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“Colours, textures and tastes divine! Brilliantly simple and elegant meal to cook!” ~Michael
Mediterranean sheet pan salmon is a 30 minute meal you’ll come back to again and again. And because it cooks on one pan, it’s a super easy clean up, too!
Do you love easy sheet pan recipes?
I do too! I’ve made Sheet Pan Peppers and Brats, Sheet Pan Chicken Puttanesca, Sheet Pan Salmon Primavera, and for breakfast Sheet Pan Frittata and Sheet Pan Pancakes! But Sheet Pan Salmon might just be my fave.
I have less and less patience at the end of the day for complicated cooking. But I love interesting food and I look forward to dinner all day long, so I try to come up with easy meals that still have some panache. This sheet pan Mediterranean salmon recipe is quick and easy but still manages to be soooooo pretty.
shopping list for Mediterranean sheet pan salmon
- a side of salmon
- see below for hints on buying salmon.
- lemons
- pitted assorted olives
- cherry tomatoes
- marinated peppers
- capers
- red onion
- good olive oil
- butter
- salt and pepper
- fresh herbs such as oregano, rosemary, thyme, and/or sage
related: Mediterranean Bean Salad
How much salmon to allow per person
- Allow about 1/3 pound of fish per person. It will depend on what else you are serving along with it.
- My filet is 2 1/2 pounds, and it feeds about 6-7 people.
buying and cooking large fillets (aka sides) of salmon
- I bought mine at Costco, which is a great place to find large cuts and whole fish.
- Don’t be afraid to ask the guy or gal behind the fish counter at your local supermarket for a large filet like this, they’re usually happy to help, and it’s no more expensive by the pound than buying fish already portioned.
- Be sure to tuck the narrow tail end under before putting it in the oven so the fish will cook evenly.
- If you don’t have access to a large piece of fish like this, you can use smaller fillets, just line them up on the pan and give them the same treatment. The cooking time will probably be shorter.
- If you can’t find a large filet, you can use smaller slices.
sheet pan salmon is a quick 30 minute meal
A simple sheet pan dinner like this makes eating fish at least twice a week a pleasure. I love fish, I love the tender texture, and the ease of preparation. It cooks in a flash, so you don’t have to think way ahead. Fish is so good for us and can help prevent so many diseases (the research just keeps getting stronger) that you can’t afford to pass it up entirely. If you’re on the fence about fish, I recommend salmon, it’s mild and delicious.
Pick some up on your way home from work and you can have this on the table in no time. Your kids can even help you ‘decorate’ dinner and learn about healthy food in the process.
the Great Island kitchen recommends: a sturdy sheet pan
All sheet pans are NOT alike! I love USA pans, they’re study so I never have to replace them and the thick walled aluminized steel cooks evenly.
What to serve with sheet pan salmon
This gorgeous salmon filet would be mouthwatering all on its own, but the Mediterranean inspired toppings add even more flavor and make the whole thing very satisfying and company worthy.
- focaccia bread
- tabbouleh (a cracked wheat salad)
- coconut rice
- bean salad
- an Italian salad
- shirazi salad
- a Greek salad
- an avocado salad
- a green veggie like green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or broccoli.
Mediterranean Sheet Pan Salmon
Equipment
- standard sheet pan with sides
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb side of salmon (a large salmon filet)
- 2 small lemons, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pitted assorted olives
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- a few marinated sweet or hot peppers, I like to get them from the olive bar at my supermarket so I don’t have to buy a whole jar.
- 2 tsp capers
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced, rings separated
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
- 2 Tbsp salted butter, cut in small chunks (optional)
- fresh herbs such as oregano, rosemary, thyme, and/or sage
Instructions
- preheat oven to 425F
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out your fish. Tuck the thin tail end under to make a thicker layer so the fish will cook evenly.
- Arrange the lemon slices on and around the fish, along with the olives, tomatoes, peppers, capers, and onions. Drizzle olive oil over all, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dot with chunks of butter, if using.
- Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until the fish is done through and flakes easily with a fork. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your fish, and if your fish is especially thick, or heavier, it will take longer.
- Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
Video
Notes
- Make it with halibut, tilapia, trout, swordfish, tuna steaks, or even shrimp.
- Make it in parchment ~ wrap the whole thing up in parchment paper and pop it in the oven.
- Make it with fennel ~ fennel is another great Mediterranean ingredient, lay the fish on a bed of very thinly sliced fennel, and use the fronds as a garnish.
Nutrition
Great easy weeknight dinner. I only changed the vegetables by adding baby potatoes and coating them in olive oil and herbs.
I will make this! 😋 Could it be put on a grill outdoors?
Thanks Sue!
This recipe will be on must to do list. Photo is beautiful too.
I made this receipe tonight and loved how quickly it came together. It looked divine coming from the oven and my family loved it. I served it with rice and it was devoured in a heartbeat! I never had baked lemons, the taste of the zest mixed with the salmon, olives and tomatoes was really something else! Incredible! Thank you for this recipe, I can see this quite often on our table in the future. 🙂