No Time To Thaw? Here's How To Bake Salmon From Frozen The Right Way

Frozen salmon is an easy, healthy protein to have on hand at all times. In some cases, it's a better choice than fresh salmon. The best part is you can store it in the freezer, giving it a long shelf life and no rush to use it immediately. But, if you get home from work and realize you forgot to take it out to thaw, don't panic. Whether you're cooking wild-caught or farm-raised fish, you can cook it from frozen. The process takes two steps, though, to ensure the texture of the salmon remains as it should and that it cooks evenly.

First things first: steam the salmon skin-side down. When the salmon comes out of the freezer, all the water inside it is frozen. By covering it with foil and baking at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for around 15 minutes, that water turns to steam and helps tenderize the salmon during the first part of the cooking process. Covering it is a must to make sure the steam can infiltrate the fish, and that the salmon's surface doesn't dry out. To further prevent drying out and to add flavor, you can also brush the top of the salmon fillets with a dressing or sauce. Once the steam has had a chance to cook the salmon, finish the process by roasting the fish.

The only change in roasting the salmon is removing the foil, which lets the heat make direct contact with the fish. Salmon should register 145 degrees Fahrenheit when it's perfectly cooked, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, so give it about eight minutes before you do a temperature check. It might take 10 minutes total to cook, but some salmon cooks faster than others.

This two-step method is necessary for frozen salmon, but shouldn't be used on thawed salmon; you could dry out the fish. While you can refreeze cooked salmon if needed, it isn't recommended. Although salmon is safe to eat if frozen and reheated, the fish will likely lose too much moisture, negatively impacting its flavor and texture. Instead, only prepare the number of fillets you need, or else store the leftover cooked salmon in the refrigerator for up to four days.