If you’ve any salmon left over from last night’s dinner, you’re probably wondering what the best way and how to reheat salmon. Like a lot of other foods, there are some better ways to reheat your salmon so you can properly enjoy it. Really, you want your salmon to return to its crispy, moist state as if it was freshly cooked. Luckily, we know a few ways to make that easier.
Can You Reheat Salmon?
❗ You can reheat your salmon in the microwave, oven, Air Fryer, or steamer. However, salmon, like a lot of other fish, is sensitive to drying out when reheating. You need to be patient and make sure you’re using the right method for you. If you have leftover salmon fillets, baking is probably the best method. It allows you to slowly reheat the fish without the moisture in the flesh evaporating.
Salmon is a very delicate fish to cook with. The trick to reheating salmon is patience. Trying to reheat salmon quickly on high heat can make your salmon dry out, leaving you with a fish-scented hockey puck.
The best way to do this is to use your oven and use a long cooking time at low heat. It’s also important to keep your salmon tightly wrapped or contained to ensure that no moisture escapes the fish.
How To Reheat Salmon in the Oven
If you have the time and the patience, reheating salmon in the oven is your best bet. Oven reheating takes time, because you need to wait for the oven to preheat.
Also be prepared to to do some washing up with the pan you’re reheating the salmon in. It takes more time and effort, but reheating salmon in the oven is by far the best way to return your salmon leftovers to their former glory.
To reheat salmon in the oven, first you’ll want to preheat the oven to 275-300 degrees F, squeeze some lemon juice on your salmon, tightly wrap it in foil, and bake for fifteen minutes. The lemon juice will add flavor and help add moisture.
How To Reheat Salmon in the Microwave
Microwave reheating is the quickest method to warm up your salmon leftovers, but it’s not our favorite. If you aren’t careful, it will dry your fish out. Take care with a few extra steps to ensure that your salmon doesn’t dry out.
To keep the salmon nice and moist, you’ll want to cover it and add some additional moisture to the microwave safe container.
If you want to reheat salmon in the microwave, you’ll need to pour a tablespoon of water, lemon juice, or sauce into the bottom of a microwave-safe dish and add the salmon on top. Now cover this dish with plastic wrap (not foil!) and microwave the salmon for 30 seconds at a time until it’s hot.
If you’re reheating vegetables too, throw them in with the salmon.
How to Reheat Salmon in an Air Fryer
An air fryer is a nice combination of convenience and quality when it comes to reheating salmon. If you’re pressed for time, it won’t take as long as the oven, either.
To reheat your salmon in an air fryer, you’ll set your fryer to 360 degrees F, placing your salmon skin-side down in the basket. Be sure to line the basket with parchment paper to prevent the salmon from sticking. Cook for five minutes until the salmon is nice and hot.
Make sure to use an instant read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your salmon prior to serving. Salmon is OK to serve at an internal temperature of 125 F.
How to Reheat Salmon by Steaming
Steaming is a great way to reheat salmon without it losing moisture.
Steaming isn’t great if your salmon is in a sauce or marinade, as the higher moisture can deplete the flavor in the meal.
Reheating salmon via steaming requires a few steps. First, set up a steamer, fill it with water, and wait until the water simmers. If you don’t have a steamer, set a pan with water over heat. When your water is simmering, you can put a smaller pan inside with the salmon in the middle of the smaller pan. Cover this steamer, letting the fish cook for 4-5 minutes.
It takes a bit of extra effort, but your moist, tender salmon is totally worth it.
How to Reheat Smoked Salmon
The key to reheating smoked salmon is ensuring that you don’t lose any of the delicious smoky flavor in the fish flesh.
To reheat smoked salmon, drizzle the top with olive oil, creating a moisture barrier. Then you’ll tent the fish in foil, which keeps it from burning. Then pour a little water or broth into the package, bake in the oven at 300 F, and leave it in there for 15 minutes, or until the fish is hot.
Tips for Reheating Salmon
- Avoid the microwave: While you can use the microwave if you absolutely must, we recommend the other reheating methods in this list. The risk of drying out your salmon is simply too high. It can also make your kitchen smell of fish for a long time after making your salmon.
- Add moisture: Salmon inevitably loses some moisture during any heating process. Make sure to rub a tablespoon of olive oil or squeeze half a lemon into the fish. Both of these methods will help to preserve the fish’s natural flavor and moisture content.
- Be patient: The trick to reheating salmon is to take your time. Preheat your oven to 300 F, allow time to leave the fillet for fifteen minutes, and understand that low and slow cooking is directly proportional to your salmon cooking well.
- Cover the fish: Always lightly wrap your salmon in foil to help trap the moisture in and around the fish, and prevent any fishy odor from escaping the oven. This also keeps the edges of the fish from drying out before the fish is warm.
- Get creative: Don’t feel like you’re limited to your original recipe when reheating leftovers. You can slice up the original fillet for use in a salad, or use the cold fillets.
Salmon Recipes to Try!!!
What Temperature to Cook Salmon
How to Reheat Salmon
Ingredients
- Leftover salmon
- Lemon juice or olive oil
Instructions
- How To Reheat Salmon in the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 275-300 degrees F, squeeze some lemon juice on your salmon, tightly wrap it in foil, and bake for fifteen minutes. The lemon juice will add flavor and help add moisture.
How to Reheat Salmon in an Air Fryer
- Set your air fryer to 360 degrees F, placing your salmon skin-side down in the basket. Be sure to line the basket with parchment paper to prevent the salmon from sticking. Cook for five minutes until the salmon is nice and hot.
How to Reheat Salmon by Steaming
- Set up a steamer, fill it with water, and wait until the water simmers. If you don’t have a steamer, set a pan with water over heat. When your water is simmering, you can put a smaller pan inside with the salmon in the middle of the smaller pan. Cover this steamer, letting the fish cook for 4-5 minutes.
How To Reheat Salmon in the Microwave
- Pour a tablespoon of water, lemon juice, or sauce into the bottom of a microwave-safe dish and add the salmon on top. Now cover this dish with plastic wrap (not foil!) and microwave the salmon for 30 seconds at a time until it’s hot.
- How to Reheat Smoked Salmon
- Drizzle the top with olive oil, creating a moisture barrier. Then you’ll tent the fish in foil, which keeps it from burning. Then pour a little water or broth into the package, bake in the oven at 300 F, and leave it in there for 15 minutes, or until the fish is hot.
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