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30-Minute Baked Feta Salmon

A block of feta baked with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic until creamy, with salmon fillets nestled in and baked to 145°F — the viral baked-feta method, salmon edition, in 30 minutes, about 37g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (8 oz) block feta cheese
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes about 4 cups
  • 1/4 cup olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for the salmon
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each, 1 1/2 lb total
  • 1 tsp kosher salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper divided
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil plus more for serving
  • Cooked orzo or crusty bread for serving

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Place the feta block in the center of a 9×13-inch baking dish and surround it with the cherry tomatoes. Drizzle everything with the 1/4 cup olive oil, scatter over the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using.
  2. Bake for 12 minutes, until the tomatoes start to slump and the feta softens around the edges.
  3. While the bake is going, pat the salmon fillets dry and rub them with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
  4. Use a spoon to push the tomatoes and feta to the sides so there is room for the fillets. Nestle the salmon into the dish, skin-side down if the fillets have skin. Return to the oven and bake 12–14 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork and reads 145°F on an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part.
  5. Remove the dish from the oven. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Use a spoon to stir the feta and tomatoes into a creamy, jammy sauce, nudging it around (not over) the fillets.
  6. Spoon the feta-tomato sauce over the salmon, shower with the basil, and serve immediately over cooked orzo or with crusty bread for scooping up every last drop.

Notes

Food safety: salmon to 145°F at its thickest point — check with an instant-read thermometer. Use a whole block of feta, not crumbles — crumbled feta will not bake into the same creamy sauce. Leftovers 3 days refrigerated; not freezer-friendly. Protein ~37g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.