20 Flavorful Salmon Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less

The easiest and best ways to eat salmon are right here.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published September 10, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
A sheetpan with salmon fillets topped with pesto, green beans, potatoes and basil

Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

As a recipe developer, if there's one genre that I personally enjoy creating the most, it's the 5-ingredient recipe. It's a fun challenge and can be just the push out of my comfort zone that I like to pair ingredients I might not normally put together, or rely on new ones. Obviously, I also love cooking a 5-ingredient meal because I know that streamlined simplicity can still mean lots of flavor.

When it comes to salmon, a fish known for its rich flavor, this approach is ideal. You don't need much to highlight that flavor and add texture, as the recipes below prove. With just five ingredients (not including water, oil, butter, salt, pepper, or optional ingredients), these recipes let the flavor of the salmon shine with only a few key additions to take it from plain to perfect. Round out the dish with steamed rice, roasted potatoes, roasted veggies, or a salad, and you're good to go!

  • 2-Ingredient Sesame Salmon

    A sesame-crusted salmon filet being served with scallions

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "I like to use a mix of both black and white sesame seeds here because it’s pretty and makes the dish a bit more fun. I also like the deeper, nuttier flavor that black sesame seeds offer. The striking black-and-white presentation gets lots of style points, making it a great dish for hosting as well as a quick weeknight meal."—Danielle Campbell, Recipe Developer

  • Lemon Pepper Salmon

    3-ingredient salmon dinner

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "For the easiest, fastest route from fridge to table, I season the salmon and bake it at high heat in my air fryer toaster oven. The air fryer preheats in about three minutes, and the four-ounce filets bake in just 12 minutes. It's my go-to way to cook salmon."—Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • 2-Ingredient Greek Dressing Salmon

    Cooked salmon served on a plate with greens and a grain side dish

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "My all-time favorite way to make salmon is this simple, Mediterranean-inspired, two-ingredient recipe. All you need are salmon fillets and store-bought Greek dressing for the juiciest, most flavor-packed salmon. It's delicious with seasonal leafy greens tossed in Greek dressing with feta on top. I also like to have a starch on the side, like wild rice or roasted potatoes."—Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Sheet Pan Salmon With Asparagus

    sheet pan salmon topped with lemon and capers next to asparagus

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "I keep an instant-read thermometer close by when cooking salmon because it’s a foolproof way to ensure it’s never dry and overcooked. I like my salmon to be just opaque and still very moist and juicy (medium-rare), so I aim for 120°F to 130°F. If you prefer it more firm and cooked through, tack on another few minutes to the cooking time to hit 135°F to 140°F."—Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • Miso Glazed Salmon

    Miso Glazed Salmon on a Platter with a Fork

    simplyrecipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Red miso is stronger tasting than white miso. You can use either, but if using white miso, you may want to use a little more than if using red miso."—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • 4-Ingredient Mediterranean Salmon

    4-ingredient mediterranean salmon on a platter next to a bowl of lemon wedges and a glass of wine

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "No lemon? About a quarter of a medium to large orange, or even one small clementine, can be used in this recipe instead."—Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Honey Mustard Baked Salmon

    Baked Honey Mustard Salmon on a white platter

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "If you don't have already prepared honey mustard, just combine equal amounts of honey and Dijon mustard."—Elise

  • Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccolini

    Angled view of a light blue plate of a cooked salmon filet topped with chili crisp and stems of broccolini with a fork holding a bite of salmon

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "Since chili crisp has become popular in the U.S., many versions of the sauce have arrived on store shelves, some with ingredients like star anise, garlic, seaweed, mushroom powder, and all kinds of dried chilis of varying heat levels. All of them will work in this recipe, so use your favorite."—Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 20 below

  • 2-Ingredient Caesar Salmon

    Four salmon fillets garnished with sauce on an oval plate

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    "For added color, I like to finish my salmon under the broiler to brown the dressing. This should only take a minute or two, but keep a watchful eye to prevent burning."—Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • Air Fryer Salmon

    Air Fryer Salmon on a Plate with Lemon Wedges

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "You can truly use any salmon for this recipe, but I find that 4- to 5-ounce portions work best. This is approximately what you would want for a serving anyway. Plus, it’s the best size for the air to flow around the salmon evenly, ensuring it cooks perfectly at the same time."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze

    Plate of Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze and a Side of Green Beans

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "When baking salmon, line the sheet pan with foil. The salmon skin will not get crispy enough to release from the sheet pan like it would in a hot skillet. The foil will prevent the skin from sticking to the sheet pan, making clean up a lot easier."—Emily Weinberger, Recipe Developer

  • Poached Salmon

    A plate of poached salmon, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "To feed a crowd with a large fillet, use a pan wide enough to hold the whole fillet. Then, add enough white wine and water to cover the bottom of the pan by at least 1/4 of an inch."—Elise

    Continue to 13 of 20 below

  • 2-Ingredient Mayo Salmon

    A salmon fillet with a side green salad on a plate, with a fork having picked into one side of the salmon

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrea

    "So many people I meet are intimidated by cooking fish. A coating of tangy mayonnaise keeps your salmon from drying out with no need for any other sauce. Mayo is thick, so it sticks to the fish easily. Plus, the condiment is already seasoned, so it replaces the olive oil, lemon, and other ingredients you would mix up for a marinade, saving time and money."—Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • Triple M Salmon

    Triple M Salmon

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    "This is a foolproof and deceptively simple recipe that my family now lovingly calls Triple M Salmon after the ingredients I use: white miso paste, Dijon mustard, maple syrup (the three M’s) and salmon. That’s it. A mixture of the three ingredients is sweet, salty, and umami-rich—a perfect topping for salmon."—Maya Ferrant, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Baked Salmon

    Garlic Butter Roasted Salmon topped with herbs and set on foil.

    Simply Recipes / Kalisa Martin

    "This recipe calls for a butter sauce with garlic, lemon juice, and honey which adds sweetness and brightness to the side of salmon. The fresh herbs are optional but a wonderful addition."—Kalisa Marie Levette, Recipe Developer

  • Martha Stewart’s Super Easy Baked Salmon

    Cooked salmon on a plate with greens and a tray of prepared salmon nearby

    Simply Recipes / Mackenzie Schieck

    "Toss broccolini, green beans, or other veggie right next to the salmon before sliding it into the oven to make it a one-pan meal."—Mackenzie Schieck, Writer

    Continue to 17 of 20 below

  • Garlic Knot Salmon

    Overhead view of a blue plate of three salmon fillets topped with garlic butter, panko, and parmesan mixture and sprinkled with parsley next to several lemon slices

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "If you’re using frozen salmon fillets, be sure to thaw them completely, preferably overnight in the fridge. Drain off any liquid and pat dry before seasoning and baking."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Salmon With Fennel Baked in Parchment

    A piece of parchment with salmon and lemon, ready to eat

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This salmon with fennel baked in parchment is a classic French dish—saumon au fenouil en papillotte."—Elise

  • Jamie Oliver’s Air Fryer Salmon With Crispy Potatoes

    Jamie Oliver’s Easy Salmon and Potatoes on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Getty Images

    "If you’re not a fan of asparagus, swap in broccolini, green beans, or sliced carrots. Any vegetable that’s about the same size and density should work!"—Mackenzie Schieck, Writer

  • Salmon with Potatoes and Pesto

    A sheetpan with salmon fillets topped with pesto, green beans, potatoes and basil

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

    "Choose center-cut pieces of salmon to ensure the fillets cook at an even rate. The tail end of the fish is thin and will end up over-cooked if used in this recipe."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

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