Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon

A few months back, one of my co-workers visited Alaska for salmon season. He bought back an entire cooler of fresh salmon and halibut and was gracious enough to give me some.

Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal. #bakedsalmon www.savoryexperiments.com


 

Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal.

To capture the full flavor of wild caught salmon, I wanted to accent without overwhelming. I created Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon.

It also happens to be super quick and healthy. Triple bonus!

Make sure you PIN Crispy Caper Salmon!

Have you ever had an item that was so special you wanted to save it? Like a bottle of wine, smoked salt from a remote location or edible gold leaf (still in my pantry).

You tell yourself you are “saving it for a special occasion” but you never end up using it because nothing seems special enough? Well, I’ve decided to throw that rule out the door.

What good is wild caught salmon in air vacuumed packages in the freezer?

Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal.

So instead of waiting for a special night, I decided a random Tuesday night was “the night”. Lemon always pairs nicely with salmon, so that was an obvious choice. While I did season the salmon with a quality Maldon sea salt, I wanted a little more POW.

Brined capers had that factor, but instead of eating them soft, I wanted them to also add sophistication in texture. I bought brined capers, rinsed them to get rid of excess salt and then crisped them up in a small saucepan while the salmon was cooking.

Capers are one of those funny things I never cared for as a child, but all the sudden LOVE as an adult. My obsession has me asking… what is in the world is a caper?

Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Salmon in Foil ~ takes less than 30 minutes...perfect for weeknight dinners!!

Capers come from the caper bush, as do caper berries, but they are not the same thing. Capers are the unopened buds and caper berries are the fruit the bush produces once the buds have flowered and then been fertilized.

Chicken Piccata or Steak Tartare are the most common places to find capers, while caper berries are a little more sparse. I use them in my Seafood Stew and they are fantastic!

Classic Chicken Piccata is an easy Italian recipe that comes together in less than 3o minutes and explodes with flavors of lemon, caper and shallot. Delicious!  #chickenpiccata #easyitalianrecipes www.savoryexperiments.com
Chicken Piccata

What do capers taste like? Some folks will tell you they taste like olives. However, I don’t really care of olives and I wholeheartedly disagree.

What I do agree with is that they are a little pickly. When brined, they are soft, but supple, and when fried are crunchy and crisp.

Combine these simple ingredients and you have an award winning dish: Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon!

Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal. #bakedsalmon www.savoryexperiments.com

Serve your Crispy Caper Salmon with one of these side dishes:

This EASY Ranch Rice recipe is a super versatile side dish that will add gentle flavor to any dinner you are serving. A great way to use a pantry staple! #ranchrice #ricerecipes #ranchricerecipe #easyricerecipes www.savoryexperiments.com

Ranch Rice

Calling all ranch fanatics! This Ranch Rice is super easy to make and adds fun flavor to your meals. No more boring rice recipes!
See The Recipe!
close up of microwaved baked sweet potato

Microwaved Sweet Potatoes

Cooking sweet potatoes doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out process. All you need are your spuds, a microwave, and a fork, and you are in business. 
See The Recipe!
Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal. #bakedsalmon www.savoryexperiments.com
Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal.

Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon

4.13 from 8 votes
Crispy Caper Lemon Salmon is one of the best healthy salmon recipes. This lemon salmon is quick, easy and healthy! Crispy capers add texture sophistication to this easy weeknight meal.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Add salmon, cover with fresh lemon juice and season with Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cooking time will vary greatly depending on the thickness of the salmon.
  • While salmon is cooking, lightly spray a small frying pan and heat to medium. Add capers. Saute for 3-5 minutes, or until capers start to crisp and brown. Remove from heat and salt aside until salmon is complete.
  • Remove salmon, which should be a light pink and flake easily with a fork. Top with crispy capers and serve.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 169 kcal, Carbohydrates: 2 g, Protein: 23 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 62 mg, Sodium: 655 mg, Potassium: 555 mg, Vitamin A: 75 IU, Vitamin C: 6.8 mg, Calcium: 22 mg, Iron: 1.3 mg
Author: Chef Jessica Anne
Calories: 169
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked salmon recipe
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.13 from 8 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    of late I changed my opinion bout special occasions and started celebrating a bit of life every day. So I understand having put away some treats. The salmon looks amazing and must be perfect.

  2. I love all things salmon, so I know that I am going to be all over this! Making it tomorrow night, thank you so much for sharing 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    That lemon caper sauce sounds so delicious! 🙂 The salmon is cooked perfectly..

  4. 5 stars
    I love how simple this recipe is – and I love the ingredients. We seldom see wild Alaskan salmon here – but I know how special it is! This recipe is delicious anyway – even with the Scottish salmon that is more normal here in the UK!

  5. I am not going to say
    “Never save” something for a special occasion, but I have found that it is more fun to “Enjoy it while you got it!”

    Trying this recipe right now. I believe it will be guudaa. 🙂