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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
I have made this recipe many times since first seeing it on your blog. It is absolutely our favorite salmon recipe. So good in fact that we did a nontraditional Christmas dinner this year and this salmon was the star! Everyone raved about it.
Thanks so much for the review Diane ~ when we lived in Los Angeles we did this for Christmas at least once!
An easy, healthy fish dish! It’s time to make again.
Colours, textures and tastes divine! Brilliantly simple and elegant meal to cook! Unfortunately my dear Bride doesn’t like fish so I had to spoil myself… tough job! Just loved the flavours and was very pleasantly surprised and impressed that the roasting of olives didn’t overpower the subtle salmon flavour! The lemon, butter, spices, olives & salmon melded into a dynamic dish that was very pleasing to the eye and taste buds! Gotta do this one again for all of our fish loving mates!
You’ve made me hungry Michael 🙂
Made this for dinner last night. Not only was it delicious, but it was beautiful as well. This is going on my “dinner party on the fly” roster! Thank you again for a fabulous feast!
I need to start a ‘dinner party on the fly’ section of the blog, thanks Nikki 🙂
That would be fabulous!!
The View From Great Island is hands down the best cooking blog anywhere, I have served many friends and family delicious dishes from this very website.
Love and use your posts often. Wondering if this would work cold or at room temperature?
Thanks.
Sure. Just be aware that the roasted tomatoes etc might not look as ‘fresh’. You could make the salmon and then add the toppings before serving.
Made this today for our Easter Brunch. It turned out beautifully and everybody loved it! Thanks so much Sue, for the fresh, lovely, colorful, Springtime recipe. It was a breeze to make too. Not sure how to post a picture of it.
Thanks Mary Jean, I wish I had a way for commenters to leave photos, I’m working on that…I think this dish is so perfect for Easter, I’m glad it was a success 🙂
Loved it! Beautiful, easy to make and tastes great. This is a dish I would serve guests. Paired it with Israeli couscous sprinkled with a little feta cheese.
I made this Sheet Pan Salmon last night, not only was it fun to make, it was healthy and DELICIOUS! I have never made fish before but my fiance and I just started adopting more of a Mediterranean diet and are trying to incorporate more fish into our meals. I loved adding all the topping– it was truly like decorating dinner. We paired it with a simple lemon parmesan asparagus side and it was perfect! Will absolutely make again!
What a wonderful comment Brittney ~ I’m honored to be a part of your discovery of fish!
Tried this on a whim. Used kale for the bedding. Not disappointed! I didnt even get it off the pan. What a great dish.