Easy baked salmon with roasted vegetables
Simplicity but also deliciousness with this baked salmon with roasted vegetables. It’s a classic but also one that you can serve at any time of the year. Especially during the holidays this is a guaranteed winner!
Baked salmon with roasted vegetables
This easy baked salmon is the perfect Christmas main. I like to use wild salmon for this recipe but you can use any type of salmon you prefer.
I start by taking a small bowl and making the marinade for the fresh salmon. This uses coconut aminos, but you can substitute this for soy sauce if you prefer. The recipe is more or less what you would expect of a teriyaki salmon but not as sweet as there is no added sugar into the marinade. If you do like it sweet, you can add a bit of honey in the marinade too.
You mix the marinade well and then divide into two portions. One half goes into a sealable plastic bag or large bowl and you add the salmon filets to the bag or bowl. Make sure the salmon is covered with the marinade and refridgerate for at least half an hour while you prepare the vegetables.
Which vegetables to use
In this case I opted for a combination of three vegetables; Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower. Of course you can choose different vegetables if you prefer. Think about adding bell peppers for instance, zucchini or baby potatoes. Adding sweet potatoes is also a good option. Essentially the vegetables are baked on a large sheet pan or baking tray. I never really use parchment paper on the tray as the vegetables are sprinkled with oil and I’ve never had an issue with it sticking but if you prefer to keep things clean you can absolute use paper on top of the large baking sheet you’re using.
I cut all the vegetables into roughly similar size. Some of the Brussels sprouts I will cut in half, but that depends largely on their size. Make sure you place the vegetables in a single layer. I sprinkle the vegetables with sea salt, black pepper and a bit of olive oil or avocado oil. And of course sprinkle the nuts over as well. And place in the oven for about half an hour.
While the vegetables are roasting you can continue with the easy salmon recipe.
Baking the salmon
After the salmon has been marinated for half an hour it’s time to bake it. For that I heat some oil in a large skillet and place salmon fillets skin side down in the pan. Depending on the size of your salmon it will need shorter or longer. It’s always difficult to give exact times with a fish like salmon that can vary wildly in size. Use your best judgement here. I like my salmon to be flaky salmon with a slight pink in the middle. If you bake it about 3-4 minutes on each side you should be good to go. But again use a measuring thermometer (meat thermometer usually works) if you’re unsure.
The sauce
Now for the baked salmon with roasted vegetables we also need a delicious sauce. For that you pour the second half of the marinade into a small saucepan. You add a little bit of brown sugar or honey to the pan as well as 1 teaspoon or arrowroot or corn flour to thicken the sauce. Make sure to mix the arrowroot or corn flour with a bit of water first before adding to the marinade, to prevent lumps forming.
The sauce is fairly salty as is the marinade, so there is usually no need to add extra salt to the salmon but you can always serve some salt to the side.
You can add a little bit of lemon juice to the sauce as well if it needs to be a bit fresher. Once the vegetables are roasted and the salmon is cooked I serve the salmon on top of the vegetables. It makes for a pretty healthy dinner and an easy dinner as well. It’s perfect for busy weeknights but also festive enough to serve for your Christmas or Thanksgiving. It’s a pretty complete meal and served with a side of baked potatoes it is one of my favorites!
Variations
With this easy recipe you can also easily vary however you like. It’s perfect for use with root vegetables as well and adding a few cloves of garlic and some red onion is also super tasty. It’s a great dish and salmon has lots of health benefits as well, so what’s not to like?
Baked Salmon with roasted Vegetables and Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 kg salmon fillet or 4 smaller salmon fillets of 250 grams each
- 150 g nuts unsalted and unroasted
- 500 g brussels sprouts cleaned and halved if necessary
- 500 g broccoli in florets
- 500 g cauliflower cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Marinade:
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 125 ml coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tsp arrowroot
- 1 spring onion to garnish
- Sesame seeds to garnish
- To make the marinade, mix the coconut aminos with the balsamic vinegar, sesame oil and grated ginger.
- Mix well and divide into two portions. Place the first half in a sealable plastic bag or container and marinate the salmon in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.
- Place the other half in a saucepan and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C. (400˚F)
- Place all the vegetables on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the nuts. Drizzle with a little oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Roast the vegetables and nuts in the oven for about 30 minutes or until tender.
- Heat a skillet with a little coconut oil, remove the salmon from the refrigerator, and cook in the skillet for about 4 minutes per side or until the salmon is golden brown and cooked through.
- Pour the extra marinade into the pan, add about 1 teaspoon of honey and make 1 teaspoon of arrowroot with a little water. Bring to a boil, add the arrowroot, and cook to the desired thickness.
- Serve the salmon on top of the roasted vegetables and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a sliced scallion.
- Drizzle with the sauce.
- Tip: The sauce/marinade is salty enough, so don’t use extra salt on the salmon.
Nutrition Information per portion
Disclaimer
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
