Perfectly seasoning your salmon is the best way to take it from good to great. This salmon seasoning works really well with a variety of cooking methods, including baking, frying, or grilling.

Salmon Seasoning
This spice beautifully complements, rather than obscurins, the naturally savory flavor components of the salmon itself. All you need is a pre-made jar of this wonderful seasoning and you’ll be making the best salmon you’ve ever tasted!
Salmon
Do you love salmon? It’s a great fish to cook with. Salmon is high in protein and healthy fats, and is a great source of Omega-3 oils. Although salmon flesh starts out a translucent pink color, upon cooking, your salmon will turn opaque and flaky. Perfectly cooking salmon takes some practise and some skill, as the last thing you want is for your fish to dry out as you’re cooking it.

Ingredients For Salmon Seasoning
To make this salmon seasoning, we’re using a few key ingredients.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Thyme
- Yellow mustard seeds
- Smoked paprika
- Pepper
- Salt

Making Salmon Seasoning
It’s really easy to make this delicious salmon seasoning. All you have to do is put all your spices in a mixing bowl and whisk them together. That’s it! Once you’ve done that, you can put the salmon seasoning into storage in an airtight container.
Storage
You can make your salmon seasoning in bulk in advance. Once you’ve done this, you’ll want to store your mix in a container. An airtight container will keep your seasoning in good shape for up to twelve months. It’s best when fresh, however.
Spices, as a general rule, should be stored in a cool, dry place such as your pantry. As a tip, if you have some spices in your pantry that you’ve had for a while, you can use them to make this spice mix and bring them back to life.

How To Season Salmon With The Spice Blend
Once you’ve prepared your spice mix, it’s time to season your salmon. We like to use a magic ratio whether we’re baking or grilling the salmon.
Use one tablespoon of the spice blend for every half pound of salmon that you need to cook.
For grilled, baked or pan seared salmon, pat one pound of your salmon dry with a nice clean paper towel. Rub it with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle it with your salmon seasoning and salt if needed.
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika, if you can find it, is a very valuable addition to this salmon seasoning. It brings a subtly smoky, complex flavor to your spice mix. You can substitute sweet paprika instead, if you can’t find any smoked paprika.
Smoked paprika is a Spanish variation on the paprika flavor made with peppers smoked over a fire. Most grocery stores will carry smoked paprika in the spice aisle. It may be labeled as pimenton or Spanish paprika.

How To Perfectly Cook Salmon
- There are a few ways to cook your salmon using this seasoning. Whether you’re baking, grilling, or pan frying your salmon fillet, your best bet is to remove the salmon from heat at exactly the right time. The way you ensure that your salmon is perfectly cooked is by using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of salmon, when cooked, should be about 125 F. Salmon flesh is cooked at a minimum of 110 F, and a maximum of 140 F. An internal temperature above your maximum will give you dry, rubbery salmon instead of the buttery, flaky flesh you want from this fish.
- To get the most out of your salmon fillet, you should make sure to season it only when it’s ready to cook. If you apply salt to the salmon flesh too early, it will leach moisture out of the meat. This will dry the meat out even prior to cooking. The end result will be a drier salmon fillet. To make sure that you’re only eating succulent, moist salmon, be sure only to season the fish when you’re ready to cook it.
More Seasoning Recipes
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
Magic Salmon Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Rub salmon fillets with vegetable oil or melted butter.
- Use 1 tablespoon salmon seasoning for every ½ pound | 8 ounces of salmon. Season the salmon fillets and bake, air fry or grill to desired doneness.
Notes
Nutrition
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Mike says
This seasoning was a game-changer! It elevated my baked salmon with just the right mix of spices. I’ve already bookmarked this recipe for next time.
Tatiana says
Thank you, Mike! I'm so happy to hear you loved it. Here's to perfectly seasoned salmon every time!