Foil Baked Mustard Maple Bacon Salmon

Tender flaky salmon wrapped in bacon and glazed with a garlic maple mustard sauce, this baked salmon recipe is sensational! You have to try it!

My friend Megan swears by her dad’s salmon and bacon. I only like salmon when it’s got enough flavor to mask the fact that it’s actually fish. Bacon to the rescue! Everything is better with bacon!

My friend Janet makes a good one, and I love a few of our own recipes like our Salmon Bowls and Asian Sticky Salmon, but when Megan said there was bacon in her dad’s recipe, I was so intrigued!

If you have been an OSB follower for long, you will know that I am not a seafood person. It’s just not my thing. Even salmon…I have been trying to love salmon for years, and I have to say that this baked maple mustard salmon has won me over!

Recommended Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Whisk

Before You Begin…

Grab four sheets of foil that are big enough to wrap each of your fillets in and lay 2 slices of bacon vertically on each piece of foil.

How to Pick Good Fresh Salmon

Buying salmon at the grocery store can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be! There are a few things to look for…

• Smell – good fresh salmon should not have a fishy smell
• Color – vibrant, deep shades of red/coral/pink is what you are after and there shouldn’t be any brown spots anywhere on the fillet
• Appearance – it should look moist and not dried out
• Touch – when you gently press the salmon, it should bounce back and not leave an indentation
  

  What Do I Need to Make This Baked Salmon Recipe?

  All the ingredients are easy to find and create the most amazing flavor. Here is what you will need:

  • Salmon Fillets
  • Lemon
  • Kosher Salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive Oil Mayonnaise
  • Maple Syrup: Grade A
  • Garlic
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Yellow Onion
  • Bacon
  • Thyme: or parsley

  The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card. You can also print and save the recipe there.

  How to Make Baked Maple Salmon

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven, get foil pieces ready and place the bacon on each piece of foil. Season the salmon fillets.
  2. Sauce: Whisk all the ingredients of the sauce together and pour the sauce on each fillet.
  3. Assemble: Top the fillets with the onions and wrap the bacon around the fillets. Fold the foil around each piece of salmon.
  4. Bake: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake, then open the foil and change the oven to broil to crisp up the top for about a minute.
  5. Season: Sprinkle each fillet with fresh herbs and serve!

  The complete instructions for making this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. Keep scrolling for all the details.

  Can I Use Frozen Salmon?

  Yes, just let the salmon thaw completely, and then proceed with the recipe as written. Of course, fresh will be best, but I totally understand that sometimes you just have to use frozen.

  Is It Better to Bake Salmon Covered or Uncovered?

  For baked salmon, I like to keep the salmon covered for most of the baking time. I find that is bakes more evenly and quickly. I like to broil it at the end just for a minute or two to crisp up the top.

  What Temperature Should You Bake Salmon?

  Salmon fillets cook quickly and at a high temperature. It will bake at either 400 degrees or 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

  How Do You Know When Salmon is Done?

  Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. It also changes in color from a translucent red to an opaque pink. You can also use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The temperature should be 145 degrees.

  What is the White Stuff Coming Out of the Salmon When it Cooks?

  As salmon cookies, sometimes white stuff will come out of it. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be worried about it and is safe to eat. The white substance is a natural protein called albumin. It is in liquid form in raw salmon, and as the salmon bakes, it works its way up to the surface of the salmon and changes to a semi-solid state.

  Why We Love This Recipe

  Easy: The ingredients are simple to find and the steps for making the recipe are fail proof. No need to be intimidated by cooking salmon with this recipe!

  Flavor: We use so many flavorful ingredients that there’s no way you’ll be calling this recipe bland! We have bacon, lemon, mustard, garlic, and maple syrup all popping in this recipe!

  Diet-Friendly: This recipe is gluten free and dairy free as well as super healthy! It’s high in protein (40g!) and low in carbs (11g!).

  Quick: You’ll have dinner on the table in just 20 minutes with this recipe! I love salmon because it cooks up in a jiffy!

  What to Serve with Salmon

  Salmon is versatile and can go with just about any side dish. Here are a few of our favorites to serve alongside this recipe:

  • Roasted fingerling potatoes
  • Tomato cucumber salad
  • Grilled asparagus
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Roasted mixed veggies

  NOTE: In these photos, the side dish pictured is our sautéed green beans and tomatoes.

  How Long Does Baked Salmon Last?

  Salmon will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Salmon also can be frozen and it will keep for up to 2 months. To reheat salmon, I prefer to use the oven. Wrap it in foil and bake for about 15 -20 minutes at 350°F.

  This baked salmon recipe is loaded with flavor and so tender it practically melts in your mouth! The maple mustard sauce adds a delicious sweet and salty flare to the fillets and the bacon adds smokiness and a little crunch. It’s going to be your new favorite salmon recipe!