The safe internal temperature for salmon is 145°F. That is the number the FDA, the USDA and foodsafety.gov all give for fish. Measure it in the thickest part of the fillet with a food thermometer.
You will also see lower numbers in recipes and restaurant kitchens. Many chefs pull salmon at 125°F to 130°F because they like a moist, silky center. That is a texture preference, not safety advice. This guide explains both numbers, how to check them, and the cues that tell you salmon is done when you have no thermometer.
The official safe temperature: 145°F
The FDA says most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. The USDA and foodsafety.gov list fin fish at 145°F, or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
Restaurants follow a more exact rule. The FDA Food Code, which state and local health departments use for food businesses, sets fish at 145°F held for 15 seconds. That short hold is also enough to kill parasites that can live in some fish.
The number does not change with the type of salmon. Wild or farm-raised, king or sockeye, fresh or thawed, 145°F is the safe minimum. It also does not change with the cooking method. A grill, a pan, a poaching pot and an oven all aim for the same reading inside the fish.
The FDA also says some people should avoid raw or undercooked seafood. That group includes pregnant people, young children, older adults and anyone with a weak immune system. If you are cooking for any of them, 145°F is the target. Treat the lower numbers below as off the table.
Chef preferences below 145°F
Salmon is a fatty fish, and its texture changes fast across a narrow range. Ten degrees can be the gap between silky and dry. Here is what each stop looks like.
| Internal temperature | Common name | What you see and feel |
|---|---|---|
| Under 120°F | Rare | Center still translucent and close to raw |
| 125°F to 130°F | Medium-rare | Cooked outside, deep pink and moist center, almost silky |
| 135°F to 140°F | Medium | Pale pink center, firmer but still moist |
| 145°F and up | Well-done (safe minimum) | Opaque all the way through, pale pink to creamy white, firm flakes |
Only the last row meets federal guidance. The other rows are choices some cooks make for texture. They are not safety advice.
Why does the texture shift so much? At lower temperatures, the fat and connective tissue have not fully rendered. That gives the soft, buttery feel of medium-rare. Past about 140°F, the proteins tighten and push out more moisture and fat. The fish gets firmer, and it can turn dry.
Salmon handles this better than lean white fish. Cod or tilapia has little fat to lose, so it dries out quickly once it passes done. Salmon firms up more gradually.
When a lower temperature makes sense, and when it does not
Cooking salmon below 145°F is a tradeoff. It depends on starting with fresh fish that was handled and stored well. It is a choice for someone who knows what they are accepting, not a default.
Parasites are part of the reason. Some wild fish can carry them. The FDA Food Code lists freezing as a way to destroy parasites in fish meant to be eaten raw or undercooked. One option is freezing and storing at -4°F or below for at least 7 days. Another is freezing at -31°F or below for at least 15 hours. A home freezer usually cannot reach -31°F. It may also not hold -4°F steadily for a full week.
Fish sold for raw use, such as salmon labeled for sushi, has often gone through a freezing step like this. Ordinary salmon sold for cooking may not have, since the seller expects you to cook it through. If you want to cook to the lower end, ask your fish seller how the fish was handled. Freezing also does not kill every germ, so good handling still matters.
Wild salmon is usually leaner than farm-raised salmon. A lean wild fillet has less built-in moisture buffer. It can go from just right to dry a bit faster, so check it sooner.
How to check salmon with a thermometer
An instant-read thermometer is the most reliable way to hit a number, whether that is 145°F or a lower texture target. Follow these steps:
- Find the thickest part. On most fillets, that is the center, about halfway between the two ends. Stay away from the thin belly edge and the tail.
- Go in from the side. Slide the probe in sideways so the tip sits in the middle of the thickest section. Coming straight down on a thin fillet can push the tip through to the pan.
- Avoid the pan and bone. A tip touching a hot pan or a bone gives a false reading.
- Wait for the number to settle. Read it once it stops climbing.
- Check more than one spot on big pieces. A whole side of salmon is rarely even. The thick head end can need a few more minutes than the thin tail end, even in the same oven.
The thin edges always cook first. A reading taken near the edge will look done long before the center catches up. That is the most common thermometer mistake with salmon.
Fat placement matters too. Salmon fat sits mostly in the belly and in the pale lines that run through the flesh. A fatty section can stay moist while a leaner section of the same fillet starts to dry. One check in a fatty spot may not tell you how the whole piece is doing.
Keep your thermometer accurate. A quick check in ice water should read 32°F. If it is off, adjust it or replace it, since a few degrees matters a lot with salmon.
Carryover cooking and resting
Salmon keeps cooking for a short time after it leaves the heat. The hot outer layers keep pushing heat toward the center. This is called carryover cooking.
You can use it on purpose. Many cooks pull salmon a few degrees before their target and let it rest. The internal temperature rises a little while it sits. A thick fillet carries over more than a thin one, because it holds more heat.
Be careful with this if you are aiming for 145°F. Do not assume carryover will finish the job. Check the temperature again after the rest. If it has not reached 145°F, put it back on the heat for a minute.
Resting helps texture as well. Let salmon sit for 2 to 3 minutes before you cut it. The juices that moved toward the surface have time to settle back into the flesh. Skip the rest and more of that moisture runs onto the board. A properly cooked fillet can seem dry just because it was cut too soon.
The same idea is behind reverse searing. You cook the fillet slowly in a low oven until it is close to your target, then give it a short, hot sear for color. The slow first stage gives you time for calm thermometer checks. The sear is only for the crust.
Visual and texture cues when you have no thermometer
You can judge salmon well without a thermometer. Use these cues together, and always test the thickest part. If the salmon is going to someone in a higher-risk group, use a thermometer to confirm 145°F.
The flake test
Press the thickest part gently with a fork or your fingertip. Raw salmon resists and holds together in one mass. As it cooks, the muscle fibers loosen. Fully cooked salmon separates into flakes with very little push.
If the edge flakes but the center still resists, it is not done. The thin edges always finish first.
The color change
Raw salmon looks deep orange and wet, with a glossy surface. As it cooks, it turns matte and opaque. The color moves to a lighter pink and, at higher doneness, close to creamy white.
The signal that matters is wet and translucent turning to matte and opaque. Pink alone does not mean raw. Salmon gets its color from astaxanthin, a natural pigment, and some pink can stay even in fish cooked through. Translucent, glassy flesh in the center is the real sign it needs more time.
Raw color also varies by species. Sockeye is a deep red-orange. Some Atlantic salmon is a much paler pink. That difference comes from diet and species, not freshness. So judge the change from translucent to opaque, not one fixed shade.
The white beads on top
As salmon cooks, a protein called albumin firms up and can push to the surface as small white beads. You see it most on baked or broiled salmon. It is normal and harmless.
A few small beads are a good sign that the fish is getting close. Heavy white clumps over much of the surface usually mean it has gone a bit past a moist finish. It is still safe to eat. It is just a cue to pull the next one sooner.
Skin that lets go
For skin-on salmon cooked skin side down, the skin gives its own clue. When that side has cooked enough, the skin releases cleanly from the pan or grill grate. If it sticks and tears, give it more time. Forcing a stuck fillet is how grilled salmon ends up in pieces on the grates.
A clean release only tells you about that side. Still check the thickest part with a flake test or thermometer before you serve.
Do not judge by the top alone
The top surface often shows color change and albumin first. On a thick, center-cut piece, the top can look done while the middle still lags. Pair a look at the surface with a real flake test or a reading at the thickest point.
How cooking method changes what you see
The safe target stays at 145°F for every method. What changes is how the heat reaches the fish, and that changes which cues you can trust.
- Pan-seared. Heat hits one side hard. The crust side looks done early, so check the thickest, least seared part.
- Grilled. Direct heat can finish the surface well before the center. Wait for the skin to release, then confirm the middle.
- Baked. Heat surrounds the fillet, so it cooks more evenly. The thickest part is still the last to catch up. For oven times by temperature and thickness, see our guide on how long to bake salmon.
- Poached. Liquid carries heat evenly, so the color change runs more evenly from edge to center. The flake test is very reliable here. Gentle poaching liquid can leave salmon at a borderline stage for a while, so check often.
Two fillets at the same internal temperature can still taste different. A sear or grill adds browning and char, while a poach stays soft with no crust.
Salmon in mixed dishes and leftovers
Salmon in a pasta, a chowder or a bowl is harder to judge. Sauce and toppings can hide the color. Pieces may also be different sizes, and small pieces finish well before large ones. Cut into the largest piece and look at the center directly.
Leftovers need their own check. USDA guidance says to reheat leftovers to 165°F. Warm salmon gently, covered, and check the center. A microwave can leave the middle cold while the outside gets hot. USDA also says to eat most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Our guide to how long cooked salmon lasts in the fridge covers storage in more detail.
Raw salmon has a shorter window. The FDA says to refrigerate seafood at 40°F or below if you will use it within 2 days of buying it. Otherwise, wrap it tightly and freeze it.
Salmon at Red Lobster
Red Lobster serves several salmon dishes, and the cues above are what any kitchen relies on. On the dinner menu, you will find Atlantic Salmon served with two sides. You will also find Today's Catch Salmon New Orleans, a blackened salmon topped with shrimp in a Cajun butter sauce. The lunch menu includes the Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl and a Classic Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon.
If you want salmon cooked all the way through, say so when you order. That is a fair request at any restaurant. Calories for each dish are on the nutrition page.
For how salmon compares with other fish and shellfish, see our seafood temperature guide.
Putting it together
145°F in the thickest part is the only number with no caveats. Treat 125°F to 140°F as texture choices for healthy adults eating fresh, well-handled fish, never as safety advice.
Use a thermometer when it matters, and slide it into the thickest section from the side. Back it up with the flake test, the shift from wet to matte, and a few albumin beads. Pull a touch early if you are aiming low, rest the fish for 2 to 3 minutes, and check again before you serve.