This is another amazing one pan dinner that comes together easily and cooks fairly quickly. Yes, even though this is a slow roasted salmon, it's still ready in under 45 minutes total! This makes a great dinner for a quick weeknight or works just as well to serve to guests (or a few special people). Because of how it's plated, the brightness of it (hello citrus!) and all that colour, it shows off beautifully.
The typical way I cook salmon is on a cast iron over a medium-high heat to get the skin all crispy. As much as I enjoy making salmon this way, I was needing to change it up. And I was so happy when I came across this recipe for slow roasted salmon from Alison Roman. I knew as soon as I saw it that I HAD to make it. So I set out to make it for my boyfriend's birthday in May. And he loved it! And I loved how fancy it looked, knowing that it didn't actually require a lot of effort. It's one of those meals that looks way fancier than it is.
I only slightly adapted the Alison Roman recipe because it's pretty much perfect as-is.
When it comes to salmon, try and use wild salmon. Not only does it taste better, it's also better for you too. I try and buy my salmon from a few small fishmongers in Toronto because it isn't something I have often, so when I do, I buy top quality. Sushi grade salmon is also a good option as well.
I used to hate fennel, now I love it. It's all about how you prepare it I think. And for this slow roasted salmon, you're going to slice the bulb very thinly. It will slightly roast in the oven, get soft and taste sweeter than you'd think. If you really don't like fennel, you can omit it though.
All the citrus please! I love using a mix of all three in this slow roasted salmon. Feel free to pick one, or two or use all three as well. Blood orange is also a great addition if you can find it, as it adds so much colour.
To balance out the sweetness and acidity from the citrus, a little bit of serrano pepper will do the trick.
Adding some thinly sliced onion to this slow roasted salmon adds more flavour. I like using yellow onion, but red onion would also work here too.
A few sprigs of fresh thyme add some herbs to the dish and also some green colour. Plus, I just love fresh thyme with salmon.
You'll need a good pour of extra virgin olive oil for this slow roasted salmon because this is what adds so much flavour. Yes, the fattiness from the salmon and the oil can seem like it would be heavy, but it really just adds to the overall flavour. Plus it makes it even harder to overcook your salmon, so win-win.
If you're new to slow cooking salmon in the oven like I was, be prepared to fall in love. This makes it so much easier to cook and makes it near impossible to overcook. Whenever I talk with people about cooking seafood and fish, this is always their fear. And I get it, seafood and fish aren't cheap, so the last thing you want to do is overcook it. With this slow roasted method for cooking salmon, you'll end up with delicious salmon each and every time.
Here is how you'll make it!
Start by preheating your oven to 300ºF. And then place the salmon into a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
Add all of that citrus and pepper to the baking dish. Pour the olive oil over top of everything.
Place that in the oven to bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through to your preference. Personally, I like the salmon cooked to medium. So long as you are using a high quality salmon, this is perfectly fine to do.
Remove the salmon from the oven, toss with some flaky salt and more thyme. Divide onto plates along with the fennel, onion and citrus. Devour!
No Salmon: Use another type of fish, such as cod or halibut.
No Fennel: Omit the fennel, or use thinly sliced celery, or any other vegetable.
Serrano Pepper: If you can't find serrano peppers, use jalapeño instead, or omit if you don't want any spice.
This slow roasted salmon is best served right away. If you do have leftovers, you could try and reheat it in the oven on low for about 5 minutes. Or, you can save leftover salmon pieces and use them in salads, on a bagel with cream cheese, or just enjoy as is. Keep it stored with the oil so it won't dry out.
This slow roasted salmon is best served by cutting it in rough pieces with a fork or spoon (yes, a spoon will easily cut through this salmon!). Don't bother trying to cut it all perfectly, it won't work, and you don't need it to.
This slow cooked salmon tastes great served with a green salad on the side, or if you want it to be a bit on the heavier side, serve it with some baby potatoes.
If you make this slow roasted salmon, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to tag me on Instagram, and/or leave a comment, rating or review below.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products and services I have personally used and love. Disclosure here.
No need to worry about overcooking your salmon anymore with this delicious and easy slow roasted salmon with citrus and fennel.
And I’m so grateful you’re here! Have a look around at some of my favourite recipes and stay a while.
Comment Below
Did you love this? Let us know!