Sheet pan tandoori salmon and cauliflower
Salmon in a tangy spiced yogurt marinade roasted alongside golden cauliflower, with cool cucumber yogurt to spoon over.
- 50 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $6.00 a serving
- 520 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Most of the time here is hands-off, so you can sit down while it cooks.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, divided
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 lemon, half juiced, half cut into wedges
- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each, skinless
- ½ cucumber, grated
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Each serving has about 520 calories, 45 g protein, 14 g carbs and 32 g fat, and costs about $6.00 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No plain Greek yogurt? Plain yogurt or sour cream works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No cucumbers? English cucumbers or mini cucumbers work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F. ½ cup of the yogurt with the garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne, garlic, ginger, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
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.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
the salmon dry, coat it in the spiced yogurt and leave it in the fridge for 15 minutes while the oven heats.
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.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: Fifteen minutes is plenty. Much longer and the yogurt starts to soften the fish.the cauliflower on a large with the oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, 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.
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.
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
Push the cauliflower to the edges and lay the salmon in the middle, letting the extra drip off.
Marinate. Marinating means letting food sit in a flavorful liquid, called a marinade, before you cook it. Always marinate in the fridge, and never reuse marinade from raw meat unless you boil it first.
How you’ll know: The food is coated all over, sealed in a bag or covered dish, and chilling in the fridge.
12 to 15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and the edges are in spots.
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.
Char. Charring means cooking over very high heat until some spots turn black. Those dark spots add a smoky, slightly bitter flavor that balances sweet or rich food.
How you’ll know: You see black spots and blisters in places, while most of the surface keeps its own color.
Timer: 13 min
Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
the cucumber into the rest of the yogurt with the rest of the salt.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Grate. Grating means rubbing food across the holes of a grater to make fine shreds or flakes. It spreads cheese, garlic or ginger evenly through a dish so it melts right in.
How you’ll know: Even shreds fall off the back of the grater, and you stop while the piece is still big enough to hold.
Serve the salmon and cauliflower with the cucumber yogurt, cilantro and lemon wedges.
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.
