What’s better than a delicious dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes and only dirties one pan?
Not much. Especially in these trying times.
I have been testing salmon sheet pan dinners for a little while now. They’re easy and delicious and also make me feel pretty darn good about what I’m serving my family for dinner.
This version is as simple as it gets!
We’re roasting up some baby potatoes and asparagus on the side of the salmon, all on one sheet pan. Everything is doused in a simple but yummy garlic butter, and in about 30 minutes flat, you’ve got a full meal and only one pan to clean.
I don’t know about you, but I could use all the help I can get right now. Easy dinners like this have been a LIFESAVER. After managing the kids and homeschooling all day long, the last thing I want is to cook an involved dinner or have a lot of clean up.
Kieran is doing fantastic at home with me while school is closed, but I do feel enormous pressure to do right by him when it comes to school and learning. I don’t want him to fall behind, especially since he’s the youngest in his class with his late September birthday. I don’t feel overly confident in my abilities to teach him, but I am trying my best.
I am also incredibly grateful that he is home and safe with me, especially given that he has asthma, and viruses like the one we’re currently battling are more dangerous for him than the average kid. My anxiety would be at an all-time high if he were still going to school right now.
And as hard as it can be at times (I’ve lost my cool more than once and am drinking more wine on weeknights than I have in a long time, hah), I am savoring this time with my kids. I’ll never get it back again, and that is truly what helps me refocus my frustrations or feelings of being overwhelmed. I’m trying my best to live in the moment, focus on my kids, and let everything else take a backseat.
As a result, some of my recipe posting on here might be a little slower than usual in the coming weeks.
ANYWAY.
Back to this amazing dinner!
I’ve talked about this before, but Kieran is a very picky eater, and one thing that amazes Dan and me is that he LOVES salmon. What?! I mean, this is the kid who doesn’t like mac and cheese unless it’s out of a box, and he won’t touch anything green OR a lot of fruits. But salmon?! He really loves it! It’s just nuts.
But I’ll take it!
He especially loved the salmon from this meal. The seasoning is as simple as it gets: salt, pepper, butter, and garlic. I finish things with a little fresh parsley, but really, that’s IT.
Here’s how it happens.
You put some baby potatoes (or larger potatoes cut into chunks) on a baking sheet and toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Pop ’em in the oven for 15 minutes or so.
After the first 15 minutes, push the potatoes off to one side of the baking sheet and add the salmon and asparagus. Season everything with the garlic butter you just made in the microwave (or on the stove!) and a little more salt and pepper, and then put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Dinner is done!
It really couldn’t get any easier. And given how all of the meat cases at the supermarket are STILL wiped out, seafood is a great choice right now! It’s not a lot of people’s first choice, but there is a lot available. And for some reason, the produce sections at our local stores are still well stocked.
So finding the ingredients for this one shouldn’t be too hard!
This goes swimmingly with a glass of chardonnay, too. Trust me. This homeschooling mom knows a thing or two about THAT.
Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Veggies
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Veggies is a 30-minute wonder meal that only dirties one pan and requires almost zero hands-on cooking – let the oven do all the work for you! In a half hour, you have a well-balanced, healthy meal that will serve a family of four!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs baby potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- 2 lb salmon (one large piece or cut into filets)
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you can do a layer of foil underneath the parchment for even easier clean up, if preferred).
- Place the baby potatoes on the sheet and toss with the olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the potatoes are roasting, melt the butter and stir in the garlic.
- Push the potatoes off to one side of the baking sheet and place the salmon in the middle. Place the asparagus on the other side of the salmon.
- Drizzle everything with the garlic butter and season well with salt and pepper. Add a couple slices of lemon to the pan and place it in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- To serve, divide the potatoes, salmon, and asparagus between serving plates and garnish with additional lemon slices and lots of chopped parsley.
Notes
- You can sub the asparagus for other vegetables, if preferred. Broccoli or green beans would be great substitutes because they will roast in roughly the same amount of time as the asparagus.
- You can use large potatoes in place of the baby potatoes. I like the baby potatoes because there is no prep/chopping involved, but if you don’t have access to them, dice up two large potatoes (leave the skin on) and roast the same way!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: seafood
Tricia Manning says
This has replaced my former go-to salmon recipe because it’s so easy and delicious.
Molly says
Awesome! We love this one, too. So glad to hear you enjoy it!
Michelle Ciociola says
This is my new way to cook salmon that we eat weekly. We have done different veggies like green beans one night and brussel sprouts another night.
Molly says
We eat it weekly, too! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback!