Introducing an incredibly simple Homemade Cranberry Sauce Baked Christmas Salmon. This festive salmon is perfect for holiday dinners: it uses just three main ingredients and is ready in about 35 minutes, making it an easy yet impressive centerpiece for family meals.
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy
Table of Contents
- 📋About The Recipe
- 👨🏻🍳Why Make This Baked Christmas Salmon
- 🥘Ingredients to make Baked Christmas Salmon
- 🍽Serving Suggestions
- 🔪How to make Baked Christmas Salmon
- 👪Recipe FAQ’s
- 💭Top Tips
- 🥡Preparing Ahead & Storing
- Baked Christmas Salmon Recipe
📋About The Recipe
This easy holiday salmon recipe is ideal when you want something quick, gluten-free, and delicious. The bright cranberry topping creates a festive look and adds a tart-sweet contrast to the rich salmon. If you make homemade cranberry sauce, double the batch so you’ll have extra for this dish or other sides.
The method is straightforward and forgiving, so it’s a great choice if you’re hosting or want a relaxed holiday meal. The finished dish looks beautiful on the table and pairs well with a range of seasonal vegetables.
👨🏻🍳Why Make This Baked Christmas Salmon
- Easy – Simply spread cranberry sauce over the salmon and bake. It’s a no-fuss holiday main.
- 3 Ingredients – Salmon, cranberries and maple syrup (plus pantry staples such as water and salt) make this a minimal-ingredient recipe.
- 35 minutes – Quick prep and cooking time so you can spend more time with guests.
- Family friendly – Appeals to adults and kids alike thanks to the familiar sweet-tart cranberry flavour.
- Gluten & Refined Sugar Free – Using maple syrup keeps the sauce free of refined sugar, and the recipe is naturally gluten free.
🥘Ingredients to make Baked Christmas Salmon
You only need three main ingredients plus water and a pinch of salt.
- Salmon fillet – A 1 kg side of salmon feeds about six people and makes for an attractive presentation.
- Fresh cranberries – Fresh cranberries produce the best texture and bright colour. If unavailable, frozen or jarred cranberry sauce will also work.
- Maple syrup –Sweetens the cranberry sauce without refined sugar; honey can be used as an alternative.
🍽Serving Suggestions
Some favourite sides to serve with Cranberry Baked Salmon:
- Rosemary-infused roast potatoes or any well-seasoned roast potatoes to soak up the juices.
- Roasted or smashed Brussels sprouts for a seasonal vegetable side.
- Gluten-free Yorkshire puddings if you’re creating a full holiday spread.
🔪How to make Baked Christmas Salmon
Step 1: Make the cranberry sauce. In a saucepan combine fresh cranberries, maple syrup, water and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the cranberries soften. Mash gently with a fork and continue simmering until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
Step 2: Spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the salmon fillet so the top is nicely coated.
Step 3: Place the coated salmon in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Optionally add vegetables such as Brussels sprouts to roast alongside the fish. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes, or until cooked through to your liking.
The oven aroma is delightful, and the finished salmon makes a colourful centrepiece. Serve straight from the dish for an easy, festive presentation.
👪Recipe FAQ’s
Yes — this topping works well with other firm fillets such as trout, cod or hake.
Fresh cranberries are typically available in stores in late autumn and early winter. Frozen cranberries are commonly stocked year-round in many supermarkets.
Yes — pre-made cranberry sauce works fine if fresh cranberries are not available.
You can prepare the cranberry sauce ahead of time. If needed, top the salmon up to two days in advance and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
💭Top Tips
- Ask your fishmonger for centre-cut salmon for the best presentation.
- Use an instant-read thermometer if unsure: cooked salmon should reach 62°C (145°F).
- Thaw frozen salmon completely before baking for even cooking.
- Adjust cooking time for smaller pre-cut fillets, which cook faster than a large side of salmon.
🥡Preparing Ahead & Storing
Make the cranberry sauce ahead if it helps your schedule — it takes only about 10 minutes to prepare when fresh. You can top the salmon and refrigerate it for up to two days before baking.
After baking, store leftover salmon in the fridge for up to two days and reheat gently to preserve texture and flavour.
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Baked Christmas Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 kg side of salmon
- 2 cups fresh cranberries (225g)
- ½ cup maple syrup (could use honey)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Make the cranberry sauce: add cranberries, maple syrup, water and a pinch of salt to a pot over medium heat.
- Simmer until cranberries soften (3–5 minutes), mash roughly with a fork, and simmer a further 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
- Top the salmon with the cranberry sauce, place into a baking tray lined with parchment paper and add optional vegetables to roast alongside.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F) or until cooked through.
Notes
- Request centre-cut salmon from your fishmonger for the nicest presentation.
- Check doneness with a thermometer: salmon should reach 62°C (145°F).
- Thaw frozen salmon completely before cooking for best results.
- Adjust cooking times for smaller fillets.
Preparing ahead and storing:
- Make the cranberry sauce in advance if convenient; it keeps well refrigerated.
- You can top the salmon up to two days ahead and keep it chilled until baking.
- Store cooked salmon in the fridge for up to two days.
Serving Suggestions:
- Rosemary-infused roast potatoes or roast vegetables are excellent accompaniments.
- Gluten-free Yorkshire puddings work well if serving a full holiday meal.
Nutrition
