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Food & Recipes

Chef’s Genius Trick Reheats Salmon Without Drying It Out — Or Stinking Up Your Kitchen

Avoid making *this* common mistake to reheat those fillets in just 15 minutes!

With salmon being one of our go-to weeknight mains, we love cooking a few extra fillets to store and reheat later. Reheating salmon so it’s flaky and tender is simple and can be done in 15 minutes using your oven. The oven’s gentle heat works wonders for heating up the fillets while retaining their moisture. This allows you to eat thoroughly warmed and juicy salmon fillets as if they were freshly cooked. On top of this, there’s no need to worry about fishy odors since wrapping the fillets in folding locks in the aroma and flavor as it’s heating up. Here’s how to reheat salmon so the fish ends up yummy and moist rather than dry and bland!

The basics of salmon

Salmon is an oily fish, which means it contains plenty of fat that keeps the flesh moist. So, whether you’re baking, grilling or poaching the fillets, cooking them properly will produce buttery and tender fish. Another perk of preparing salmon is that it lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge, giving you enough time to reheat it in the oven to delicious perfection. (Click through to our stories addressing if it is ok to eat salmon skin and how to buy salmon at the grocery store.)

Why the oven works best for reheating salmon

Since salmon fillets are thick, reheating them in the oven is the number 1 option. The oven’s even distribution of heat warms up the inside and outside of the fillet, avoiding any extreme hot or cold spots. Your oven also provides enough room to reheat multiple fillets if you’re making dinner for a crowd. Plus, covering the fillets in foil while they bake seals in their juices — results in moist and tender fillets. Since the oven is the clear winner for reheating salmon, doing so at the right temperature is the way to guarantee tasty fish!

The perfect oven temperature for reheating fillets

Your oven temperature is key for retaining the fish’s moisture while it’s reheating. “Blasting cold fish in the oven at a high heat is the most common mistake I see home cooks make, and it leads to a dry, flavorless piece of fish,” chef and cookbook author Dan Churchill, explains. “By reheating your salmon low and slow, you can make sure that your fish will stay moist and flaky, which is just what you want.” An oven temperature of 275°F is gentle yet effective for warming up leftover salmon in about 15 minutes.

How to reheat salmon in the oven

With all of these tips in mind, you’re now ready to enjoy those salmon fillets a second time around. Here’s how to reheat salmon in the oven using these four steps from chef Claudia Sidoti.

  1. Preheat your oven to 275°F. 
  2. Take your salmon fillets out of the fridge and cover each one loosely with foil along with a dash of water or any leftover cooking juices.
  3. Place the salmon pockets on a baking sheet.
  4. Place in the oven to reheat for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 125°F to 130°F. (Click through to learn why checking the internal temp of fish is important for preventing dry fillets.)
  5. Serve warm with your desired sides.

A delicious salmon recipe worth reheating

Our test kitchen loves this Roasted Salmon Fillet With Tzatziki recipe as it feeds 6 people and reheats well in the days after. Even better, it comes together in under an hour!

Roasted Salmon Fillet With Tzatziki

Roasted salmon fillet with tzatziki as part of a guide on how to reheat the fish
Angelika Heine/Getty

Greek yogurt, cucumber and dill come together to create an irresistible sauce that perfectly complements our flaky and tender centerpiece.

Ingredients:

  • ½ English cucumber
  • 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
  • 3 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 1 (2 lb.) skin-on salmon fillet
  • 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup white wine
  • Lemon slices, dill and parsley (optional)

Directions:

  • Active: 25 mins
  • Total time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings
  1. Heat oven to 400°F. On large holes of box grater, grate cucumber. Wrap in clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid. In medium bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, dill, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, lemon zest, grated cucumber, ⅛ tsp. salt and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Reserve.
  2. Coat 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place salmon fillet, skin side down, in baking dish. Brush top with oil and sprinkle with ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. In bowl, combine remaining 2 Tbs. lemon juice and white wine; pour over salmon.
  3. Bake until salmon is slightly soft in thickest part and flesh begins to flake around edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Heat broiler. Broil until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving platter. If desired, garnish with lemon slices, dill, parsley and lemon zest curls. Drizzle some of tzatziki sauce down center of salmon and sprinkle with dill. Serve with remaining sauce.

For more ways to revive your favorite seafood leftovers, take a look at our guides below!

Have Leftover Fried Fish? Here’s How to Reheat It to Crispy, Golden Perfection

How to Reheat Shrimp So They Stay Sweet and Succulent — Chef’s #1 Secret

How to Reheat Crawfish Fit for a Tasty Southern Feast

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