This Salmon And Asparagus sheet-pan dinner makes mealtime easy, healthy, and delicious!
I love sheet-pan meals for their simplicity, speed, and ability to simultaneously prepare large quantities of food. They are perfect for busy nights or weekly meal prep. This salmon and asparagus recipe is one of my favorites, and because you can alter the seasonings, it never gets boring.
This recipe requires only lemon, salmon fillets, asparagus, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Seriously, it doesn’t get much simpler than that. If lemon isn’t your thing, one option is to switch to soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, or coconut aminos. Grate a little ginger and mix it with your garlic and olive oil. Add a little honey to your Asian glaze for a sweeter dish.
You can also add other vegetables with or in place of the asparagus. My favorites include green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and carrots. Sheet-pan meals are perfect for anyone who wants to use their creativity in the kitchen without a lot of mess or stress. And this dish with salmon and asparagus is no exception!
Is This Salmon and Asparagus Meal Healthy?
When you want a healthy dinner, look no further than salmon and asparagus. Salmon is a high-quality protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, selenium and potassium. Asparagus is a nutritional powerhouse, containing crucial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is low in calories and contains fiber, which is beneficial for digestive health.
How To Tell When Salmon Is Properly Cooked
As a cooking competition show enthusiast, I am always amazed when the chefs cook their fish to that perfect moist state, which is still glistening. Expert chefs can tell by gently pressing the top of the fillet with their fingers. I’m not a master chef, so I use the fork or knife method and gently insert the tip into the thickest part of the flesh to see if it easily separates (flakes) and looks semi-translucent. If so, my fish is ready.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Preheat the oven, and season salmon and asparagus.
Bake
Cook until salmon is flaky and asparagus is tender.
Serve
Remove from oven, garnish, and serve.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
This salmon and asparagus recipe is the perfect quick meal to make in advance. You can trim the asparagus, zest and juice the lemon, and mince the garlic ahead of time. If desired, place the fish and vegetables on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Do not add the lemon zest or juice until ready to cook, as the citrus will “cook” the salmon as if it were ceviche. After roasting in the oven, let the leftover salmon cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 3 days. Leftovers are good hot or cold.
Salmon fillets often have a thick center section that gets thinner toward the ends. The thinner sections will cook quicker. You can cut the fillets into sections based on thickness, removing the thinner sections once they are done cooking.
Another option is to turn the thinner section under itself, doubling its thickness to equal that of the rest of the fillet.
The primary difference is in how the fish is cut. Salmon fillets result from slicing the fish from neck to tail lengthwise on either side of the spine. The fillets are considered boneless (although some meatier areas may have easily removed large bones). Meanwhile, salmon steaks are cut from cross-section slices perpendicular to the backbone. These pieces have a bone in the centre with smaller bones around it.
Serving Suggestions
Salmon and asparagus is a complete, healthy meal, but you can still add other dishes on the side. This Greek Orzo Salad goes well with this meal. You can also combine leftover salmon and veggies with this salad for lunch the next day.
As I mentioned earlier, if you swap the lemon for soy sauce, a side salad with Asian Salad Dressing becomes the perfect accompaniment. Instant-Pot Quinoa is another option to serve on the side, as it cooks roughly simultaneously.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus ends trimmed
- 4 salmon fillets 6 oz each
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the asparagus and salmon fillets on a lined baking sheet. Mix garlic into olive oil and drizzle it over them. Then, sprinkle with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, until the salmon is flaky and the asparagus is tender.
-
Remove from oven and serve immediately, optionally garnishing with additional lemon slices or fresh herbs.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 367kcal (18%) Carbohydrates: 7g (2%) Protein: 37g (74%) Fat: 22g (34%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g Monounsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 94mg (31%) Sodium: 78mg (3%) Potassium: 1105mg (32%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 931IU (19%) Vitamin C: 21mg (25%) Calcium: 57mg (6%) Iron: 4mg (22%)
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational
purposes only.
