Here is a one-pan salmon meal that can be assembled and baked to perfection. It would be a super-fast weeknight dinner that only takes 25 minutes to cook.
Today is the start of the NCAA basketball tourney. Time for March Madness! I’m really not much of a basketball fan, but the tourney is a little different. It’s fun to root for the under dog and see what happens on the road to the Sweet Sixteen and the Final Four. After all the hoopala, the top seeds usually end up on top. The big schools get the best players and there is a reason they are rated as the best. We shall see if there are some big surprises this year. I’m watching.
MaryJo was gone most of the day today. This morning was the Coffee Klatch meeting where the Park news is discussed. She always goes to keep in touch. Then she was off to have a pontoon boat ride on Tarpon Lake with the ladies she rides bike with. Then lunch at The Tarpon Turtle restaurant. She was gone until about 3:30. That’s okay. I was watching basketball.
Before I got too involved with the games, I made a trip to the store and picked up some salmon and asparagus. Tonight I was going to make a one-pan meal of baked salmon and vegetables. Something super easy that involves simple preparation and little cleanup. This meal was all of the above.
Salmon Meal
The salmon was a nice thick, skinned filet, about 5 or 6 ounces. A thicker piece works best when you bake the fish. The asparagus takes a full 20 to 25 minutes to get tender and a thinner piece of fish could get overdone and be a little tough. This was really moist and tender and was baked for exactly 25 minutes. What an easy dinner.
You can use skin-on salmon fillets and you would bake them skin side down.
The preparation time for this was about 10 minutes. Pop it into a pre-heated 350 degree oven and set your timer for 25 minutes of cook time.
While you wait for the fish and vegetables to get done, make up some gremolata. Gremolata is a herb condiment that you can put on your meat. It is made with garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. Sometimes you may want to mix in some olive oil too. The recipe that I saw added some chopped pistachios. This is a nice flavor enhancement to the fish.
I’ve always loved salmon since it is high in protein and a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also a good source of vitamin B-12, iron, and vitamin D. It also has far less saturated fats than other types of meat which helps to lower cholesterol levels. All-in-all it is a perfect protein for dieters.
Make this one-pan salmon meal the next time you feel pressed for time and want something easy and healthy to eat. The salmon was really moist and perfectly cooked. The asparagus was tender but not overdone.
Here are some more tasty recipes to try:
- Perfect Salmon Loaf
- 8 Minute Broiled Salmon
- Smoked Salmon Appetizer with Dill and Capers
- Slow Baked Dill and Citrus Salmon
- Pan-fried Salmon with Arugula Salad
One-pan Salmon Meal
Ingredients
- 2 6 oz. skinless salmon filets
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1/2 to 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 lemon, sliced and zested (for the gremolata) ,
Gremolata
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 12 inch baking sheet with cooking oil.
- Prep the asparagus by breaking off the ends. Then, lay asparagus in the sheet pan and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Lay salmon on top of the asparagus and add a little more salt and pepper to the fish. Add the tomatoes, lemon slices, and onion slices. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Gremolata
- Mix ingredients for the Gremolata in a small bowl and serve over the salmon and asparagus.
Notes
- Skin-on salmon would be okay to use also.
- If you have leftovers, they can be stored, refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
MaryJo
I had such a great day; first a boat cruise and lunch with friends at a waterfront restaurant, then I came home to find that Joe was making this for dinner. Life is good! Gremolata (just the classic version of garlic, parsley, and lemon zest) adds incredible flavor to vegetables, meats, and fish.