Buying the family value packs of frozen salmon seems to be the only budget-friendly way to eat fish aside from opening a can of tuna nowadays. Since I discovered this, my family enjoys salmon more than ever before! This easy One Pan Salmon Dinner recipe is handy because it’s a great way to minimize clean-up and still provide your family with a full meal. A popular starch, a green veggie, and a protein chock full of healthy fat…let’s go!
Ever since I shared my one pan mushroom steak dinner here, I’ve been looking for more ways to work sheet pan meals into my weekly rotation. They’re just so practical! For this sheet pan salmon dinner, I make a quick glaze using soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, simple seasonings, and a little brown sugar, which I coat the salmon and green beans in before baking. I’ve also got the timing nailed down, so everything cooks together perfectly. My secret? I wrap the salmon in parchment paper while it bakes. It steams gently in all that flavorful glaze and stays so moist and tender.
Did you know that most of the fish you see “fresh” at the seafood counter has previously been frozen anyway? So, as I said in my budget-friendly fish soup recipe, don’t hesitate to buy it in a frozen family pack, thaw it out yourself, and save a few bucks!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Gather your ingredients: Thaw 1 lb. of salmon (2 large filets) following the package instructions. I like to thaw mine overnight in the fridge, but you can also place the filets (in their vacuum-sealed packs) into a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes or so until the fish is thawed. Now, preheat your oven to 375℉.
Prep the potatoes: Cut 2 Yukon gold potatoes into ¼-inch thick slices and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle the potato slices with ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp black pepper, and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Mix to coat the potatoes with the seasonings and oil.
Bake the potatoes: Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Lay the potato slices out flat over 1/3 of the baking sheet, as shown here. It’s okay if there’s some overlap. Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Make the glaze: Meanwhile, add ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ginger powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil to the same bowl you seasoned the potatoes in (no need to wash it first!). Mix to combine.
Glaze the salmon: Place a piece of parchment paper onto your work surface and add the two salmon filets, skin side down, to the center. Brush the salmon with some of the soy sauce glaze (you won’t use it all here). Slice ½ a lemon into rounds and top each filet with 1-2 slices of fresh lemon.
Wrap the salmon: Fold the parchment paper over the salmon and then fold the sides shut to create a parcel. I like to do this as the fish will steam and stay nice and moist rather than dry out on the sheet pan. Set the salmon parcel to one side for now.
Coat the green beans: Now add 2 cups green beans to the remaining salmon marinade. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp sesame seeds.
Bake: Once your timer for the potatoes goes off after 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip the potatoes. Now, add the salmon parcel and the marinaded green beans to the baking sheet.
Bake everything together for 10-15 minutes more or until the salmon is cooked to 145℉ (I use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of my fish. No need to remove the paper to check it—just insert the thermometer through the paper or the top of the fold!). If your fish is cut thinner or is cooking faster than the veggies, remove the salmon parcel from the baking sheet when it reaches 145℉ and give the veggies an extra 5 minutes in the oven, if needed.
Serve: Adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve, and enjoy your salmon sheet pan dinner!
If you happen to have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can keep the salmon in a separate airtight container if you want to avoid the veggies from tasting fishy! Use the microwave, oven, or stovetop to reheat your potatoes and green beans. Just keep in mind the microwave will likely make them much softer.
As for the one pan salmon, it’s best to reheat it low and slow to avoid it completely drying out. I’d drizzle a little oil over the fish, wrap it in foil, and heat it in a low oven (about 275°F) until reheated throughout. Baked salmon is also delicious cold, so you could always toss it onto a salad and call it a day!
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