Salmon and Asparagus

Dinner doesn’t get easier than this! This salmon and asparagus recipe delivers a healthy and flavorful meal in under 30…

Dinner doesn’t get easier than this! This salmon and asparagus recipe delivers a healthy and flavorful meal in under 30 minutes, baked on a sheet pan with lemon for a zesty kick.

Salmon and asparagus on sheet pan with lemon slices.

We’ve got a new solution to an easy dinner that pleases everyone: this baked salmon and asparagus recipe! It’s simple and done in under 30 minutes, but tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant. Roasting it up on a sheet pan with lemon slices and fresh herbs adds effortless flavor that feels fresh yet refined.

Somehow in all our years of home cooking we’d never made a sheet pan meal exactly like this, and now it’s solidly in our repertoire! Alex and I love it for healthy weeknight dinners with a wedge salad.

Salmon and asparagus recipe with bunches of asparagus and lemon slices.

Thin asparagus is key!

For this salmon and asparagus recipe, buy the thinnest asparagus you can find! Thin, young asparagus spears are more tender and sweeter than large stalks, which can be tough. We can usually find thin bunches at our local grocery or farmers markets. Thin asparagus ensures it is fully roasted once the salmon is baked.

💡Pro tip: When working with asparagus: always trim off the tough, woody bottoms of the stalks. Here’s how to trim asparagus.

What to look for when buying salmon

The other important part of this salmon and asparagus recipe is the quality of the salmon! Here are three tips:

  • Fresh salmon is best. The very best salmon is fresh from your local seafood counter, not frozen.
  • Buy wild caught salmon. Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms.*

*See Seafood Watch Consumer Guide for details.

How to make salmon and asparagus: step by step

For this salmon and asparagus recipe you’ll be cooking both at the same time. The asparagus should cook in about the same time as the salmon here, but you should base the timing on the salmon itself.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place trimmed asparagus on the baking sheet and toss it with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Step 2: Place salmon on the foil, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place asparagus around the salmon and place lemon wheels on top. Squeeze lemon over everything and top with fresh herbs.

Step 3: Bake 9 to 12 minutes until the asparagus is tender and the salmon is just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130°F in the center).

For exact steps and quantities, go to the full recipe below.

Baking tip: Place lemon slices on the asparagus, not the salmon. Placing the lemon on top of the salmon makes the top gooey, not crispy: which is not as tasty!

Baked salmon and asparagus on foil lined sheet pan with lemon slices.

Seasoning variations

Fresh lemon and herbs is simple, yet classic. Here’s what to know about adding these seasonings to salmon and asparagus:

  • Use fresh herbs like chives, thyme, mint, basil, or whatever you have on hand! We like chives and thyme from our garden.
  • Mix it up with salmon seasoning. This homemade salmon seasoning is our favorite.

Sides to serve with salmon and asparagus

Make this baked salmon and asparagus recipe into a healthy meal by adding a salad or a whole grain. Here are some easy side dish recipes we’d pair with it:

Storing leftovers

Cooked salmon lasts up to 3 days refrigerated. It’s great as is or try it in leftover salmon recipes like salmon salad or a salmon rice bowl.

A few more salmon recipes

These salmon recipes are always a hit at our dinner table:

Dietary notes

This salmon and asparagus recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and pescatarian.

What kind of salmon should I use for salmon and asparagus?

You can use any type of salmon you like, such as Atlantic salmon, king salmon, sockeye salmon, or Coho salmon. Make sure the fillets are similar in thickness for even cooking. Sockeye salmon is typically thinner, so it will cook faster.

Can I use frozen asparagus?

We don’t recommend using frozen asparagus for this recipe, since it can come out mushy.

What if I don’t have lemons?

You can make this recipe without fresh lemon, but it really adds a pop of flavor to the asparagus.

Can I add other vegetables to the sheet pan?

Yes, but you may need to add them to the sheet pan first if they don’t cook in 9 to 12 minutes like the asparagus. For example, roasted broccoli takes 20 to 25 minutes at 450°F (230°C), and roasted green beans take 13 to 15 minutes.

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Salmon and asparagus

Easy Salmon and Asparagus


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

Dinner doesn’t get easier than this! This salmon and asparagus recipe delivers a healthy and flavorful meal in under 30 minutes, baked on a sheet pan with lemon for a zesty kick.


Ingredients

  • 1 pound thin asparagus*
  • 1 pound salmon, wild caught if possible
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • Lemon
  • Minced fresh herbs (like chives, mint or thyme), for garnish

Instructions

  1. Allow salmon to come to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  3. Trim the asparagus. Place it on the baking sheet and toss it with 2 tablespoon olive oil (this also oils the foil). Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  4. Pat the salmon dry and place it on the foil. Drizzle it with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle the salmon with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place asparagus around the salmon. Slice the lemon into wheels and place them on top of the asparagus (but not the salmon). Squeeze juice from the two ends of the lemon onto the tray. Then add the chopped fresh herbs on top of everything. 
  5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes until the asparagus is tender at the thickest part, and the salmon is just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130°F in the center for done). If the salmon is done before the asparagus (the asparagus is thick), remove it from the tray and continue cooking just the asparagus until tender. 

Notes

*Thin asparagus is best, so try to find the thinnest you can when shopping. If all you can find is thicker asparagus, you may need a little longer to roast (up to 15 minutes). Just remove the salmon from the tray if it’s already done and finish the asparagus by itself. 

Storing leftovers: Cooked salmon lasts up to 3 days refrigerated. It’s great as is or try it in leftover salmon recipes like salmon salad or a salmon rice bowl.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Seafood
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: Salmon and asparagus, salmon and asparagus recipe

Oven Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash and Candied Rosemary Walnuts

I feel like celebrating. It’s been a year (give or take a day or so) since Let’s Stay In hit the bookstores and I’m feeling sentimental. This little book went out to the world with a bit of fanfare and then I just left it to do its thing. Hoping, praying and crossing my fingers… Read more »

I feel like celebrating. It’s been a year (give or take a day or so) since Let’s Stay In hit the bookstores and I’m feeling sentimental. This little book went out to the world with a bit of fanfare and then I just left it to do its thing. Hoping, praying and crossing my fingers that the recipes will find their way into your homes, around your table and perhaps even into the stories of your families. I’ve received so many incredible messages throughout the year that indicate that my prayers were answered.

Thank you for trusting me with your time, your resources and with those precious moments spent around the table. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude today as I reflect on the incredible gift it is to be able to share this work. Just like any job there are many moments where it feels just like work. That’s when I sit back, often head into the kitchen just to cook and revel in the goodness.

Words fail me so let’s just celebrate this little occasion with a warming, special yet delightfully simple dinner. It’s what I’ll be making tonight and I hope you join me. Connecting with you all over recipes really does bring an intimacy that is felt beyond the computer screen.

Thanks for all the support and for enjoying and sharing the work I do. It would not happen without you all.

Oven Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash and Candied Rosemary Walnuts

Yield 4-6 servings

As much as I love cooking the reality is most days don’t afford me the luxury of gingerly stirring a pot for an hour with a glass of Pinot in hand. But just because that’s my reality doesn’t mean I can’t have risotto on a regular basis. Enter oven-baked risotto. This no-stir method produces a creamy, satisfying result without all the stirring (don’t worry, you can still have the wine in hand while the oven does all the work). 

The process starts with a cold oven so that pesky preheating isn’t even an issue here. And if fall is a season or two away feel free to skip the squash and candied walnuts and go for say, roasted asparagus with peas. Or how about roasted corn and tomato laced with twangy goat cheese and a few wisps of basil? The adaptability here makes this dinner a perfect candidate for cleaning out your fridge.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons/ 60 g unsalted butter, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

1 large onion, diced about 3 cups/ 450 g 

2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced, about 4 cups / 540 g 

1 1/4 cups/ 250 g arborio rice

4 cups/960 ml chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup/ 240 ml white wine, divided

1 cup/ 10 g finely grated Parmesan

1/2 cup/ 60 g crumbled gorgonzola (optional)

Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet. Stir in the onions and rosemary and sauté over medium heat until they just start to color, about 15 minutes. Add the butternut squash and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt then continue to cook for 5 minutes. In a 9×13 baking dish add the rice, stock, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon sea salt then stir in the butternut squash mixture. Place the dish in the middle rack of your oven. Turn the oven to 400°F. Bake the rice for 30 minutes stirring about halfway through. The rice should still be ever so chewy. Remove the rice from the oven then stir in the remaining 1/2 cup white wine and the parmesan. Serve with the candied walnuts and gorgonzola crumbles, if using. Serve while warm.

*Leftovers? Breaded in Panko crumbs leftover risotto fries up beautifully in a skillet with just a bit of oil. Add an egg if the risotto is not wanting to hold together. 

Candied Rosemary Walnuts

1 cup/ 120 g walnuts

1/4 cup/ 50 g sugar

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Flake salt

Add the walnuts, sugar, and rosemary leaves to a dry skillet set over medium high heat. Stir occasionally as the sugar melts and caramelizes. Don’t leave the pan as the walnuts and sugar can easily burn. As the sugar starts to melt stir continuously until completely melted and the walnuts have shifted in color. The sugar will start to smoke but continue to cook until deeply caramelized. Carefully dump the caramelized walnuts onto a plate, sprinkle with flake salt then let cool.