Baked Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers
This easy baked salmon gets a vibrant Mediterranean lift from a rustic cherry tomato–caper sauce. The fish cooks simply in the oven, staying tender and moist with just olive oil, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, cherry tomatoes simmer with garlic, onion, crushed red pepper, and salty capers, breaking down into a bright, tangy-sweet pan sauce enriched with caper brine. Fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon finish the dish. Distinctive for its bold, briny flavors and minimal-effort technique, it delivers elegant, restaurant-quality results in minutes.
Ingredients:
4 5oz (142 g) filets of salmon, skinless
1/4 cup (59 ml) olive oil plus extra for drizzling
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups (330 g) cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup (35 g) capers
2 tbsp (30 ml) caper brine
Small pinch crushed red pepper
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
1 tbsp (15 g) parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 385 F (196 C).
Place salmon filets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the salmon and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and let rest for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, add olive oil to a small pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes and reduce heat to medium. Let the cherry tomatoes simmer gently for 6-7 minutes, mashing them up a little to help them break down. Add capers and caper brine to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes. Once the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Serve tomato and caper sauce over the salmon. Drizzle with any olive oil leftover on the baking sheet, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.