Sweet and Smoky Salmon with Shallots and Lemon

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This baked sweet and smoky salmon is an easy, flavorful dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes! The salmon is coated in a dry rub made with smoked paprika, brown sugar, and thyme, topped with slices of shallots and lemon for savory-tart balance, and baked until buttery and flaky. This is an easy, quick, and beginner-friendly salmon recipe that’s great for weeknight dinners, special occasions, and even meal prep for tomorrow’s lunch.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet and Smoky Salmon Recipe

Flavor contrast. The sweet and smoky dry rub contrasts and balances with the citrus brightness of lemons and the delicate onion flavor of shallots.
Minimal ingredients, maximum payoff. Chances are, you probably already have at least some of the spices for the dry rub in your pantry, which makes this recipe even easier. Other than the rub and a little olive oil, you only need salmon, shallots, and lemons.
Quick cook time (under 20 minutes). After just a few minutes of prep, the salmon cooks quickly in the oven, needing just under 20 minutes before it’s done.
Pairs well with many sides. We love the versatility of this protein dish. It pairs well with starches like mashed or roasted potatoes or noodles, and it’s great with simple vegetable sides, like sauteed greens or roasted asparagus.

A full side of sweet and smoky salmon, topped with dry rub, shallots, and lemon slices.

Ingredients & Substitutions

You’ll need less than 10 ingredients for this sweet and smoky salmon. This includes things that you probably already have in your pantry, like salt, pepper, brown sugar, and olive oil. That means that there might be only a few new things that you need to buy, unless you already have some of them in your home. Here’s what you’ll need, along with some ideas for substitutions, if desired:

Ingredients

Salmon – we prefer using skinless. For easier portioning later, we like buying a 2 pound side of salmon and cutting it up into individual filets before adding the rub and baking it. Note: if you cut it up before baking, make sure to separate the salmon pieces slightly or they’ll stick back together while cooking, defeating the purpose of cutting them beforehand.
Dry rub – brown sugar (light or dark), smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
Shallots – you want these to be sliced about ¼ inch thick. Not too thin, not too thick.
Lemon slices – try to slice them the same thickness as the shallots.
Olive oil – for brushing on the fish. This helps the dry rub stick better.
Optional garnish – we like the pop of color fresh chives or parsley give the dish at the end.

Ideas for Substitutions

Use a different dried herb in the rub if you don’t like thyme. Dried rosemary, parsley, or even basil could work.
Use red onion if shallots aren’t available.
Swap some of the smoked paprika for chipotle powder for extra heat. Just be careful not to completely replace the smoked paprika with chipotle chile powder or it’ll be pretty spicy.

Instructions for How to Make Sweet and Smoky Salmon

Cut the salmon and brush it with olive oil
Coat with sweet and smoky seasoning mix
Distribute the sliced shallots all over the salmon
Place lemon slices on top of the shallots

Preheat oven – set your oven temperature to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil for easier cleanup.
Make the spice rub – Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, pepper.
Cut the salmon (optional, if you want to pre-portion) – If using a 2 pound (or larger) side of salmon, cut it into individual servings then separate them slightly or they will bake back into each other, making it hard to separate them later.
Oil and season the salmon – Pat the salmon dry, then brush it with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the fish and gently pat it in.
Top with aromatics – Add the shallot slices on top of the fish, distributing evenly. Then top with the lemon. Putting the lemons on top of the shallots helps protect them so they don’t cook too quickly or burn in the oven.
Bake until buttery and flaky – Bake the salmon for about 15 to 18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F to 135°F for medium doneness. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your salmon. Remove the salmon from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. It’ll keep cooking a little from residual heat after you remove it from the oven.
Serve immediately – Garnish with fresh chives or parsley (optional). Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed, depending on your preference. See below for serving suggestions.

Tips for Best Results

Pat salmon dry first, then brush on olive oil for better spice adhesion.
Don’t overbake. Salmon cooks fast. While the FDA suggests an internal temperature of 145°F for salmon, this usually results in a dry, almost chewy fish. To avoid this, we like to bake it a little less and let it continue “cooking” once it’s out of the oven through a process called “residual cooking” or “carryover cooking.” You can read more about the science of carryover cooking here.
Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and so that the fish doesn’t stick to the baking sheet. If you choose not to use parchment or foil on the sheet, you might want to drizzle some oil onto the baking sheet before putting the fish down so that it doesn’t stick.
Let salmon rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Again, this has to do with the carryover cooking and so that the juices don’t run out before you cut it.

Serving Suggestions

Place the sweet and smoky salmon on or next to a bed of rice or quinoa.
Serve the salmon with roasted vegetables, like asparagus, brussels sprouts, or broccoli.
Pair it with a side salad or add the salmon to a larger main salad.
Plate it with mashed or roasted potatoes.
Eat the salmon with a simple pasta dish on the side.
Use the salmon in tacos with fresh slaw, a squeeze of lime or lemon, and some pico de gallo.

Storage & Reheating

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, first bring the salmon up to room temp so that it doesn’t have to bake as long in the oven. Then, cover it with aluminum foil (this keeps it from drying out) and bake it on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet at 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
You can also eat leftover salmon cold and use it in sandwiches, on bagels, or add it to salads.
Avoid microwaving the leftover salmon or it’ll become too dry.

Top down view of a fork flaking into a salmon filet, topped with a slice of lemon.

FAQs: Sweet and Smoky Salmon

Can I make this recipe without sugar?

You can, but you won’t end up with the sweet and smoky salmon flavors. If you skip any sweetness entirely, it’ll just be heavy on the smoked paprika flavor. If you wanted to use honey or maple syrup in the spice blend instead of brown sugar, you might want to add a little olive oil to the mixture too so that it becomes a paste that can be spread onto the salmon.

Can I use skin-on salmon?

Yes. If using skin-on salmon, you might want to skip the parchment or aluminum foil and brush some oil onto the baking sheet, then add the salmon, skin-side-down. This will help the salmon skin get a little crispier while baking.

Should I cover the salmon when it bakes?

We find that we don’t need to, but if the salmon or the shallots or lemons are looking too dark or dry, you can cover it with aluminum foil to keep it from browning too much or drying out.

Can I use pre-cut salmon filets instead of a side of salmon?

Sure! Pre-cut filets work great here. You’ll just need to oil and season each filet individually instead of oiling and seasoning the whole side of fish at once.