In my household salmon is one of our favorite proteins. The great thing about salmon is that it is quick and easy to cook. If I have been working all day the last thing I want to do when I get home is spend a lot of time preparing dinner. We usually have salmon about once or twice a week so I am always looking for new recipes to try. I want to share some of my favorite salmon dishes that taste delicious and don’t require too much prep and cook time.
Pesto Salmon
This might be my favorite dish to make because it is easy, tastes great and there is very little clean up. Your entire meal is cooked in foil so there is no need to drag out several pots and pans. When you are done cooking you can just toss the foil in the trash. Also, after you make this meal a few times you don’t even need to follow the recipe because it is that easy!
Ingredients:
- 6oz salmon portions (one portion per serving)
- Fresh green beans (you can also use asparagus)
- Pesto, store bought is fine
- Grape tomatoes
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you are using green beans you will want to steam them first so bring a pot of water to a boil. Steam green beans for about 3-5 minutes then set aside. Cut one piece of foil (about 8″X12″) per salmon. First, lay green beans or asparagus in the center of the foil and drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Place the salmon portion on top of the green vegetable and season with a pinch of salt and pepper then spread about one teaspoon of pesto over it. Squeeze lemon over salmon then top with sliced grape tomatoes. Fold and crimp the edges of foil to seal. Make sure you don’t wrap it too tight, you want heat to circulate well. Place foil packets on a baking sheet, place in the oven and cook about 20-30 minutes.
Asian Salmon
Another foil packet recipe! You may notice, next to taste, simplicity is one of my main requirements when cooking. If a recipe calls for too many ingredients or I have to use several different dishes I probably won’t make it. If you don’t cook Asian inspired dishes very often you may not have some of the ingredients on hand, but I would still recommend trying this dish and then check out this post for other recipe ideas to use these ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs salmon
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp sriracha (optional)
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- Pepper to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
In a small bowl whist together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, sriracha, garlic and ginger. Season salmon with pepper and place inside a large zip lock bag or glass container, then pour in the sauce mixture. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate at lease 3 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a large enough piece of foil to fold around the salmon. Place salmon in the center and fold in the sides to seal. Place foil packet on a baking sheet and place in oven for 15-20 minutes. When the salmon is done cooking open the foil and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the top. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Optional: serve alongside steamed rice and broccoli.
Most of the time when I cook with salmon my meals tend to be more on the healthy side but that isn’t really the case with this one. My husband found this recipe a few years ago and it quickly became a favorite in our house. It combines a few of my favorites: salmon, ritz crackers and Parmesan cheese. We usually like to serve it with a side salad and asparagus or brussels sprouts.
Parmesan Herb Crust Salmon
This dish is one of my daughter’s top picks, and I am always happy to make it for her. Again, this is a wonderful weeknight meal because it is so quick and easy to put together. This is also great to make when you have leftover parsley that you need to use before it goes bad.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs salmon
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Place salmon skin side down on the baking sheet, cover with a piece of parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. While the salmon is cooking, combine the garlic, parsley, cheese, and a little salt and pepper in bowl. Remove from oven and discard the top piece of parchment paper. Top with garlic, Parmesan and parsley mixture and place in the oven to bake until the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).
Salmon Wellington
This is a take on the classic beef wellington but instead of beef you will use salmon and in place of pate you will make a spinach and cheese filling. I saved this recipe for last because it requires a bit more prep than the previous recipes but do not let that deter you from trying it. My biggest tip is to make sure you get the puff pastry really thin, about 2 centimeters, and trimming off any excess dough after you fold it over the salmon. If the pastry dough is too thick it may not cook all the way through.
Ingredients:
- 6 oz salmon portions
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot julienned
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- 2 tbsp bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 1 package puff pastry
- 1 egg
First you will want to remove the puff pastry from the freezer so it will thaw and be easier to roll out and preheat oven to 390 degrees. In a pan over medium heat, sauté butter, shallots, and garlic until the shallots become translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the wine. Let the liquid cook out for about 5 minutes and then add the cream cheese and mix. Next, add the spinach, bread crumbs, and parmesan. Sauté and mix until the spinach softens then remove from heat and set aside. On a lightly floured surface unfold the puff pastry and roll out to thin. Cut the puff pastry in half and add a dollop of spinach and cheese mixture to the center. Season salmon with salt and pepper then place one salmon portion skin side up on the spinach and cheese mixture. Brush egg wash over pastry and then begin to fold over. Once all the edges are sealed flip over so the edge running lengthwise is on the bottom and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a knife to slice across the top of the pastry and brush more egg wash over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
tulhoma & co. 
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