This is a go-to for me. Salmon is one of our family favs, and there are so many options to prepare. Tonight, I prepared with Lemon and Capers, and paired with cast iron sauteed broccoli with sundried tomatoes and shredded parmesan. This is maybe 40 minutes total with prep and cook time- totally doable on a weekday night with minimal dishes 😉.
This was a giant salmon, and we will have leftovers for days, but recipe will still apply for smaller filets.
Baked Salmon:
Pre-heat oven to 425
Rinse your salmon filet with cold water and pat dry- I don't know if this is essential, but to me just rinses off the juices it was packaged/thawing in.
Any filet works, I like filets with the skin on, as it seems to keep a moister filet when baking, and you get crispy skin if you like that, but this filet had the skin removed, and still turned out fantastic!
Add your salmon to a baking sheet- I had to cut this one in half to fit
Drizzle olive oil on top- or your oil of choice, on top of the filet, and rub, then turn to coat both sides, so it doesn't stick to the baking sheet. If your filet has skin, just place skin down and drizzle the oil on the top of the filet only.
Mince fresh garlic and sprinkle on top.
Sprinkle with garlic salt and lemon pepper to season to taste.
Add capers (optional but adds a great pop of flavor) and slices of lemon.
Cover with foil, and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes depending on thickness of your filet.
While the salmon is cooking in the oven, prepare your broccoli, or chosen sides.
When the 20-25 minutes is up, remove the foil and set the oven to broil, and broil the salmon for 5 minutes, to give it a slight browning and firmness/sear on top.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.
I also like to squeeze the baked lemon slices on top, before serving, yum!
Cast Iron Sauteed Broccoli:
Pre-heat cast iron pan on mid-low- any sauté pan will work, I just like the slight char of the cast iron, and really even cooking.
Cut head of broccoli into smaller pieces and mince 2 cloves of garlic
Add broccoli to pan and toss
Drizzle your favorite oil on top, and add fresh garlic.
Season broccoli with salt and pepper, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Squeeze half of a lemon over top, and cover- to steam for a few minutes.
Stir Broccoli and evaluate doneness
When broccoli is just about your desired firmness (around 5-7 minutes), add sundried tomatoes in olive oil and continue to sauté (optional- but I love them)
Once broccoli is at your desired firmness, sprinkle with shredded parmesan, and serve!
Nutritional Notes:
Salmon is on the list for "good fats" that I pay attention to for lowering cholesterol, and has a lot of nutritional value to offer - 11 Impressive Health Benefits of Salmon (healthline.com)
Yum! Sounds great. I will try it.