Slow-Roasted Salmon with French Herb Salsa
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Want to impress your guests without stressing? This slow-roasted salmon with fresh herb salsa looks impressive, tastes amazing, and couldn’t be easier. Serve it warm, chilled, or at room temp—whatever works for you.
This slow-roasted salmon recipe, a gem from Samin Nosrat’s acclaimed Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, has become a favorite in my kitchen. Her method is brilliant—roasting the salmon low and slow makes it almost impossible to overcook the fish. It stays super moist and just a little translucent, even when it’s fully cooked. Like a lot of Samin’s recipes, this one’s more of a technique than a strict formula, and she includes a few variations and sauces to play around with.
I usually serve it with a simple herb salsa—just macerated shallots, olive oil, and a mix of soft herbs. It takes no time at all and adds so much flavor.
You can serve the salmon warm, cold, or at room temp (that’s my favorite), and it always feels a little fancy, especially on a holiday buffet. It’s delicious alongside roasted potatoes, a simple green salad, or roasted asparagus. The fact that you can make it ahead is a huge bonus when you’re hosting.
“So tender – melt in your mouth. The sauce is excellent. Incredibly simple yet beautiful presentation. My new go to salmon recipe.”
What you’ll need To Make Slow-Roasted Salmon
- Salmon Filet: You can ask your fishmonger to remove the skin for convenience. If you don’t, it’s easy to remove once the salmon is cooked; just slide a thin metal spatula between the flesh and skin when serving.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used to coat the salmon for moisture and richness, and as the base for the herb salsa.
- Shallot: Adds a mild, slightly sweet onion flavor to the salsa.
- White Wine Vinegar: Provides bright acidity to balance the richness of the salmon and round out the salsa.
- Fresh Italian Parsley, Chervil, Chives, Basil, And Tarragon: A blend of fresh herbs that gives the salsa its bright, fresh flavor and loads of aroma.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Prep the salmon. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with salt.
Step 2. Roast the salmon. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes in a 225°F oven until the thickest part flakes easily when pressed with a knife or your finger. It will still look a little translucent even when fully cooked.
Pro Tip: Slow-roasting keeps the fish tender, prevents it from seizing up, and reduces the amount of white protein (albumin) that surfaces. If you see a bit (like below), simply scrape it off with a spoon.
Step 3. Macerate the shallots. In a small bowl, combine the shallot and vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Macerating mellows the sharp bite of the shallot and enhances its natural sweetness.
Step 4. Make the herb oil. In another bowl, mix the herbs, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Pro Tip: Chop the herbs as finely as possible so their essential oils release and flavor distributes evenly.
Step 5. Finish the salsa. Right before serving, use a slotted spoon to transfer the shallots (without the vinegar) into the herb oil. Stir, then taste and add 2 to 3 teaspoons of the vinegar, depending on how sharp the flavor is. Adjust salt if needed.
Step 6. Break and serve the salmon. Break the salmon into rustic pieces, spoon the herb salsa over the top, and serve.
The salmon can be roasted a day ahead and refrigerated, and the salsa can be made up to two days in advance and chilled until ready to use.
More Salmon Recipes You may like
Slow-Roasted Salmon with French Herb Salsa
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- 1 (2-lb) salmon filet, pin bones and skin removed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
For the French Herb Salsa
- 3 tablespoons finely diced shallot, from 1 medium shallot
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh chervil (okay to substitute more parsley if you can't find it)
- 1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Salmon
- Preheat the oven to 225°F (105°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Place the salmon on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt evenly over top. Slide the pan into the oven and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until the fish begins to flake in the thickest part of the filet when poked with a knife or your finger. (Because this method is so gentle on its proteins, the fish will appear translucent even when it's cooked.) Using a small spoon, scrape off any white coagulated proteins that may have formed on the salmon.
- Break the salmon into large, rustic pieces and spoon the French herb salsa (below) over top. This dish can be served hot, cold, or room temperature.
For the French Herb Salsa
- In a small bowl, combine the shallot and vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes to macerate.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the herbs, olive oil, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Just before serving, use a slotted spoon to add the shallot (but not the vinegar, yet) to the herb oil. Stir, taste, and add the vinegar as needed (I usually add 2 to 3 teaspoons). Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
Comments
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Hi Jenn, we LOVE this recipe! I’ve made several of your recipes and they are all wonderful! Thank you for all the attention to detail, tips and explanations. I find that really helpful. 🙂
My question is how long should I bake a smaller salmon filet? I’m usually cooking one that’s about a pound and a quarter. The first time I didn’t reduce the baking time (45 minutes); it was delicious but completely opaque and a little dry. The salsa helped with that though. The second time I only cooked it for 35 minutes and it was still opaque. Is there a formula to figure out the timing when you’re cooking less than the recipe calls for? Also, I’m cooking two salmon filets on Easter Sunday…do I need to increase the time? Probably a silly question but I’m new at this!
Hi Renee, Glad you like the recipes and those aren’t silly questions at all! A smaller salmon fillet shouldn’t necessarily take less time as it really depends on the thickness of the fillet. That said, if you’ve found that it was more cooked through than you’d like at 35 minutes, I’ll check it at 30 this time. You mentioned you were cooking two fillets next time around — I’d still check them at 30 minutes To ensure that you don’t overcook them. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much, Jenn! I appreciate your advice and will check at 30 minutes this time. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Can I combine all the ingredients for the herb salsa ahead of time? Recipe says it can be made ahead but also says to not add shallot mixture until serving time. Also, is it possible to reheat salmon a bit if I want to make it ahead but don’t want to serve it cold? Thanks so much! Looking forward to this one!
Yes, you can make the salsa ahead (and include the shallots). And I really like this at room temperature, but if you’d prefer it warm, I’d reheat it in a 325-degree oven until it reaches your desired temperature. Hope you enjoy!
Such an easy & delicious way to make salmon, especially for company.
I think the hardest part was chopping all the herbs! The only change I made was to add a splash of lemon juice to the herb salsa.
And the leftovers were so yummy two days later, too!
Thank you, again, for another tasty recipe that makes us mere mortals seem like trained chefs!
This Salmon recipe is simply elegant, easy and perfectly done. I loved that I could put the fish in the oven for 45 minutes and not have to wonder if it was getting over done. During the baking time I got the salad and bread ready as well as the french herb topping. All within an hour I have a company worthy dinner ready. The first time I made it for friends the other cooks at the table wanted the recipe. I served it hot out of the oven and will keep making this for years. Oh …and the KETO friends in the group really loved that it is only 1 carb per serving!
We live in the Pacific NthWest and Salmon is almost a staple for us. I’ve prepared it many different ways, but this recipe is the absolute all time favorite. Delicious, moist – even if using a frozen fillet. Fresh herbs are a must…. THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe. It is definitely my go-to prep for not only company, but for us as well.
And – the marinade is great for chicken as well. 10++++ from us.
My kids go crazy for this recipe. We love it so much that we made it our Christmas Eve dinner this past year. I cut one tbsp oil from the dressing, but otherwise followed the recipe, serving it with couscous and steamed green beans. So easy and delicious!
This salmon is delicious!! It always turns out!!! My seven year old granddaughter even liked it… she was surprised.
I cook my salmon like this all the time even if I don’t use the herb sauce, it always is done, but not over done! Thanks for this keeper!
This is easily one of the most elegant and delicious at-home recipes I’ve ever made. I paired with the asparagus and egg salad, and my husband said it was the best salmon he’s ever had.
I have the Salt, Fat, Acid Heat cookbook with the master recipe. I prefer the way Jennifer writes her recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions, helping this recipe turn out perfect every time. I’ve served this warm out of the oven and room temperature — both are delicious.
Totally agree Erin. Hot, room temp or cold is delicious! Our fav for sure.
I made this for the fourth time for dinner last night. It’s soooo good! The herb salsa is the perfect compliment to the buttery salmon. I usually pick up a big fresh piece of salmon when I go to Costco and it’s just the right size for my family of four with lunch leftovers the next day.