2-Ingredient Baked BBQ Salmon

The fewer ingredients, the better, especially when dinner needs to happen fast. This 2-ingredient baked BBQ salmon came straight from a dinner table brainstorming session with my kids. They were debating all the best uses for BBQ sauce (a staple in our house), and someone casually suggested swapping it for pesto in our favorite pesto salmon recipe. One quick test later, and we had a new family favorite. 

This recipe reminds me of nother 2-ingredient wonder, my sesame ginger salmon, which is another easy way to bring big flavor with little effort.

With just two ingredients and almost no work, this salmon recipe is so easy that anyone in your house can make it, giving you a well-deserved break from dinner duty... for at least for one night. Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients

• Salmon: I buy mine at Aldi or Costco depending on how many people I'm cooking for. To feed our family (with three kiddos) I use a piece that weighs about one pound. When I'm feeding a crowd, I use a whole side (typically around 3 lbs).
• BBQ Sauce: We are partial to Sweet Baby Ray’s, but any bottled BBQ sauce you love will work perfectly.  Shop your pantry, don’t run out for something new.

Step by step directions 

Preheat your oven to 350℉ degrees and place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.

🔥Fire up the Grill This recipe works just as well on the grill. Just preheat to medium heat and place the salmon skin-side down on a piece of heavy-duty foil or directly on the grates (if you’re feeling bold). Brush with BBQ sauce and close the lid, letting it cook for about 10-12 minutes until the salmon is flaky and cooked through. If you like a little char, brush on extra sauce in the last few minutes. It’s just as easy, with a little smoky grill flavor as a bonus!

Avoid overcooking the salmon

Salmon can get over cooked quite easily. To make sure you get a tender flaky salmon each and every time follow these easy tips:

• Use fresh salmon or be sure to completely thaw your salmon before cooking..
• Make sure the pieces of salmon are all approximately the same size and thickness
• Use a thermometer checking the internal temp as the salmon cooks, checking thinner pieces before the thicker ones.
• If you have different sized pieces of fish, you may need to take them out of the oven at different times.  The smaller/thinner pieces will cook faster.  Keep your serving dish at the ready.

Serving suggestions

This baked BBQ salmon goes with just about anything that sounds good. If you serve it with BBQ chicken, it’ll work here too.

Roasted sweet potatoes, charred corn (or even fun little corn ribs), sautéed spinach, and smashed garlic potatoes all pair perfectly. Or go for the classics with a creamy coleslaw, a big Greek salad, or a simple Italian pasta salad or even mac ‘n cheese.

Alternatively, flake up the salmon and use it in a big spinach salad or tossed with pasta.

Storing and using leftovers

If you’ve got leftovers, just pop them into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to five days. I wouldn’t recommend making this one ahead and freezing it—the texture just isn’t the same.

But the leftovers? So good. Flake the salmon over a salad, toss it into pasta, or turn it into another easy dinner. My family is all about BBQ salmon flatbreads (naan from Trader Joe’s is our go-to) or a BBQ salmon sandwich. Grab a pretzel roll, pile on some red onions, lettuce, and pickles, and you’ve got an incredible lunch waiting for you.

Other super easy dinner ideas!

📖 Recipe