This honey lemon and ginger salmon in foil is easy, nutritious, and has an amazingly balanced flavor. The foil packet packs in all the tangy-ness and sweetness for the perfectly baked fillet.

Imagine a tender and buttery salmon baked to perfection… with a bit of zest and zing, and notes of honey, garlic, and ginger. Now that’s a place I’d like to visit often…

This can’t be Anya’s Cookbook without at least one salmon recipe! That’s for sure. So I’m really excited to finally share my first “foil packet” salmon recipe. …Foil what? Yes! All that sweet, gingery, garlicy and zingy perfection wrapped up and baked in one little shiny package of foil… sealing up ALL the yummy juices and flavors. It’s ready to be opened and eaten ’till gone. That’s what I’m talking about!

Not to mention, the clean up situation is nearly non-existent. No dirty pans or pots to scrub. What a win! I really wish that could be my clean up situation every night, to be honest.

Salmon is so nutritiously dense!

When I was pregnant with my little girl, we ate wild Sockeye Salmon twice a week (lucky us!) because it’s just so nutritious and perfect for the babe’s development. It’s a superfood – one of the MOST nutritiously dense things you can eat! Packed full of vitamin D and Omega 3 Fatty Acids that prevent all kinds of ailments from dementia to developmental deseases in babies. That’s pretty incredible, if you ask me!

So without further delay, let me show you how I make it the super easy, delicious way…

What you need to make Honey Lemon Ginger Salmon in Foil

You will need a wild salmon fillet (about 12 oz), aluminum foil, and a few simple things to whisk together for a sauce. You will need avocado or olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated ginger, honey, and fresh grated garlic.

How to make the best Salmon in foil

Start by placing your beautiful salmon fillet skin side down on a large piece of aluminum foil. Season the fish with salt and pepper.

raw salmon with salt and pepper seasoning

To prepare the sauce – grate the ginger and garlic, then juice and zest the lemon…

Combine the oil, garlic, honey, ginger, lemon juice, and zest in a little bowl and whisk everything well. That smells amazing already…

Brush or pour that yummy mixture all over the fish. Close it all up in a little package – lengthwise first, then twist each end, as shown below in the photo.

step by step how to close the salmon in foil

Pop it in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes (more, depending on your fillet thickness – see the notes below for a guide on cooking times). Now, take it out of the oven, carefully open, and broil for a minute or two. You can also scoop out some of that remaining yummy sauce and brush it all over the fish before serving it. Yumm!!

Important Tips for the Perfect Baked Salmon

Be careful not to overcook salmon as it will quickly become dry. Bake so that it just reaches 145°F internal temperature. It is a good idea to bake until it’s just almost done, then broil. If it still looks translucent anywhere and not flaky, leave it in the covered foil to continue baking until done.
Make sure salmon is completely defrosted. It will bake more evenly.
Cooking times will vary for your size of fish. An average wild salmon fillet may take 15-16 minutes. A thicker one will take longer, around 18-19 minutes.
I love using skin-on wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon. Note that it tends to be a bit thinner than the farmed variety, and needs a shorter cooking time.

What to serve with Honey Lemon and Ginger Salmon

This salmon goes wonderfully with some roasted red potatoes and roasted asparagus. Creamy mashed potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, brussel sprouts, carrots, and any type roasted veggies will go beautifully. A side salad and some warm bread would be nice, too! Follow it up with your partner’s favorite dessert for a wonderfully romantic dinner ♥️

salmon w\on foil with a side of asparagus

How to save money on Salmon

As pricey as wild salmon can be, you do get what you pay for in terms of nutrition and quality. Here are my tips to save money:

Take note of the price of salmon at your local grocery stores and write down the price, per pound, at each store.
Prices will change periodically at each store, so take a note when each store has a drop in the price (per pound). Some stores, like Harris Teeter, will have a significant sale every 8 or 10 weeks.
After a couple of months, you will notice a pattern and will know when salmon prices are at the their lowest. That’s when you BUY 😊
The key is to stock up during the best sales, but also avoid getting too excited and buying more than you can eat. Just keep one or two in the freezer so that you never have to buy at full price when you feel like making it.
Discount stores like Lidl also sell wild salmon at a more affordable price and often have coupons or weekly sales.

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