2-Ingredient Salmon Recipe (20 Minutes)

I used to be a snob about store-bought mayo. I thought it was the reason most potato salads and macaroni salads were boring, repetitive, and blah. It was a lazy way to dress your food, far surpassed by something homemade.

I’ve grown. No, I believe that a good quality mayo is a well-balanced mix of tart and creamy, and as long as you don’t overdo it, it’s a time saver that delivers. I’ve made all kinds of marinades and coatings with the stuff, but simply slathering mayo on a piece of salmon delivers a moist, flavorful piece of fish with no measuring or mixing.

So many people I meet are intimidated by cooking fish. A coating of tangy mayonnaise keeps your salmon from drying out with no need for any other sauce. Mayo is thick, so it sticks to the fish easily. Plus, the condiment is already seasoned, so it replaces the olive oil, lemon, and other ingredients you would mix up for a marinade, saving time and money.

Keep salmon fillets in the freezer and a jar of mayo in the fridge, and you are set up for a quick weeknight meal.

Choosing the Right Salmon

To save money, I buy frozen, pre-cut salmon portions. They are usually cut from the tail end of the fish and, as a result, are thin pieces, 3/4 to 1/2 inch thick. I buy wild-caught—it’s important to adjust cooking methods when using wild versus farmed salmon. Wild caught is leaner and cooks quickly, while fattier farmed salmon can take 5 minutes longer to bake. 

To bake salmon, the thickness of the fillet is your guide. Thinner fillets, like the ones I use, are cooked through in 12 to 15 minutes. If you have a 1-inch-thick fillet, bake it for 15 to 20 minutes.

Endless Variations

This two-ingredient (I’m counting salt and pepper as freebies) recipe requires no extras and is also easy to tweak. For a little oomph, I suggest adding dried herbs. Dill, tarragon, basil, oregano, or your favorite seasoning blend add great flavor with little effort. Finely shredded lemon zest or a crushed garlic clove are also great. You can even stir in chili crisp or sriracha for a little heat. 

I prefer to use Hellmann’s with Olive Oil Mayonnaise Dressing and add seasonings, but you can always use a pre-seasoned mayo.

How To Make My 2-Ingredient Salmon

For four servings, you’ll need:

• 4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets (thawed if frozen)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried herb of choice, optional

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Oil a small sheet pan or line with parchment. Unwrap your salmon fillets and pat dry. Remove the skin, if desired.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and dried herb, if using. Place a tablespoon of the mayo mixture on each fillet and spread over the top. If you removed the skin, you can coat both sides.

Bake until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, 12 to 15 minutes.