This 5-ingredient oven baked salmon and scalloped potatoes is the kind of low-effort dinner that saves busy weeknights. Everything goes right into one baking dish, which means less prep, fewer dishes, and a hearty meal that feels a lot more put together than the tiny amount of work suggests. Using frozen salmon portions and boxed dry scalloped potatoes is a practical shortcut I love when the day gets away from me, but I still want something warm, filling, and homemade-ish on the table.
Serve this with a simple green salad, steamed broccoli, green beans, or roasted asparagus to balance the richness of the potatoes and salmon. If you want to stretch the meal a little further, a basket of dinner rolls or some crusty bread works well for soaking up the creamy sauce.
5-Ingredient Oven Baked Salmon and Scalloped Potatoes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 frozen raw salmon portions, about 4 to 6 ounces each
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Add the dry potato slices and sauce mix from the boxed scalloped potatoes to the baking dish. Pour in the hot water, milk, and melted butter, then stir gently to combine.
3. Nestle the frozen salmon portions on top of the potato mixture, spacing them evenly across the dish.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the salmon is fully cooked and flakes easily with a fork.
5. Let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken slightly. Spoon the potatoes onto plates and serve each portion with a piece of salmon.
Variations & Tips
Add a little seasoning: If you do not need to keep it strictly to five ingredients, a sprinkle of black pepper, garlic powder, dried dill, or paprika over the salmon adds extra flavor with almost no effort.
Watch the salmon size: Thicker frozen salmon portions may need a few extra minutes in the oven. If your fillets are especially large, check the center of the fish before serving to make sure it flakes easily.
Make it creamier: For a richer result, you can swap part of the milk for half-and-half. This is especially nice if you want the potatoes to feel a little more holiday-style and extra comforting.
Add vegetables: Broccoli florets, peas, or thin sliced onions can be tucked around the potatoes for a fuller one-pan meal. Just keep in mind that watery vegetables may thin the sauce slightly.
Use thawed salmon if needed: If your salmon is thawed instead of frozen, reduce the bake time a bit and start checking for doneness earlier so the fish stays tender.
