Cream Cheese Is Your Secret For Juicy Baked Salmon Packed With Flavor

If you've baked salmon previously you know that sometimes the dish can be disappointing. The fish may come out of the oven too dry and a little bland even. If this has happened to you before, open your refrigerator and grab a pack of cream cheese, for cream cheese is your secret for juicy baked salmon packed with flavor.

Leave the cream cheese on the counter to soften, then pick your favorite recipe or one of our 15 baked salmon recipes for easy weeknight dinners. Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and season it with herbs, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Be sure to also season your salmon with salt and pepper and a squirt of lemon juice. 

Place your filet skin side down (if it has skin), then slather the seasoned cream cheese over your salmon and bake uncovered and at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the cream cheese turns golden brown and the middle of the salmon remains buttery and semi-translucent, about 20 minutes. Remove the salmon from the oven and enjoy tender flakes of juicy and flavorful fish. Now, how exactly does this cream cheese trick work to lock in all the juice and flavor for baked salmon?

With Indian cuisine, yogurt is often used to marinate proteins like chicken and lamb. The lactic acid in yogurt keeps proteins tender. By covering the proteins, the yogurt helps lock in juices and flavor. The cream cheese crust we're adding to our baked salmon has lactic acid and also helps trap the fish's flavors and juice. Due to their similarities in composition, you can cover your salmon in yogurt or sour cream even if you don't have any cream cheese on hand. 

If you do use dairy products other than cream cheese to marinate the salmon and create a crust, be sure to also season the dairy marinade. You can be creative here and use the aromatics and seasonings as aforementioned or change things up. For example, a honey and sriracha sour cream marinade will make your salmon super flavorful. 

After you've baked your cream-cheese-crusted salmon to perfect, be sure to pair it with a delicious side dish. Rice and noodles all go well with baked salmon. To complete the meal, be sure to pour a glass or two of pinot noir, the absolute best type of wine to pair with salmon.