Tandoori Salmon is an easy and delicious Indian fish dish of yogurt-marinated baked salmon. It’s so simple to make and packed with flavor from warm and savory Indian spices.
What is Tandoori?
Traditionally, tandoori refers to anything that has been cooked in a tandoor, or an Indian clay oven. This type of oven can get intensely hot, and creates dishes that are seared and crisp on the outside while staying juicy inside.
I don’t own a traditional tandoor, but I can still make tandoori salmon using my oven!
This recipe for baked tandoori salmon uses a traditional tandoori marinade of spices, lemon, and yogurt plus a standard oven preheated to 400°F/200°C to create a similar dish without any fancy equipment.
Tastiest salmon ever and so easy. I cooked the salmon fillets in my air fryer on Roast for 12 minutes at 190°. Perfect.
Zoe
If you like making Indian food at home, be sure to try my Butter Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala, and Crispy Onion Bhaji recipes too!
Tandoori Salmon Recipe Highlights
- No Fancy Equipment Needed – I’ll show you how easy it is to create Tandoori-like salmon filets using a standard oven!
- Amazing Tandoori Fish Marinade – The spices you need to make this dish are easy to find in the grocery store. Garam Masala is the star, and I have a delish homemade version of that spice mix that you will absolutely love.
- Versatile Recipe – I’ll give you some tips on how to make this recipe on the grill if you’d rather not heat up your oven. You’re going to love this easy recipe so much!
Tandoori Salmon Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this amazing baked tandoori salmon:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Salmon Filets: The marinade here will cover 1 ½ pounds of salmon fillets. You can leave the skin on or remove it. It’s up to you! This recipe works well with wild salmon or farm-raised salmon.
- Yogurt: Make the marinade using plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt. If you can find it, hung or strained yogurt is a bit more traditional.
- Lemon, Garlic, and Ginger: These ingredients should be fresh! Mince the garlic well and grate the ginger using a fine grater like a microplane.
- Dried Spices: Garam masala, coriander powder, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and ground black pepper.
- Salt: Kosher salt will perfectly season the fish and bring out all of the amazing flavors.
How To Make Tandoori Salmon
Start out by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C) or 180°C for a fan oven.
Tip!
Salmon will cook very quickly in a hot oven. Keep an eye on it, especially once you’ve turned on the broiler, so that it doesn’t burn or overcook.
Recipe Tips
- Check for pin bones. Even well-butchered salmon filets can have a few bones left behind. Feel for the bones using your hands and remove them with tweezers if you find any.
- Line the pan. The yogurt marinade on the fish will cause the filets to stick to the pan. To avoid this, line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper first!
- Adjust the cook time as needed. Depending on their size, your salmon filets may take a few fewer or extra minutes to cook. You can use a meat thermometer to check for doneness and remove the fish from the oven once it reaches 125-135°F (52-57°C).
- Resting is important! Allow the fish to sit undisturbed for a few minutes before serving it. This will ensure that the fish is tender and not dried out.
Storing Tips
While tandoori salmon is most delicious when enjoyed right away, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Cold leftover salmon will make a delicious wrap with yogurt flatbreads.
What To Serve With Tandoori Salmon
For a delicious meal, I suggest serving your Tandoori Salmon with Cumin Rice, sliced red onions for crunch, and extra lemon wedges.
A creamy mint cilantro raita (yogurt sauce) is the ideal condiment. Simply mix a cup of Greek yogurt with as much chopped mint and coriander leaves as you like! Add two cloves of minced garlic and the juice from a lemon or a lime. Season to taste!
You can also try my creamy cucumber yogurt sauce or tzatziki sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Is Tandoori Salmon Spicy?
This recipe’s flavors are spiced but not necessarily hot. If you’re concerned about heat, you can leave out the cayenne pepper.
What temperature should I cook salmon to?
It depends on who you ask! The FDA recommends that salmon be cooked to 145°F/63°C, but many professional chefs prefer it to be cooked a bit less than that, to around 125°F/52°C.
How long does it take to bake salmon?
Using this method, with the oven at high heat, it only takes about 5 minutes to cook the salmon filets most of the way. We’ll finish the fish under the broiler for another 5 minutes, making the total cooking time about 10 minutes.
Should I remove the skin from Salmon Filets?
This is a personal preference. Leaving the skin on the salmon will give the fish more flavor, and help to keep the fish from falling apart. But if you remove the skin before cooking, the fish is easier to serve and to eat.
Can I Grill Tandoori Salmon?
You can! Marinate the fish as directed in the recipe, then cook it over a hot gas or charcoal grill. For more tips, follow the method I use in my Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Garlic recipe.
You can also cut the salmon filets into smaller pieces and thread them onto skewers to make tandoori salmon kabobs.
What is the white stuff on cooked salmon?
While you are cooking your tandoori salmon, you might see some white “goo” coming out of the meat. This is totally normal! It’s a protein in the fish that solidifies when heated.
More Tasty Salmon Recipes
All Fish Recipes
This easy recipe for Tandoori Salmon is so simple to make at home in your oven! Save this recipe and enjoy it the next time you’re craving a really flavorful fish dinner.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Tandoori Salmon
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (190 g) Greek yogurt or hung/strained yogurt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin sweet or smoked
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds (675 g) salmon fillets skin on or removed
Instructions
- To a large bowl or a ziploc bag, add yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cilantro, salt, garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper. Whisk well to combine.
- Add the salmon to the marinade and gently toss so that it is well coated in the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or 180°C for a fan oven, and line a quarter sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Remove the salmon from the marinade shaking off any excess, and place on the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then heat the broiler and place the fish 6 inches under the broiler element and broil for 5 minutes but watch it closely. Remove when the salmon is broiled and has reached the right color.
- Allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with rice, onion slices, raita or a fresh salad.
Notes:
- Check for pin bones. Even well butchered salmon filets can have a few bones left behind. You can feel for the bones using your hands and remove them with tweezers if you find any.
- Line the pan. The yogurt marinade on the fish will cause the filets to stick to the pan. To avoid this, line the pan with aluminium foil or parchment paper first!
- Adjust the cook time as needed. It may take a few less or extra minutes to cook your salmon filets. It depends on how big or small they are. You can use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, and remove the fish from the oven once it reaches 125-135°F (52-57°C).
- Resting is important! Allow the fish to sit, undisturbed for a few minutes before serving it. This will ensure that the fish is tender and not dried out.
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Zoe Bufton says
Tastiest salmon ever and so easy. I cooked the salmon fillets in my air fryer on Roast for 12 minutes at 190°. Perfect.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Yay! Cooking salmon in the air fryer is so quick and easy, isn’t it? I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!