Baked Salmon with Lemon, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes

Salmon is baked with blistered cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon and herbs until tender and softly flaked. A fresh, simple oven dinner with bright pan juices and very little preparation.

Lemon, tomato and salmon have a freshness that needs very little interference. The cherry tomatoes roast first until they begin to soften, giving the salmon a warm, juicy base without asking the fish to stay too long in the oven. Oregano, lemon zest and parsley bring just enough fragrance, while the roasted garlic softens alongside everything else. It is light and uncomplicated, with the sort of clean flavour that makes salmon especially lovely.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 19 min · Serves: 4 · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Seafood

Ingredients

Baked Salmon

• 250 g cherry tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 skin-on salmon portions
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 210°C conventional or 190°C fan-forced. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Place the cherry tomatoes in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the four salmon portions in a single layer.
3. Peel the garlic and lightly crush each clove with the flat side of a knife, leaving the cloves largely whole. Add them to the tomatoes.
4. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Toss to coat.
5. Roast the tomatoes and garlic for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are hot and beginning to soften.
6. While the tomatoes roast, pat the salmon very dry with paper towel. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper and the dried oregano.
7. Finely grate the zest from approximately half the lemon over the salmon.
8. Cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into thin rounds or half-moons and keep the remaining half for finishing.
9. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Move the tomatoes aside to create four clear spaces and place the salmon directly onto the hot base of the dish, skin-side down.
10. Drizzle the salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Tuck the lemon slices around the salmon and among the tomatoes.
11. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
12. Check the thickest salmon portion in the centre. If needed, return the dish to the oven for 1 further minute, or until the fish is cooked through and separates into moist flakes.
13. Remove from the oven and rest for 2 minutes.
14. Squeeze 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from the reserved lemon half across the whole dish.
15. Scatter with the chopped parsley. Spoon a little of the warm tomato, lemon and olive oil pan juices around and lightly over the salmon before serving.

Serving Suggestion

Serve each salmon portion with the softened cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic and a spoonful of the lemony pan juices. A bowl of Lemon Herb Couscous alongside turns it into a complete dinner, or keep things fresh and light with Garlic Green Beans with Olive Oil & Lemon.

Storage Notes

Transfer leftovers to shallow airtight containers and refrigerate promptly. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in short intervals until hot to help the salmon stay moist.

Notes

Choose salmon portions of a similar thickness where possible. If one piece is noticeably thinner, check it first as it may cook before the others.

Keep the garlic cloves largely whole rather than mincing them. They soften as they roast and add a gentler garlic flavour to the pan juices.

Tuck the lemon around the salmon rather than laying slices directly over the fish. This lets the surface roast evenly while the lemon perfumes the tomatoes and pan juices.

The Grace Table Tip

Give the cherry tomatoes their 10-minute head start before adding the salmon. They need the extra oven time to soften and release their juices, while the salmon stays tender with a much shorter bake.