A tender side of salmon slathered with honey Buffalo sauce, baked to flaky perfection, then showered with an optional (unless you live at my house, in which case it is obligatory) shower of blue cheese or feta cheese, the easy baked salmon recipe takes the experience of your favorite Buffalo wings, then turns them into a feast-worthy, healthy dinner that’s full-on flavor. This recipe uses my foolproof method of baking salmon in the oven in a foil packet. The foil locks in moisture, which makes the fish tender and the recipe more forgiving. Even if you’ve never cooked salmon (or fish in general) before in your life, you can nail it when you use this simple effective approach. For a full overview of the foil-baking process, as well as my site’s top-rated salmon recipe, see this post for Baked Salmon in Foil, which contains a wide range of salmon cooking tips. If you are looking to bake individual fillets of fish, or want more about cooking salmon at different temperatures, check out this post about How Long to Cook Salmon.
Buffalo Sauce For Fast Flavor
Every time I serve a Buffalo sauce-inspired dish for dinner, whether it’s this no-brainer Healthy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, or these creative Cauliflower Buffalo Wings (an “appetizer” that yes, we eat as the main event), I feel a little bit like I am cheating. Cooking with Buffalo sauce is just so DANG EASY. The flavor is built in; all I need to do is open the bottle and unleash it. The praises are heaped upon me, and I’m tempted to feel like they belong to someone else. (Since I made this Buffalo salmon with Frank’s hot sauce, maybe Frank gets the credit?) In the name of easy, healthy dinners and all-around sanity, I vote that tonight we take the praise. Make this Buffalo salmon, then bask in the applause.
Buffalo Sauce – A Brief History
If you are a fellow Buffalo sauce enthusiast, you may have heard that the “Buffalo” in its name refers to a place. Buffalo sauce is credited to Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York in 1964. The co-owner, Teressa Bellissimo, began serving her son leftover chicken wings coated in hot sauce. After his rave reviews, she decided to add them to the menu, and the people went crazy. They were addictively delicious to spice lovers and an easy meal that seemed to bring people together too. A point of clarification: most Buffalo sauce recipes are made with a base of classic hot sauce (like Franks RedHot) not sauces that are labeled “Buffalo wing sauce.” Buffalo sauce takes hot sauce, then amps it up with melted butter and garlic. I tested this salmon recipe with Frank’s RedHot Original (the classic one that looks red, not orange), though if you begin with one with the “Buffalo” flavor already added, that’s just fine too. Frank’s has expanded its product line, and a number of competitors offer their versions. Choose whichever one you and your family enjoy most.
How to Make Baked Buffalo Salmon
As written, this recipe is lightly spicy, but not overly so thanks to the addition of honey, which balances it out. If you’d like the salmon even more spicy, add more hot sauce to taste. Spicy food lovers, be sure to check out my recipe for Spicy Baked Salmon too.
The Ingredients
Salmon. This recipe is written for a side of salmon, which weighs around 2 pounds. Feel free to scale the quantity up or down to meet your needs, adjusting the cooking time accordingly. I recommend trying to find wild caught salmon, which generally has less calories and more minerals. I leave the skin on for baked salmon recipes like this to help keep them from drying out but you can remove the skin if you prefer.Hot Sauce. Our flavor superstar! I used Frank’s RedHot for this recipe (see “Buffalo Sauce – A Brief History” above for more information). You could also use a Buffalo wing flavored sauce or make this a Tabasco Salmon. Just be aware that Tabasco does not have as much added flavor (like garlic powder) as Frank’s RedHot does. Also, the Tabasco bottles are pretty tiny and I perceive the spice level to be hotter, so you’d be experimenting with this swap.Butter. A core ingredient in any Buffalo sauce inspired recipe.Honey. The sweet element to complement our hot sauce. It tones the heat down a little and provides a nice balance.Spices. I loved the addition of garlic powder and cayenne pepper to amp things up. If you like less spice, you can omit the cayenne pepper.Cheese. While optional, a little crumbled blue cheese or feta is an addition you won’t regret. The cool, tangy flavor of blue cheese is an especially classic pairing with Buffalo sauce recipes.
The Directions
What to Serve with Buffalo Salmon
Salad. Pair buffalo salmon with this healthy and cooling Creamy Cucumber Salad. This Anytime Arugula Salad would also be tasty.Vegetables. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts would be delicious with this salmon.Rice. Try serving the salmon on a bed of white, brown, or cauliflower rice. Quinoa would also work well.
Salmon Storage Tips
This recipe is best enjoyed the day that it is made, as salmon can dry out when reheated. However, if you end up with leftovers, here are a few tips:
To Store. Store leftover salmon in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.To Reheat. Rewarm individual portions in a skillet on the stove over low heat. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave on low power, though I prefer the stovetop. TIP: Let the salmon come to room temperature before reheating.To Freeze. Remove any skin, and freeze the salmon an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.The leftovers will work great in any recipes that call for canned salmon. You can also toss it into a pasta, rice, or make this easy Salmon Patty Recipe.If you have at least 6 ounces or so of leftover salmon, you could also try making a Buffalo salmon dip. Break up any large pieces of salmon with a fork, then mix it with 4 oz softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella would be tasty). Add the mixture to a small, lightly greased baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve warm with chips or crackers.
More Salmon Recipes and Resources
How to Cook Salmon <– the BEST salmon resourceTeriyaki SalmonLemon Pepper SalmonGrilled Salmon in Foil
More Ways to Use Buffalo Sauce
Because, as Ben would say, Buffalo sauce goes on everything:
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed PeppersSlow Cooker Buffalo Chicken MeatballsBuffalo Chicken TaquitosThere’s a STELLAR Buffalo Chicken Burger in my cookbook (SO GOOD!)
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
Liquid Ingredient Measuring Cups. These are microwave-safe, so you can use for melting the butter and mixing.Rimmed Baking Sheets. My go-to for this baked salmon recipe.Instant Read Thermometer. The absolute best way to know when your salmon is done.
Serve this Buffalo baked salmon, and the praises will fly, no wings required! (So sorry; I couldn’t resist that one). As always, if you try this Buffalo salmon or any of my other healthy salmon recipes, I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below to let me know how it came out.
