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This spice-rubbed baked salmon recipe is smokey, peppery, sweet, and a little spicy. It’s ready in 15 minutes, making it a quick, easy weeknight meal. Make it today!
This spice-rubbed salmon is one of my go-to meals for something quick, easy, and flavorful! This salmon has the perfect balance of spicy, savory, smokey, and sweet. This recipe calls for just a few spices to create a bold and flavorful rub that will create incredible flavor!
Smoked paprika and ancho chili powder add an earthy flavor, while cayenne and brown sugar add a bit of heat and sweetness. Pair it with this crunchy, colorful rainbow cabbage salad for a delicious dinner in under 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
How to Make Spice Rubbed Salmon:
Prep the salmon: Cut the salmon to 3 to 4oz pieces. This ensures they stay moist and don’t overcook. Pat them really dry with a paper towel. Next cover them with oil. This helps the spice rub stick to them and keeps the outside of the salmon from drying out.
Add spice rub: Sprinkle the spice rub on top of the salmon and pat it in so that the spices really stick to the salmon. This is the best seasoning for baked salmon because it’s flavorful but doesn’t overpower the salmon. It’s great on other proteins, too, such as chicken and pork.
(Optional – blackened salmon): If you want to make blackened salmon, you would just cook this in a pan over medium heat. Place it rub side down for 2 – 3 minutes until blackened, then flip and cook the other side for about 3 – 4 minutes.
Bake: For baked spice-rubbed salmon, simply line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the salmon fillets on top. Bake them in the oven until your desired doneness.
Serve this spice rubbed baked salmon recipe with rice or potatoes or this crunchy rainbow cabbage salad for a low carb meal.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please share, rate, and comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
More Seafood Recipes:
- Easy Baked Teriyaki Salmon
- Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Asian Marinade
- Broiled Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter
- Steamed Lobster Tail
- Lobster Bisque
- Lobster Salad
- Kani Salad
- Remoulade Sauce | Crab Cake Sauce
Spice Rubbed Oven Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 6oz fresh or thawed salmon fillets , cut in half
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
- pinch salt & pepper
- rainbow cabbage salad, on the side
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, ancho chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt & pepper.1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder, pinch salt & pepper
- Cover your salmon fillets with oil and then rub your salmon fillets with the spice rub.1 Tablespoon avocado oil, 2 6oz fresh or thawed salmon fillets
- Bake the salmon for 6 – 8 minutes until done. For larger pieces, bake for 10 – 12 minutes until done.
- Serve with rainbow cabbage salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Love the flavours in this – we also tried with some chicken for our non-seafood eating friend and that worked really well also. Perfect with your rainbow salad or spicy cucumber salad. Thank you – LOVE your blog!
Thanks Amber! So happy you found my recipe! Agreed, this spice rub is great on any protein! 🙂
Wonderful complex smokey, spicy, slightly hot flavor to use on your salmon. I used a piece of sockeye salmon. I believe the amount of seasoning could be cut back slightly due to sockeye salmon is thinner than other types of salmon. Otherwise, this is an easy to prepare recipe. I paired the salmon with roasted balsamic glazed Brussel sprouts and brown rice.
Would totally make this quick and easy salmon recipe.
Thank you Jamie!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Great idea pairing with brussel sprouts and brown rice. What a delicious meal!
This is the only way I will be cooking my salmon from now on!! So tasty, and is great served hot or cold.
Thanks Jill! So glad you enjoyed this!
This spice rubbed salmon is such an easy and delicious dinner – served with your rainbow cabbage salad, and what a lovely meal. Great flavours and looks so pretty on the plate!
Thank you Diana! So glad you enjoyed this baked salmon. It’s a favorite at our house too!
Loved the spice rub on the salmon. Super easy recipe and the family loved it!
This came together so fast! Nice flavors in the spice rub, delicious!