Salmon Cooking Time Calculator
Salmon is an oily fish, so it stays moist across fillet, steak or a whole side. Choose how you are cooking it and measure the thickest part.
A tail-end fillet is much thinner than a middle-cut piece, so measure the thick end.
Answer
14–18 minutes at 200°C
What to do
- 1Heat the oven to 200°C.
- 2Cook for 14 to 18 minutes.
- 3Bake uncovered on a lined tray. The fish is done when it has turned opaque and flakes apart with gentle pressure.
- 4Fish keeps cooking off the heat, so take it out as soon as it flakes rather than waiting for it to look well done.
How to check it is done
Bake uncovered on a lined tray. The fish is done when it has turned opaque and flakes apart with gentle pressure.
Next step
Food safety
- Official UK guidance checks fish by sight rather than by a single temperature: the flesh should turn opaque and flake apart easily with a fork. Prawns, scallops, crab and lobster should be firm and opaque, and mussels, clams and oysters should have opened, throw away any that stay shut.
- Cooking times are a guide only. Ovens, joints and starting temperatures vary, so always check the food is cooked before serving rather than relying on the clock.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking fish and seafood (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking fish and seafood (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Reference and detail
How to tell salmon is cooked
Press the thickest part with the back of a fork: the flakes should just begin to separate and the flesh should have turned from glassy to opaque. A little translucency right in the middle is what you want if you like it moist. Overcooked salmon squeezes out white albumin and turns dry, and that happens in a minute or two, salmon is more forgiving of this than white fish such as cod or haddock, but it still overcooks fast.
Skin on, skin down
In a pan, start skin side down in a hot, lightly oiled pan and leave it alone for two-thirds of the total time. Press it flat for the first few seconds so it does not curl. In the oven, leave the skin on to protect the flesh even if you do not plan to eat it. Wrapping it in foil steams it gently for an even moister result.
Cooking from frozen
A thin salmon fillet can go into the oven frozen. Allow roughly half again on the time and check the middle is piping hot. For anything thicker than 3cm, defrost it in the fridge first. For a whole side, use the whole-fish weight option on this page.
Questions and answers
Questions about cooking salmon
Should salmon still be a little translucent in the middle?
A thin line of translucency right at the centre is normal for salmon cooked to a moist finish, provided the rest of the fillet has turned opaque and flakes when pressed. If you prefer it cooked through completely, take it slightly further until no translucency remains.
Do I need to cook salmon skin side down first?
In a pan, yes, starting skin down in a hot, lightly oiled pan renders the fat and gives a crisp skin, and pressing the fillet flat for the first few seconds stops it curling. In the oven, leave the skin on even if you will not eat it, as it protects the flesh from drying out.
How does cooking a whole side of salmon differ from a fillet?
A whole side is thicker in the middle and thinner at the tail, so it cooks unevenly unless you fold the tail underneath to even out the depth. It also needs a larger, sturdier tray, as a cooked side is difficult to move without breaking.
Why did my salmon turn out dry?
Salmon overcooks quickly once the flesh passes opaque, squeezing out the white protein (albumin) that collects on the surface. Take it off the heat slightly before you think it is ready, since it carries on cooking in its own residual heat.
Safety guidance reviewed against Food Standards Agency sources on 11 September 2026. How we calculate cooking times and safety guidance.