Salmon Cook Time Calculator
Salmon cook time is decided by one thing above all: fillet thickness — not weight. Measure the thickest part of your fillet, pick a method, and get a time anchored to the classic salmon 10 minutes per inch rule (about 10 minutes per inch at 425°F), plus pull temperatures and resting guidance. This salmon cook time calculator covers salmon fillet cook time in oven, pan, air fryer, and grill — if you're asking how long to bake salmon at 425, the short answer is about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
A rough fallback for when you only know the package weight. This salmon cook time by weight fallback uses about 10 minutes per pound at 425°F. A tall thin fillet and a short thick one can weigh the same, so thickness (tab 1) is always more accurate.
This salmon internal temperature chart shows pull temperatures — what your thermometer should read the moment the fish leaves the heat. What temperature to pull salmon depends on your target: 125°F for medium-rare, 135°F for medium, 145°F for USDA well-done.
| Doneness | Pull temp (off heat) | After 3–5 min rest |
|---|---|---|
| Medium-rare | 125°F (51.7°C) | ≈ 130°F (54.4°C) |
| Medium | 135°F (57.2°C) | ≈ 140°F (60°C) |
| Well done (USDA 145°F) | 145°F (62.8°C) | ≈ 148°F (64.4°C) |
Pull temperature is what your thermometer should read when the fish leaves the heat; carryover raises it about 5°F during the rest. Salmon doneness temperature medium rare: 125°F at pull; for salmon temperature medium means 135°F at pull, rising to about 140°F after rest. USDA guidance for fin fish is 145°F — the two lower rows are chef-style preferences many diners choose. The salmon pull temp 125 vs 145 decision is the main doneness lever; time follows temperature, not the other way around.
Why fillet thickness beats weight for salmon cook time
Heat travels from the surface to the center of the fillet. The distance it must travel is half the thickness — so a fillet that is twice as thick needs roughly twice the time, no matter what it weighs. The question that actually decides dinner — how long to cook salmon per inch of thickness — has a different answer than how long to cook it per pound, because weight only correlates with time when fillets are cut to a similar shape. Think of this page as a salmon thickness cooking guide: measure, look up your method, cook. This calculator's rule of thumb rates (minutes per inch of maximum thickness) are:
- Oven 425°F: 10 min per inch — the classic published rule
- Salmon cook time at 400 degrees: 12 min per inch
- Pan-sear: 8 min per inch — how long to pan sear salmon fillet? About 8 minutes per inch, skin-side down most of the time
- Air fryer 400°F: 8 min per inch
- Grill (direct): 8 min per inch — how long to grill salmon fillet? 8 minutes per inch, flip once halfway
- Doneness adjustment: −1 min for medium (135°F), −2 min for medium-rare (125°F), baseline at USDA 145°F
How long to cook salmon per inch of thickness: time table (well-done baseline, 145°F)
Use this salmon fillet thickness chart as a starting point — every cell is computed from the model above. Wondering about 1 inch salmon cook time specifically? Read the "1″" row for your method.
| Thickness (max) | Oven 425°F | Oven 400°F | Pan-sear | Air fryer 400°F | Grill (direct) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½″ (1.3 cm) | 5 min | 6 min | 4 min | 4 min | 4 min |
| ¾″ (1.9 cm) | 7.5 min | 9 min | 6 min | 6 min | 6 min |
| 1″ (2.5 cm) | 10 min | 12 min | 8 min | 8 min | 8 min |
| 1¼″ (3.2 cm) | 12.5 min | 15 min | 10 min | 10 min | 10 min |
| 1½″ (3.8 cm) | 15 min | 18 min | 12 min | 12 min | 12 min |
| 2″ (5.1 cm) | 20 min | 24 min | 16 min | 16 min | 16 min |
Times are rule-of-thumb starting points rounded to the nearest half minute — your oven's true temperature, a skin-on vs skinless fillet, and wild vs farmed fat content all shift them by a minute or two. Pull by thermometer, not by the clock.
How long to cook 1.5 inch salmon: worked example (pan-seared, medium)
- Measure the thickest part: 1.5″ (3.8 cm).
- Base rate for pan-sear is 8 min per inch: 1.5 × 8 = 12 min.
- Doneness adjustment for medium (135°F pull): −1 min → 11 min.
- Technique split: about two-thirds skin-side down (7.5 min), then flip for a short finish (3.5 min).
- Rest 3–5 min; carryover brings it to about 140°F.
Another anchor: a 1″ fillet at 425°F needs about 10 min and a 1.5″ fillet about 15 min — the 10-minutes-per-inch rule in action. For how long to grill salmon, use the same 8-minutes-per-inch rate and flip once halfway.
Salmon internal temperature and food safety
Keep it safe
- The salmon internal temp of 145°F (63°C) is the USDA target for fin fish, measured in the thickest part.
- Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water (changed every 30 minutes), or in the microwave — never on the counter.
- Refrigerate cooked salmon within 2 hours; eat leftovers within 3–4 days, reheated until steaming.
- People at higher risk of foodborne illness (pregnant, elderly, immune-compromised) should stick to the 145°F target.
General food-safety information, not medical advice. When in doubt, throw it out.
Frequently asked questions
How long does salmon take in the oven at 425°F?
Use about 10 minutes per inch of thickness at 425°F. A 1-inch fillet takes about 10 minutes and a 1.5-inch fillet about 15 minutes. Measure the thickest part of the fillet, because a thin tail cooks far faster than a thick center.
How long to bake 1 inch salmon fillet in the oven?
About 10 minutes in a 425°F oven, about 12 minutes at 400°F, and about 8 minutes in an air fryer, on a grill, or in a hot pan. Confirm with a thermometer in the thickest part: 145°F is the USDA target, while many cooks pull at 125–135°F for a juicier center.
Why is fillet thickness a better input than weight for salmon cook time?
Heat has to travel from the surface to the center, so thickness decides how long that takes. A tall thin fillet and a short thick one can weigh the same but need very different times — a 0.5-inch fillet cooks in roughly half the time of a 1-inch one, even at the same weight.
What internal temperature is salmon done at?
The USDA recommends 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part of fin fish. Chef-style preferences pull earlier: about 125°F for medium-rare and 135°F for medium, with a 3–5 minute rest carrying the temperature up roughly 5°F. Pulling below 145°F is a personal choice and is not the official safety recommendation.
How long should salmon rest after cooking?
Rest salmon 3–5 minutes, tented loosely. Carryover heat raises the internal temperature about 3–5°F while the juices redistribute, which is why the calculator's pull temperature sits slightly below your target final temperature. This salmon carryover temperature rest effect is exactly why you pull the fish slightly before your target.
How long to pan sear salmon fillet?
Salmon skin side down time should be about two-thirds of the total: for a 1-inch fillet, about 8 minutes total — roughly 5.5 minutes skin-side down in a hot, lightly oiled pan, then about 2.5 minutes on the flesh side. Start skin-side down on a dry surface pressed flat with a spatula for the first minute to keep the skin crisp.
How long to cook salmon in an air fryer?
About 8 minutes per inch of thickness at 400°F in a preheated air fryer — a 1-inch fillet takes about 8 minutes, a 1.5-inch fillet about 12. Check early the first time, because air fryer models run hotter than their dial suggests.
Can I cook salmon straight from frozen?
Yes. Yes — you can cook salmon from frozen. Add roughly 50% more time — a 1-inch frozen fillet needs about 15–18 minutes at 425°F instead of 10. Rinse off any ice glaze, season after the first few minutes when the surface softens, and confirm doneness with a thermometer.
Should I flip salmon while it bakes?
No flipping is needed for oven baking; even heat surrounds the fillet. On a grill, flip once about halfway through. In a pan, sear skin-side down most of the time and flip once for a short finish on the flesh side.
How to tell when salmon is done without a thermometer?
The flesh turns opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and shows only a little translucent gloss in the center. The white protein (albumin) seeping onto the surface signals the fish is approaching done. A thermometer in the thickest part is still the reliable way to hit your exact target.
Wild salmon vs farmed salmon cook time — is there a difference?
Lean wild salmon (like sockeye) cooks a little faster and dries out sooner than fattier farmed Atlantic salmon. Start checking wild fillets a minute or two early, especially thin pieces, and pull at the same internal temperature.
How long does leftover cooked salmon keep?
Refrigerate cooked salmon within 2 hours and eat it within 3–4 days. Reheat gently to steaming — hot, brief reheating keeps it from going chalky. When in doubt about how long fish sat out, throw it out.
How do I keep salmon from overcooking?
Measure thickness and set a timer using the 10-minutes-per-inch rule at 425°F, start checking 2 minutes early, and pull by temperature rather than time. The jump from juicy to chalky happens in the last few degrees, so an instant-read thermometer is the single best tool.
Related tools
Cook times are rule-of-thumb estimates for planning; an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the fillet is the only reliable doneness check. This page provides general cooking information, not medical or professional food-safety advice.
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