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, a gem from Samin Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, has become a favorite in my kitchen. Her method is simple but brilliant—roasting the fish low and slow makes it almost impossible to overcook. It stays incredibly moist and just a little translucent, even when fully cooked. Like many of Samin’s recipes, it’s more of a technique than a strict formula, with plenty of room to play around with sauces and variations.
I usually serve it with a simple herb salsa—just macerated shallots, olive oil, and a mix of fresh herbs. It takes minutes to make and adds so much flavor.
You can serve the salmon warm, cold, or at room temperature (my favorite), and it always feels a little special, especially on a holiday buffet. It’s great with roasted potatoes, a simple green salad, or roasted asparagus, and 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.
- 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.
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I’m going to make this with just 8 ounces of salmon. Should I adjust the cooking time?
Hi Peggy, Yes, it will likely take much less time. I’d start checking around 15 minutes, but it may take longer.
Can you use frozen salmon fillets?
Sure, Danielle (just be sure to defrost them first). 🙂
Just made this tonight and it’s absolutely delicious! So fresh and light yet complex. I think I may always slow roast salmon from now on! I added the slightest touch of honey because I like things with a little sweetness but wouldn’t change a thing! I wanted to post my picture but can’t figure out how….
So glad you enjoyed this! Unfortuntely, the blog isn’t set up to receive pictures. If you’re on instagram, you can share it there; be sure to tag me @onceuponachef! 🙂
Excellent! This is the kind of meal I think of when folks say “cuisine at home”. This is easily prepared and fit for guests. Used the herbs from my garden and lemon zest along with lemon olive oil. Perfect!
Could I use another fish? Such as mahi mahi, which I happen to have on hand.
Thanks!
Julia
Sure, Julia – that’s fine. Enjoy 🙂
Oh my gosh, I love, love, love this dish! The first time I made it my husband said, “It’s not cooked.” I told him to give it a try and he was hooked! I’ve made it twice since then.
I am going to make it for an Easter brunch. Since grocery stores are hit and miss with fresh herbs during this pandemic, is it possible to make the salsa in advance while I can get the ingredients and freeze it? Or, how long can I keep in the refrigerator?
So glad you like this! The salsa can be refrigerated for about two days. For longer storage, I suppose you could freeze it although I’ve never tried it. I did poke around online though, and based on what I read, I think it would be safe to freeze. Hope that helps!
To update: I did freeze the salsa with the vinegar added and it was just as delicious when thawed. I have also frozen the chopped chives and tarragon separately. This is one of my favorite recipes.
So glad it worked out — thanks for reporting back! 🙂
I was wondering if I could sprinkle Old Bay on the fish before cooking?
Hi Anne, It will obviously add a bit of a different flavor, but sure! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Made this with 1 pound of wild haddock (2 fillets) and slow-roasted them for 25 minutes. Also doubled the amount of salsa as suggested by many and quadrupled the amount of tarragon due to no chervil.
What a wonderful way to make fish and the salsa is so delicious 😋
I made this last night, and I think that I appreciate the most, the cooking method for the salmon. The kitchen did NOT smell of fish, and it seems almost impossible to wind up with dry salmon, given the time instructions. I had slightly less than 1 lb. of fish, and baked for about 45 minutes.
I served it with mashed potatoes and edamame. A classic pairing, no? OK, maybe not. Good, though.
Of course, I could not find chervil. Wrong time of year, and I doubt if I could acquire it anyway.
Do you think that combining it with tarragon, basil, and vinegar would result in being able to taste it, at all? From what I’ve read, it’s flavor is rather delicate.
Thanks for the recipe, and I will make it again.
Joe
i have made this before and it’s sensational. i am making it tonight for 10 people and have a 4.25lb side of salmon. if i cook this before guests come, would i add the salsa right serving? and how long for that size salmon – and would you use a convection setting? it can sit out cooked for at least an hour right? – thanks jenn
Glad you like this Gillian! Yes, it’s fine to sit out for at least an hour and I’d add the salsa right before serving. And the bake time should be about the same for the larger piece of salmon (assuming it’s not overly thick). If you plan to use the convection setting, I’d reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees. Hope everyone enjoys!