This quick and easy salmon recipe with mayonnaise makes an effortless main course to go with any side dish. The creamy mayonnaise sauce is made with tangy capers and refreshing dill, making a delicious addition to the flaky salmon. Salmon with mayo is the perfect dish for busy weeknights or special occasions!
If you're surprised that salmon and mayo go so well together, you're not alone. I was puzzled at the idea but inspired by my salmon sheet pan dinner made with butter, I knew I had to give mayo a try.
And since that discovery, this has been my go-to salmon dish.
The tangy yet savory mayo topping is out-of-this-world delicious. What's not to love about mashed capers and fresh dill in a creamy sauce topped with salmon?
Looking for how to serve this main course? Pair it with buttery garlic green beans, red cabbage steaks, or salad with arugula and goat cheese.
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Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to bake
- Cooking Method: Oven-baked
- Dietary Info: GAPS, Low-Carb, Keto, Paleo, Ancestral diet
- Tools Needed: sheet pan, small mixing bowl
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love Salmon with Mayo
- Healthy fast food - 5 ingredients and 15 minutes - total fast food but real food style. This is a perfect meal when you don't know what to make for dinner.
- Packed with flavor: For how simple this meal is, it is so flavorful. Mayo adds a luxurious creaminess that nothing else comes close to.
- Nutrient rich: This meal has a good nutrient profile. Opt for wild salmon for those omega-3 fatty acids and selenium (a mineral many are low in).
- Versatile serving options - Serve with a seasonal salad for an effortless weeknight meal or dress it up with a hearty pasta dish and roasted vegetables for a fancy Saturday night flare.
- Skip the lemons - Baking salmon with lemon often gives a bitter taste. Using capers yields that delicious savory tartness but without the bitter aftertaste.
Ingredients for Baked Mayo Salmon Recipe
Learn how to make quick baked salmon with mayo with 5 simple ingredients. This easy recipe takes only 5 minutes of hands-on prep. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Salmon: I used wild Alaskan salmon but any salmon will work; keep the skin on as it will help retain moisture; you can also use a whole fish fillet.
- Mayonnaise: Go with the best quality mayonnaise - I like using homemade mayonnaise since it's creamy, delicious, and nutritious. Use your favorite mayo for salmon that doesn't contain rancid seed oils.
- Capers: These pickled pea-sized flower buds will give you that briny tartness that lemon juice brings but without the bitterness (that lemons often leave you with).
- Fresh dill: Just a few sprigs of fresh dill will take this baked salmon to another level of deliciousness. Brought fresh dill from the farmer's market? Check out this post on how to store fresh dill and how to chop dill this aromatic herb.
- Sea salt & white pepper: Mayonnaise isn't enough to adequately salt the fish so we're adding a tad more and white pepper is a delicate version of ground black pepper that is more appropriate for a fish recipe.
💭Tips to Make it Nutrient-Dense Because mayonnaise is a big part of this recipe, it's important that it is made with good quality ingredients like high-heat avocado oil and pastured eggs. I love my homemade avocado oil mayo. Some good storebought mayonnaise options are Chosen Foods and Sir Kensington. Note: To keep this recipe Whole30, Paleo, and GAPS compliant, it's most important that you use mayo without vegetable oils like canola oil or soybean oil.
How to Make Baked Salmon with Mayonnaise
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Mash
Mash capers with the back of the fork. Chop dill finely. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the baking sheet with oil.
Step 2. Combine
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mashed capers, fresh dill, salt and white pepper until creamy and smooth.
Step 3. Top
Place the fillets on the baking sheet with the skin side down. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of the creamy mayonnaise mixture over the top of the salmon fillets.
Step 4. Bake
Bake in a preheated oven until salmon is opaque, flaky, and pulls apart easily with a fork. Cook time will vary depending on the how thick the salmon is.
Helpful Tips for Salmon Mayonnaise Dish
- Cleanup tip - Line the sheet pan with piece of parchment paper to save time on cleanup. The salmon skin won't crisp up but it'll make cleanup a breeze.
- Always start with dry salmon - Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and help the spread adhere better.
- Don't dry out the fish - A good rule of thumb to remember is that for every ½" of thickness, 5 minutes of bake time is needed. If the fillet is 1" thick, start checking on it around 8-minute mark. Baking time will depend on how thick the salmon is. Remove the salmon from the oven just until it's shy of doneness. It will continue to cook using the residual heat from the baking sheet.
- Food safety - The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit for fish. However, fish is often consumed raw and I have found that 125 degrees is actually when fish is the most succulent and perfectly tender. Cook the salmon to a temperature you are comfortable with.
Troubleshooting
- Too dry? Take care not to overcook! Depending on the thickness, bake 8-14 minutes or until salmon is opaque, flaky, and pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Not browning? Broil the last 1-2 minutes of baking time. In fact, you can even broil on low heat on the bottom rack the entire baking time.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion: Make a large batch of the mayo mixture and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to make dinner, prep the fish fillets, top with capers mayo spread, and bake.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this easy salmon dish with any side. If you want a more well-rounded meal, consider serving with a carb-heavy side. If you're lookign for a light supper, a salad will suffice. Side dish: Serve this with any roasted vegetable like roasted broccolini or air fryer zucchini and squash. It's also great over cottage cheese mashed potatoes or spaghetti squash pasta. Fresh salads: It's also great with seasonal salad like this tomato cucumber salad in the summer months or harvest salad in the winter. My favorite? Salmon and Caesar salad are match made in heaven.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
To store: Leftover salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Storage containers: These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers.
To reheat: Reheating cooked fish will almost certainly dry it out so it's best flaked cold and enjoyed with a salad. However, if necessary, you can gently reheat in a non-preheated oven at 350°F for 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh dill is aromatic, herby, and pairs wonderfully with salmon. In a pinch, you may use dried dill but the flavor will be lackluster. Fresh dill is absolutely worth it in this recipe to get that burst of zesty flavor. If using dried dill, 2 teaspoons is equivalent to 2 tablespoons of the fresh variety.
Capers are immature green flower buds from a prickly bush called capparis spinosa, which grow in the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. These unripened pea-sized buds are harvested and preserved by either salt curing or more commonly pickled in a salt brine. Brined capers boast a lemony tang and a savory floral hit. Capers are commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine, especially in seafood dishes and pasta sauces.
The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for fish when measured with an instant read meat thermometer. A good rule of thumb is to bake it until the fish flakes easily with a fork. As always, cook the salmon to a temperature you are comfortable with.
Looking for more quick dinner recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this Salmon with Mayonnaise? Please leave a ⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Quick 15-Minute Salmon with Mayo Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 salmon fillets with skin on
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease the baking sheet with olive oil or avocado oil. Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and set them on the baking sheet skin side down.
- Combine: Mash capers with the back of the fork and finely chop dill. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, capers, dill, and salt and pepper until fully combined.
- Spread: Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the salmon fillets and spread evenly across to coat the tops.
- Bake: Bake for 8-14 minutes or until salmon is opaque, flaky, and pulls apart easily with a fork. You may broil the last 1-2 minutes of baking time. See notes for precise cooking time.
- Serve: Garnish with a slice of lemon and fresh dill and serve.
Notes
- Two pounds of salmon is one whole salmon fillet or 6 cut pieces weighing 5-6 ounces each.
- Salmon fillets with skin on are best as the skin helps retain moisture.
- Salmon will continue to cook on the baking sheet with residual heat when you remove it from the oven.
Jennifer V says
Good. Didn't need the salt with the capers. Added a squeeze of lemon juice to the topping and finished off with chopped pecans before baking. Did add 2 minutes under the broiler
Anya says
Sounds delicious! Glad you liked it Jennifer. 🙂