Delia Smith Salmon in Foil Recipe

Delia Smith’s salmon in foil is the laziest way to cook salmon I know, and it works every time. You butter a sheet of foil, lay the fish on it, season, fold a loose tent over the top, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes.

There is no pan to wash, no oil spitting, and the salmon comes out perfectly moist because it steams inside the parcel. I use this method from Delia’s How To Cook whenever I want salmon for dinner but cannot be bothered with anything complicated.

More Salmon Recipes:

• Salmon En Croute
• Salmon Coulibiac
• Whole Poached Salmon

Why a Loose Tent and Not a Tight Wrap

If you wrap the foil tightly against the fish, the salmon bakes rather than steams, and the texture ends up dry and chalky. Delia is specific about leaving an air pocket above the fillet so the heat circulates inside the parcel like a tiny oven.

That air gap is why this baked salmon in foil stays so moist. The butter melts and mixes with the fish juices at the bottom of the parcel, and the steam trapped above keeps the surface from drying out.

Salmon in Foil Ingredients

• 700g (1½ lb) salmon fillet, middle cut, skin left on
• 15g (½ oz) butter, for greasing the foil
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper
• A large sheet of strong kitchen foil
• Lemon slices (optional)

How To Make Delia Smith Salmon in Foil

1. Heat the oven: Preheat to 180°C (350°F).
2. Prepare the foil: Lay a large sheet of foil on a baking tray. Smear the centre with butter, leaving plenty of foil on all sides to fold over.
3. Season the salmon: Place the fillet skin-side down on the buttered foil. Season the top generously with salt and pepper. Add lemon slices on top if you like.
4. Create the tent: Bring the long sides of the foil up and fold them together above the fish, leaving a good air gap. Fold the ends in to seal the parcel loosely.
5. Bake: Place the tray in the centre of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Individual portions or thinner fillets will need closer to 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Rest and serve: Let the parcel sit unopened for 5 minutes. Open carefully because the steam is very hot. Lift the salmon off the skin with a spatula.

Is It Better to Wrap Salmon in Foil to Bake

For this kind of plain, gently cooked fillet, yes. Foil traps moisture and gives you a forgiving window on timing, so even if you leave it a few minutes too long it will not dry out the way an uncovered fillet would.

If you want a crispy skin or a browned crust, foil is the wrong method and you want a hot pan or a recipe like the salmon en croute instead. Foil is for when you want the fish moist and clean, nothing else.

Cold the Next Day

Leftover foil-baked salmon is one of the best things in the fridge. It keeps for up to 2 days in a sealed container and tastes just as good cold in a salad or flaked into pasta as it does warm.

Delia often serves this salmon with a cucumber and dill sauce made from crème fraîche, and that sauce works even better the next day once the flavours have had time to settle. You can also freeze cooked salmon for up to a month, though the texture changes slightly, so it is best used in fishcakes or a kedgeree after thawing.

Salmon in Foil Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 350 kcal
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

Estimated per serving, salmon only, no sauce.

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