Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus with Potatoes is a great way to get in a serving of protein and heart-healthy Omega-3s. Everyone in your family will love this dish for the flavor and you’ll love it for its ease of cooking and clean up.
If you’re enjoying this sheet pan recipe, you’ll love Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots, Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Tuna Steaks and Potatoes, and Healthy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.
It’s spring ya’ll. Really. Officially. So says the government and all the time-keeping officiants. Maybe the weather didn’t get the memo but I’m going with it. I have to. If I went by the weather I’d be curled up by the fire right now with a big mug of hot chocolate and a big salted caramel brownie.
Not that I maybe didn’t do those things just last week, but now I’ve switched my brain to full-on spring mode and with that comes all the spring-feeling-foods, like salmon, asparagus, and potatoes.
I love salmon for many reasons. First of all it’s delicious and works so well in all sorts of preparations and marinades. It’s one of my family’s favorite fish. It’s also really healthy for you and it’s easy to purchase from your grocer’s fish department, in bulk at the warehouse stores, in the freezer section — almost anywhere, really.
I go for the big, meaty cuts, like fillets. They absorb the flavors of this honey mustard glaze well and satisfy that meaty craving I have as salmon are a meatier fish to begin with.
Asparagus works well with salmon because it cooks up fast, is easy to prepare, and also goes great in the same seasonings as the fish. The same can be said for the potatoes. I mean, I’m clearly all for easy prep and easy clean up but I also want my dishes to taste good.
All that being said, even though it’s spring, I do have to admit that I’m not quite ready to fire up the grill. So that’s why I adapt a lot of my spring dishes for cooking in the oven on a sheet pan. That leaves me plenty of time to clean up and enjoy the lighter evening hours, pretending it’s hot outside instead of still annoyingly cold.
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER SALMON RECIPES?
As I mentioned previously, I love salmon and so does the rest of my family. I enjoy coming up with new ways to prepare it and every recipe gets better than the last one, I swear. In no particular order, here are some of my favorites:
- Baked Salmon With Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce is a great recipe for getting dinner on the table asap. I also may have used it to impress some last-minute guest as well. Salmon is quick to defrost and even quicker to prepare. This meal is done in 30 minutes and goes great with rice or pasta.
- Fire up the grill and get outside to make this Grilled Honey Lime Salmon With Mango Avocado Salsa. Fruity salsas work great with fish and the best thing is you can easily toss this salmon and salsa on a taco.
- Speaking of salmon on a taco — another one of my favorite ways to grill salmon is with this Grilled Lime Butter Salmon Skewers recipe. Slide these cubes off the kebab and right into a corn or flour tortilla with all your favorite toppings and a squeeze of lime.
- For something entirely different, try this baked Orange Teriyaki Salmon over rice. This is one Asian dish my family can’t get enough of and it cooks up in a flash.
- For a lighter salad dish, I recommend this Salmon & Lentil Caprese Salad. It makes a great, packable lunch for meals on the go and is also a great dish when you want a light dinner or just don’t feel like cooking up a big meal. Plus, this is a great way to use up leftover salmon.
WHAT IS THE BEST SALMON TO BUY?
I mentioned that I prefer to buy salmon fillets. You can purchase them frozen in bulk (they will come in a big plastic bag, inside which you’ll find smaller, individually cut and sealed fillets) or you can find fresh fillets already cut up. Or you can buy a big fillet with the skin on that’s great for grilling and serving to a group (plus, it looks impressive).
As for types of salmon that are the best to purchase, one of the most common types you’ll come across is sockeye. It’s redder in color and grills really well. You’ll also find king salmon, chinook, and coho. Honestly, when I find salmon it often says it’s “Atlantic” salmon, which means that it has been farm-raised because fishing for salmon in the actual Atlantic is against the law as it is endangered.
If you can find it and it fits your budget, buying wild-caught is preferable, for health and environmental reasons. However, farm-raised salmon is easier to find and more inexpensive. Farmed-fish practices vary a lot depending on the farm and its conditions, etc. If you aren’t sure what to do, ask your fishmonger where the fish came from, read the label, or do some research to find the type that’s right for you.
Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus with Potatoes
-
4
salmon fillets -
1
pound
asparagus
ends trimmed -
2
pounds
baby red or gold potatoes, quartered -
3
tablespoons
olive oil - salt and pepper to taste
-
2
teaspoons
Italian herb blend
see note -
1
teaspoon
garlic powder -
2
tablespoons
butter
melted -
2
tablespoons
honey -
1
teaspoon
dijon mustard -
1/2
teaspoon
Italian herb blend -
1/2
lemon, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons Italian herb blend. Arrange on a large sheet pan and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Arrange salmon fillets and asparagus on the sheet pan. Whisk together melted butter, honey, dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon remaining Italian herb blend. Brush onto salmon fillets.
Drizzle asparagus with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and place lemon slices between the asparagus spears.
Bake for 15 minutes until asparagus and potatoes are fork-tender and salmon is cooked through. Serve immediately.
For DIY Italian herb blend stir together equal parts dried thyme, parsley, oregano, and basil.
Optional additions: Sometimes I add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese to the potatoes or asparagus or 1 tablespoon dried Ranch seasoning to the potatoes.
