Sheet-pan lemon salmon with potatoes and asparagus
Crispy little potatoes, tender asparagus and lemony salmon all share one pan, and it looks far fancier than it was to make.
- 45 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $7.92 a serving
- 750 calories
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Most of the time here is hands-off, so you can sit down while it cooks.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 lb baby potatoes, halved
- 2 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
- 1 lb asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, zested, then sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1¼ tsp salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper, divided
Each serving has about 750 calories, 45 g protein, 49 g carbs and 44 g fat, and costs about $7.92 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No baby potatoes? Red potatoes or yukon gold potatoes work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F and line a with .
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
the potatoes on the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil and a big of salt, turn them cut side down on one half of the pan, and for 15 minutes.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Pinch. A pinch is what you can hold between your thumb and two fingers, less than an eighth of a teaspoon. It’s a small, forgiving amount, so there’s no need to measure.
How you’ll know: It’s a light sprinkle you can barely see on the food, not a little pile.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: Cut side down against the hot pan is what turns them crisp and golden.Snap the woody ends off the asparagus while the potatoes : bend each spear near the bottom and it breaks right where the tough part starts.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
the salmon dry, rub it with 1 tablespoon of oil and the garlic, the lemon over it and with of salt and pepper.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Season. Seasoning means adding salt, pepper or spices to bring out a food’s flavor. A little at a few stages tastes better than a lot all at the end.
How you’ll know: When you taste it, it tastes bright and like itself, not flat and not salty.
Pinch. A pinch is what you can hold between your thumb and two fingers, less than an eighth of a teaspoon. It’s a small, forgiving amount, so there’s no need to measure.
How you’ll know: It’s a light sprinkle you can barely see on the food, not a little pile.
Take the pan out, pile the asparagus next to the potatoes, with the last tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with the rest of the salt and pepper, and .
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Set the salmon skin side down in the space that is left, then the zested lemon into thin rounds and lay them over the top.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
for 12 to 15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part and the asparagus is bright green and tender.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 13 min
Dolly’s tip: Thick asparagus may want 2 or 3 more minutes. Thin spears are often done at 10.Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
Scatter the dill over the top and serve straight from the pan, squeezing the roasted lemon over everything.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
