Smoky Oven Baked Salmon with Horseradish Sauce – An easy, delicious dish that’s loaded with incredibly smoky, zesty, and salty flavors! This baked salmon with homemade horseradish sauce can be served warm for dinner or cold as an appetizer.

Baked salmon covered in horseradish sauce, capers and herbs.

Oven Baked Salmon with Horseradish Sauce

One of the most memorable parties I ever hosted was my first grownup dinner party.

It was my first big party as a newlywed, as a working girl with a job that required a degree, and as a homeowner.

I felt very very mature. And I wanted it to be a real grownup party… The kind where we provided everything, for the sake of elegance, hospitality, and quality-control, and no one brought food or drinks. (A Type-A tendency I’ve let go over the years.)

The problem was, I’d never made that many dishes all by myself. I’d always had my mom, or several friends to cook with, when hosting a get-together.

The day of the party I felt completely overwhelmed.

Fortunately for me, an older and wiser friend had anticipated this, and brought me a traditional Smoked Salmon Recipe with Creamy Horseradish Sauce to serve at the party.

Smoky baked salmon with creamy white sauce on top and capers.

She brought it over several hours before the party started and told me to cross a couple recipes off my list. The salmon would be more than enough to fill in the gaps.

At first, I was hesitant… Change my plans last minute?

Yet, I gave in to her kind advice and generous gift. And the party was a huge success!

The food was a hit. Our friends were in rare form that night with jokes and stories. Plus, I had time to shower and have a glass of wine beforehand, due to my friend’s salmon recipe. That’s a dinner party hostess win!

If you are a salmon fan, you have to learn how to make horseradish sauce. It is simple yet packed with flavor and so delicious to pair with salmon!

Get the Full (Printable) Oven Baked Salmon with Horseradish Sauce Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Overhead view of baked salmon on a serving platter with sauce and capers on top.

Our Indoor “Smoked” Baked Salmon Recipe

I have made several renditions of this salmon recipe over the years. My party-saving friend smoked the salmon out on her grill, providing a dusky flavor and crusty exterior… Yet many people do not have a grill or smoker.

So, today I’m sharing my indoor rendition, a 10-ingredient Smoky Baked Salmon Recipe with Horseradish Sauce, that can be made in less than 30 minutes.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the Smoky Salmon:

  • Wild Atlantic Salmon Filets – you definitely want fresh, high quality fish for this dish
  • Brown sugar
  • Liquid smoke

What you need to make the homemade horseradish sauce:

  • Sour cream – you can substitute Greek yogurt
  • Milk
  • Shaved shallots
  • Dijon mustard
  • Prepared horseradish
  • Capers
  • Chopped parsley
Raw salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

How to Make Oven Baked Salmon

Here are the simple steps to make this marvelous cheater version of smoky not-smoked salmon in your kitchen:

1. Place a whole wild salmon fillet on a baking sheet and massage it with brown sugar and liquid smoke.

2. While it’s baking, whisk together a quick sauce of shaved shallot, horseradish, sour cream, and a touch of dijon mustard.

Step by step photos of making horseradish sauce.

3. Once the salmon is out of the oven, allow it to rest and cool for several minutes before carefully moving to a platter.

4. Pour the horseradish sauce over the top, and garnish with capers and chopped parsley.

The beauty of this Smoky Baked Salmon Recipe with Creamy Horseradish Sauce is that is tastes fabulous warm or cold.

You could even make it a couple days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Then pour the sauce over the top right before serving.

Give this recipe a try at your next family gathering or dinner party!

Baked salmon with sauce and capers on top with spatula flaking the edge of the salmon off.

Looking for more easy and impressive dinner party recipes?

Crazy over this 10-Ingredient Smoky Baked Salmon Recipe with Creamy Horseradish Sauce on ASpicyPerspective.com #holiday
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Oven Baked Salmon with Horseradish Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Smoky Oven Baked Salmon with Horseradish Sauce – An easy, delicious dish that's loaded with incredibly smoky, zesty, and salty flavors! This baked salmon with homemade horseradish sauce only requires 10 ingredients, and can be served warm for dinner or cold as an appetizer.
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the whole salmon fillet on it, skin side down. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar, then drizzle the liquid smoke over the top. Rub to coat the entire fillet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until just barely cooked through. (You do not want to over cook your salmon fillet.)
  • Meanwhile, shave the shallot with a large grater. In a mixing bowl, mix the sour cream, milk, shallot, mustard, and horseradish. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
  • Once the salmon is out of the oven, allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes. Then carefully move it to a platter using two spatulas. Pour the horseradish sauce over the top and garnish with chopped parsley and capers.

Notes

This dish is great warm, but Lt. Dan likes it even better cold. Make the salmon ahead and chill. Then top with the horseradish sauce and capers right before serving.
Makes 6 entree portions or 12 appetizer portions.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ounces, Calories: 276kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 207mg, Potassium: 793mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 235IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 1.4mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
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