot more guests are showing up last minute and sometimes unexpectedly. Our door is always open, so we love to entertain, and when I need something super delicious on the table to feed some folks, this easy broiled salmon recipe is my absolute go-to, and if you make it, it’ll be yours as well.

Try serving this with my simple Boiled Green Beans Recipe or Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Do You Keep the Skin on When Broiling Salmon
When it comes to cooking salmon, whether that’s broiling or another cooking method, I always prefer to cook it with the skin on. While you can eat the cooked skin, I believe it serves a bigger purpose. It will help season your fish as well as keep it moist since it will seal all of the juices while broiling it.
Is It Better to Bake or Broil Salmon?
There is a difference between broiling or baking fish and whether or not one method is better than the other. Here are my thoughts:
- Baked Salmon – When baking it, the oven is hot on all sides, cooking the salmon from every direction. Baking salmon takes longer than broiling and tends to overcook, making it dry.
- Broiled Salmon – Broiled is cooked directly from the heating element on top of the oven, roasting until light brown. It cooks relatively quickly, and the browning of the salmon helps intensify the delicious flavor.
What Is the Best Temperature to Broil At
A lot of ovens differ in broiling temperatures. Some have a low, medium, or high function, while others can specify the exact temperature.
I believe that a medium setting or 500° is the perfect broiling temperature. It’s hot enough to brown up your salmon while cooking it through and without burning it quickly.
Do You have to Flip the Salmon When Broiling
There is no need to flip the fish when broiling it in the oven. While it does cook from the heating elements directly above it on the top part of the oven, you are still heating up the oven and keeping it how, which will further cook the entire salmon.
The best way to think of this is by cooking your fish on the grill with the grill door closed. It will cook from the bottom, and the entire grill stays hot when the lid is closed.
How Long Do You Broil Salmon For?
An overcooked fish is a very sad fish, so I always like to slightly undercook the salmon so that when it’s ready to serve, it’s at the perfect internal temperature. You can eat salmon anywhere from a medium to well-done internal temperature, so I usually take it out of the oven when it’s medium or 140° internally.
With all this being said, it takes about 7-8 minutes at 500° on the broil setting to cook a piece of salmon.
How to Broil Salmon
1. Start by coating the fish in lemon juice, finely minced garlic, olive oil (or melted butter), salt, and pepper.

2.: Simply place the salmon about 8-10” away from the top heating broiler element on the top of the oven, and broil at 500° or medium for 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove the fish from the oven and let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
How to Make the Sauce
There are quite a few sauces that you can serve up with salmon to make it delicious. The sauce I made for this broiled salmon recipe would go fantastic with beef, pork, chicken, or other fish. It’s umami in flavor and a fantastic compliment to this broiled salmon.
- Mix equal parts (1/3) of red wine, vinegar, and soy sauce until combined.
- Heat the sauce up until it becomes hot.

- Whisk in cold unsalted butter over simmering low heat until it is incorporated.
- Finish with green onions and serve alongside the broiled salmon recipe.
This easy recipe is seriously one of the best and a fantastic way to pull off a great meal in a short amount of time.

Reheat and Storage
How to Reheat: To reheat the broiled salmon, place it back in a pan, cover it with foil, and cook in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°. You can also cook it in the microwave for 1:30 or until hot.
Storing and Freezing: This will hold in the refrigerator covered up for up to 4 days. It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Pull it out as needed and let it thaw in the refrigerator before using it.
chef notes + tips
- If you feel like your salmon is starting to burn, remove it from the oven or drop it down a rack or two in your oven.
- I personally prefer to broil salmon over baking it. However, I will sometimes bake it after pan-searing it to help cook it the rest of the way.
- Just as an FYI, salmon skin will peel right off the meat of the fish once it’s cooked.
- You can use a cabernet sauvignon or a merlot for the red wine in the sauce. There will also be sauce left over before heating it in the pan.
More Seafood Recipes
Video
Easy Broiled Salmon Recipe

Ingredients
- 3 pound side of fresh salmon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ¼ cups sliced green onions
- sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler to 500° or medium.
- Place the salmon skin-side down on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or foil.
- Evenly squeeze on the lemon juice all over the salmon. Rub the finely minced garlic all over the top of the salmon.
- Drizzle the olive oil covering the salmon then season with salt and pepper.
- Place on a rack that is about 8-10 inches from the top heating element and broil it for 8-10 minutes or until browned and cooked. Set aside and rest for 3-4 minutes before serving.
- In a medium-size bowl add in the red wine, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce and mix until combined. Save about 1/3 of the mixture for later use.
- Add the remaining 2/3 to a large saute pan and heat over medium heat until hot, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter until melted in.
- Add in green onions to the sauce and serve the salmon with the sauce.
One of the best Salmon recipes i have ever cooked. Melts in your mouth. You wont be disappointed.
many thanks!
The salmon is amazing… lemon, garlic and olive oil can’t go wrong. But the SAUCE! it is so good, I was skeptical, but it is SO good. We put it on salmon, chicken and my son put it on his brown rice. AMAZING and so simple to make. The sauce would be good on vegetables too
appreciate you trying it
Easy to follow and so delicious. I have made this twice now. So good!
so good!!
Couldn’t figure out how this would be good. Mind blown! It’s so easy & tastes fabulous! This easy dish made me finally subscribe. Chef Billy, you’re the best.
Awesome!
I made this dish and it was very tasty! Thank you Billy for this and all the other wonderful recipes you share with us!
For sure!
What do you do with the reserved liquid?
Use it on other recipes.
Did it on the grill… delicious!
awesome!
Trying this today!
I have made this several times. It’s easy and so delicious. Everyone loves it.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
A family favorite weeknight go to. Full of flavor, easy and light & healthy and will be a family favorite of yours as well. We pair with grilled vegetables and wild rice.
many thanks!
Love your recipes and the great instructions!
Thank you!
Excellent!
Thank you!
Finally! A delicious way to cook Salmon indoors, and in the oven! We prefer to grill salmon when temps allow, but it’s a challenge in Winter. The sauce is a tasty, fun twist, and we’ve enjoyed it on several other meats, as you suggested . Thank you for the recipe and video to give me the confidence to make this…it really was easy to make.
Good and easy 🙂👍
Made this for lunch today and OMG how simple and yummy!! I’m not a very good cook but I am learning so much from recipes but most of all your videos! Thanks!!
I made this Salmon last night and I was a fantastic explosion of flavors, I paired with red and yellow peppers and tomatoes all baked in in the same pan. I ate the leftovers the next day and the flavor was more intense. I will be making this easy meal regularly,
Thank you Chef Billy
Made this tonight for dinner. Oh my goodness was it delicious. Everyone loved it. I paired it with a sautéed spinach with orzo and pine nuts. Thank you for your recipes. I’ve made several of them and they always turn out great.
Does all the alcohol cook out of the wine? if not, what can I sub for the wine?
it doesn’t cook off at all, there us no sub unfortunately.
Love
Thanks Chef. You give us the greatest tips for cooking.
Sounds delicious! Do you broil the salmon on the middle rack or do you move the rack up when broiling it? Cant wait to try it!
Usually, do middle to up 1/3
You say to reserve 1/3 of the wine/vinegar/soy sauce for later use, and then I couldn’t find what the later use was…. Ate it anyway– it apparently didn’t need it?
The later use is up to you, perhaps for another recipe or a different use.
I’m going to try this using 2/3 cup each of wine/vinegar/soy sauce so there will not be any left over to refrigerate.
This sounds soooo delicious and easy — can’t wait to get some salmon and make this recipe!
Great recipe!
What could I use in place of the soy sauce. A family member cannot have soy a all! Thank you!
coconut aminos
Is there a substitute for red wine vinegar?
no unforunately
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
This is awesome Billy! I love salmon. Baked, Broiled, Grilled, Fried, etc. Cedar plank salmon is scrumptious too!
Delicious! Lots of great, deep flavor in this broiled salmon recipe! Believe it or not, my kids LOVE salmon and they love this recipe.
I love how detailed all of your tips to making this are! Even a beginner can nail this dish. Thanks!
This salmon is totally bringing the flavor! We loved it!