30 Min Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes

Oh, weeknights! Aren’t they hectic? We all crave something that tastes like we spent hours on it but really only took twenty minutes? That’s exactly what this recipe delivers. I’m telling you, my recipe for Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives is my absolute go-to when I need flavor without the fuss. It’s naturally glorious and fits perfectly into any low-carb or gluten-free diet, which keeps me happy.

I still remember the first time I made “Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives” for my family. It was a carefree Sunday evening, and the aroma wafting from the oven took me back to family dinners at my nonna’s house, where fresh ingredients were always the stars of the table. As I plated the dish, vibrant colors danced in front of me, and the first bite reminded me that the heart of our culinary tradition could still shine through, even within gluten-free confines. Sharing that meal felt like a homecoming, proving that food truly connects us to our roots and each other, regardless of dietary changes.

Why This Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives Shines

Honestly, this recipe just checks every single box, doesn’t it? For me, it’s about getting serious flavor without making a giant mess afterward. You’re going to love how little time this takes!

• It’s ready in just 30 minutes total, so say goodbye to takeout panic!
• This dish is perfect for anyone looking for truly heart healthy dinners; salmon is packed with good stuff.
• And yes, it sails right through as one of your favorite gluten free recipes—no sneaky starches here!
• The intense flavor profile from the olives and tomatoes means you don’t need complicated sauces.

If you’re looking for more easy, wholesome meals, you can always check out my full collection of favorite gluten-free dishes over here!

Gathering Ingredients for Your Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

When you are making something this simple, the ingredients really have to bring their A-game! Don’t even think about skimping on the olive oil here; we need that good, grassy extra virgin stuff to carry all those wonderful Mediterranean vibes. We’re aiming for flavor clarity, you know?

Here is what you need to pull together this beautiful Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives. Remember, fresh dill is non-negotiable for that bright finish!

• Four gorgeous skinless, boneless salmon filets (try to get them close to the same thickness for even cooking!).
• Kosher salt and pepper, just to taste.
• Two or three garlic cloves, minced up super fine.
• One Tablespoon of your best olive oil—the quality really shows through here.
• Half a cup of those briny Kalamata olives—pitted, of course!
• About a quarter cup of sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped down a bit.
• Two Tablespoons of capers, and yes, use a tiny splash of that salty caper juice for extra zing!
• Two Tablespoons of fresh dill, chopped up right before you scatter it over the top.
• And optional, but I love it: A dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream on the side. So creamy!

If you love recipes that keep the grocery list short, you might also adore my 5-Ingredient Caprese Skewers for an appetizer!

Step-by-Step: Preparing the Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

This is where the magic truly happens! It’s honestly so simple you barely need a recipe card, which is good because I usually lose mine anyway. We’re getting beautiful, deep flavor here thanks to the high heat and all those salty, bright toppings. If you want to see my other super easy fish recipe, check out my Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon—it’s another winner!

Preheat and Prepare the Dish

First things first, crank that oven up! We need it hot—preheat to 400ºF. Grab your oven-safe square or rectangular dish. Line it up, and gently nestle those four beautiful salmon filets right inside. Make sure they have a little bit of space around them so the heat can circulate nicely. Try not to crowd them!

Seasoning and Topping the Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

Now, let’s season them up! Give them a good dusting of salt and pepper—don’t be shy! Then, take your minced garlic and that tablespoon of olive oil and rub it all over the top of each filet. It seals in moisture, trust me. After that, it’s topping time! Scatter those gorgeous Kalamata olives, sprinkle on the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and make sure those salty little capers (juice and all!) land everywhere.

Baking Time and Final Garnish

Off they go into the hot oven for about 16 to 20 minutes. Now, here’s my personal trick for success: check the thickness! If your salmon is super thick, it might need closer to 20 minutes. You’re looking for it to flake easily when you nudge it with a fork, and the top should look slightly golden. Once they’re out, give them a final shower of that fresh, chopped dill. Wow, the smell is incredible!

Expert Tips for Perfect Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

Want to take this dish from great to absolutely restaurant-worthy? It’s all in the details, friend! Even though this tomato and olive bake style is fast, a couple of little insider secrets make a huge difference in the final texture and taste. I learned these the hard way, so you don’t have to!

For the olives, skip the generic ones if you can. Kalamata olives packed in brine, not oil, tend to have a much cleaner, authentic salty punch. Also, before arranging your amazing toppings, I always put down a very thin layer of parchment paper in my baking dish. Yes, salmon is oily, but sometimes those yummy caper juices can sneak under the filet, making it stick just a little. This way, the salmon slides right out onto your plate, looking perfect every time. It’s such a small step for such a big payoff!

If you need a wonderfully flavorful vegetable pairing for this meal, you HAVE to try my Garlic Butter Mushrooms. They cook up fast while the salmon is baking!

Variations on the Tomato and Olive Bake Style Mediterranean Salmon

I love that this dish is so forgiving! The basic concept—flaky fish with salty toppings—is just divine, but you absolutely don’t have to stick strictly to dill and capers if your pantry is telling you something different. That’s the joy of home cooking, right? You make it your own!

Here are a couple of tweaks I play around with depending on what mood I’m in. Feel free to mix and match, but I always suggest keeping the olives and sun-dried tomatoes central; they are the backbone of that beautiful flavor!

• Hello, Lemon Brightness! If you want your dish to taste like it was just pulled from the sunny Greek coast, try adding thin slices of fresh lemon directly on top of the fish before it goes into the oven. When the lemons roast, their essential oils infuse the salmon, making everything taste fresher. Plus, it looks gorgeous!
• Switching Up the Herbs: While I am devoted to dill, sometimes I just don’t have it on hand, or maybe you prefer something earthier. Try swapping that fresh dill for fresh oregano! Oregano brings a deeper, more savory note that pairs wonderfully with the Kalamata olives—it shifts the whole dish toward a slightly different, but equally delicious, Mediterranean profile.
• A Touch of Spice: If you need a little tiny kick, sprinkle just a pinch of red pepper flakes over the topping mixture before baking. Just a pinch! It warms things up nicely without overpowering the delicate flavor of the salmon.

If you are looking for a hearty, equally healthy companion dish to serve alongside these salmon variations, you absolutely have to try my Lentil Stew with Spinach. It’s fantastic for soaking up any of those bright, savory pan juices!

Serving Suggestions for Your Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

Okay, so we have these seriously flavorful pieces of amazing mediterranean salmon basking in all those tomato and olive juices. We definitely need something underneath to catch every last drop, right?

Since we are sticking to delicious and healthy, skip the heavy pastas! I always lean toward really quick roasted vegetables. My favorite is simply roasted broccoli or gorgeous spears of asparagus tossed with just a little salt and lemon.

If you need something a bit more substantial to make it a full plate, a small scoop of quinoa or even some cauliflower rice works perfectly. They soak up all that beautiful flavor from the bottom of the pan without interfering with our lovely gluten-free status. It’s a truly wholesome, balanced meal in about thirty minutes!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

Even though this fish is so good you’ll want to eat it all right away, sometimes we get lucky and have leftovers! That’s just more deliciousness saved for later, right?

You want to get those leftovers tucked away relatively quickly. Pop them into a truly airtight container and stick them straight into the cold part of your fridge. I promise, this salmon tastes fantastic cold the next day, too! If you’re planning ahead, you can safely keep leftovers for up to four days.

When you want to reheat it later, go gently! Don’t blast it in the microwave. Microwave on 50% power for short 30-second bursts, or better yet, warm it in a toaster oven until just heated through. We definitely don’t want to dry out that beautiful, healthy fish!

If you’re planning ahead for future meals, check out my tips on easy weekly lunch meal prep to see how I make food last!

Frequently Asked Questions About Mediterranean Baked Salmon

I totally get it—sometimes you have a quick question pop up right when you’re staring at your ingredients, wondering if you can make a swap! This recipe is pretty flexible, thankfully, but I wanted to cover a few things people often ask me about before serving up this flavor powerhouse.

If you ever have trouble reaching me, my contact page is right over here!

Is this recipe suitable for heart healthy dinners?

Oh, absolutely, yes! This is one of the biggest reasons I love this baked fish. Salmon is famous for being rich in those amazing Omega-3 fatty acids. When you combine that with all the healthy monounsaturated fats from the olive oil and the vegetables, you have a meal that absolutely screams heart healthy dinners. It’s nourishment disguised as something incredibly delicious, which is the best kind of cooking, in my opinion!

Can I substitute the capers in the tomato and olive bake?

That’s a great question about the capers! They bring that signature sharp, salty “pop” to the overall tomato and olive bake mixture. If you genuinely don’t have them—or hate them, which is okay too—you can definitely skip them. But if you want that briny tang back, try swapping them with about a half teaspoon of finely chopped dill pickles or perhaps even a tablespoon of sliced cornichons, just make sure to drain off any excess liquid first. If you skip them entirely, just add a tiny bit more salt to the seasoning mix.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes?

You certainly can try! If you use fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, you’ll need to up the baking time a bit, especially if you like your fish baked well-done. Fresh tomatoes release a lot of water as they cook, so they won’t give you that intensely sweet, chewy flavor concentrated in the sun-dried ones. If you use fresh ones, I recommend roasting them briefly first, maybe 10 minutes, before adding the salmon on top, just to get some of that moisture evaporated off!

What if I don’t have fresh dill on hand?

Fresh herbs make all the difference, but we work with what we have! If fresh dill is missing, you can substitute it with fresh parsley—it will still provide a lovely fresh, green element when you garnish it on top. If you don’t have fresh parsley either, just use dried oregano, but remember that dried herbs are much stronger, so use about one-third of the amount you would use fresh. Always avoid adding dried herbs before baking, stick to adding them only *after* it’s cooked!

Nutritional Estimates for Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives

Now, let’s talk numbers! I always like to know what I’m putting into my body, and this dish is fantastic for keeping things balanced. Because we are focused on real, whole ingredients, this salmon dish is beautifully structured for healthy eating.

Based on the recipe serving four people, here’s the general breakdown, per serving. But remember, these are just estimates, darling! The exact amount of olive oil you drizzle, or whether your capers came swimming in extra juice, will shift these numbers just slightly. It’s all about context in the kitchen!

• Calories: Around 318 per filet. That’s a fantastic return for the flavor you get!
• Protein: A whopping 35 grams! This is why salmon is my favorite for feeling satisfied.
• Fat: Roughly 17 grams. Most of this is the good, heart-healthy fat from the fish itself.
• Carbohydrates: Only about 5 grams. See? Perfect for keeping things light!

You can also see we get a great dose of nutrients like Vitamin A and a surprising amount of Potassium in this meal. It truly is a power-packed way to enjoy your heart healthy dinners!

Share Your Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives Experience

We’ve cooked, we’ve tasted, and now it’s time to talk about it! Honestly, knowing you all are out there making these simple, delicious meals is what keeps me inspired in the kitchen every single day. I truly hope this recipe for Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Olives brought that little burst of sunshine to your table.

I am just dying to know what you thought! Did you try the Greek yogurt dollop on the side? Did you manage to find those perfectly salty Kalamata olives? Please, come back down here to the comments section and let me know! Drop a rating—even just five stars because you know it’s amazing—and tell me how it went for you.

And if you captured a photo of the final, gorgeous result—all flaky salmon, bright tomatoes, and green dill—please share it! Tag me on social media so I can see your beautiful **tomato and olive bake** creation. It means the world to me to see my family’s favorite flavors making their way into your kitchens.

If you want to learn more about my journey turning cherished family recipes into gluten-free culinary stories, you can pop over to my About page!