Looking for a delicious and nutritious dinner in a flash? This Sheet Pan Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes is a simple but mighty meal that requires just one baking sheet, 6 ingredients, and under 30 minutes.
With this simple sheet pan recipe, clean-up is a breeze, making this my go-to lazy meal when I still want a filling and nutritious dinner.
In this recipe you will learn how to prep salmon, asparagus, and potatoes for roasting, plus at which temperature and for how long to roast each to get the perfect texture!
As an environmental scientist, I always try to stick to seasonal eating! It’s one of the easiest (and most delicious!) ways to support local farmers and improve your carbon footprint.
Green tip: Seasonal and local foods have less associated transportation costs and fuel emissions. Check when asparagus is in season in your area with this Seasonal Food Guide.
Sheet Pan Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Salmon. This recipe was designed to generously feed two people, so it calls for 10 ounces of salmon, sliced into two 5-ounce portions. I used fresh salmon. If you’re using frozen salmon, make sure to allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or add it to a bag and submerge the bag in room temperature water for about 45 minutes to defrost before using it for this recipe.
- Asparagus. One bunch of asparagus is approximately 1 pound. Fresh or frozen (thawed).
- Potatoes. Honey gold is my favorite but you can also use Yukon gold or red potatoes.
- Lemon. Citrus and salmon is a classically delicious pairing.
- Old Bay Seasoning. My go-to seafood seasoning! None on hand? Check out this article on Every Old Bay Seasoning Substitute.
- Olive Oil. To roast your veggies and salmon in to get that perfect crispy exterior.
Sustainable Salmon
Salmon farming, which is the source of the majority of salmon sold in markets, can pose several risks to our environment.
These risks include pollution from the antibiotics used in salmon farms that can then leach into the surrounding waters, as well as the depletion of other wild fish harvested to feed the salmon.
On the other hand, wild-caught salmon poses other risks, including overfishing and bycatch. What’s more, there are issues with availability and access to wild caught salmon.
So, how can we source salmon sustainably?
In the U.S., we have two great options: sustainably farmed salmon, or wild-caught Alaskan salmon.
Green tip: Look for Marine Stewardship Council and Friend of the Sea labels on your fish to ensure they were harvested sustainably.
Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes Tips and Tricks
Storing Potatoes and Asparagus Before Use
Potatoes have a long shelf life and typically stay fresh for several months when they are stored in a cool, dry place. You can store them in the refrigerator to get the longest shelf-life, but they’ll also keep for weeks just at room temperature.
Once you bring your asparagus home, you can easily keep it fresh for up to one week if stored properly.
Place the asparagus in a glass jar with their tips facing up. Then, fill the jar with about 2 inches of water so that the ends are completely submerged.
Place a reusable storage bag on top or just leave it as is and store the whole jar in your fridge until ready for use. This technique works with both purple asparagus and white asparagus as well!
Prepping Asparagus for Roasting
Asparagus tips have little grooves where grit or dirt can hide, so the best way to clean it is to actually soak it in water. Alternatively, you can rinse it with water.
Asparagus has notoriously rough or “woody” ends that are super tough to chew. You’ll definitely want to take those ends off before roasting it for the best texture on your asparagus.
But you don’t have to throw those ends out! You can save them in a freezer bag along with your other veggie scraps to make your own vegetable broth or you can instead compost them.
The best way to remove those ends is to simply snap them off. Hold the asparagus in between two clean hands and break them in two. The asparagus will naturally break right where the ends start to get woody.
Prepping Potatoes
As for the potatoes, all you have to do is rinse and dry them and chop them up into bite-sized pieces.
It’s important to chop the potatoes into smaller pieces to help them roast more quickly. I like to chop them in half longways first, then cut the halves into 2-3 more pieces each, depending on the size of the potato.
While they certainly do not have to be perfectly uniform, the more equal in size they are, the more evenly they will roast.
How to Prep Salmon for the Oven
Before you season the salmon, it’s best to remove excess moisture to get the best texture once it’s baked on the sheet pan with the asparagus and potatoes.
Place your salmon filets skin-side down and use a paper towel to lightly press down from the top to pat dry. Drying your fish will avoid a mushy texture and allow it to get a little crispy around the edges.
I use this same technique to make this Pistachio Crusted Salmon as well.
Green tip: Paper products contribute to deforestation. Consider these bamboo paper towels! Bamboo naturally regenerates every few months, whereas trees cannot regrow once harvested.
I usually make this recipe with fresh fish, but you can also easily use frozen! Just allow the salmon to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or add it to a plastic or reusable storage bag and submerge the bag in cold water for about 45 minutes to defrost.
Coat the Veggies and Fish in Olive Oil
Once the salmon, asparagus and potatoes are prepped, drizzle them with olive oil and toss to coat.
I keep them in separate bowls because we will be roasting the potatoes first, then adding the asparagus and salmon to the pan. Make sure to drizzle the olive oil on the asparagus, potatoes, and salmon.
Add the Old Bay Seasoning and Toss
Then, add the Old Bay Seasoning to all three as well. At this point, you’ll want to use clean hands to toss, to ensure that the veggies and fish have an even coat of oil and seasoning on all sides.
Roast the Potatoes First
Add the potatoes to a large 18 x 26-inch baking sheet and spread them out in an even layer, ensuring no two pieces are overlapping. For less cleanup, you can opt to line your baking tray with aluminum foil.
To get the potatoes nice and crispy, they will have to roast a little bit longer than the salmon and the asparagus. The best thing to do is to pre-roast them, before adding the salmon and asparagus to your sheet pan.
Add Lemon Juice to the Salmon
Citrus really brightens the flavor of fish, which is why you will often see seafood cooked in or served with lemon. This is because the acidity of the citrus balances out the naturally briny flavor of seafood.
That being said, using fresh lemon goes a long way in this simple salmon recipe! I highly recommend using a citrus squeezer to extract your fresh lemon juice.
If you don’t have a citrus squeezer, then just make sure to squeeze the lemon juice into a separate dish first so you have a chance to pick out any lemon seeds that accidentally fall into the juice.
Add about half of the lemon juice right on top of the salmon with the olive oil and seasoning. Then, add the rest to the asparagus, just like in this Garlic Lemon Asparagus.
Roast the Salmon, Asparagus, and Potatoes Together
After the potatoes have roasted for 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss the potatoes. Then, add the salmon and asparagus to the baking sheet with the half-roasted potatoes as pictured below.
Next, place it back in the oven and roast for an addition 12-15 minutes until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 125°F.
Serving Your Sheet Pan Salmon, Potatoes, and Asparagus
This quick and easy sheet pan salmon dinner is ready to serve as is. If I’m feeling ectra zesty, I’ll squeeze some fresh lemon juice overtop of my meal or sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese.
If you want to spruce it up with some sauce, consider this Hearty Mushroom Gravy, Shallot Cream Sauce, or Maple Dijon Vinaigrette.
How to Properly Store and Reheat Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes
If you just have leftover sheet pan potatoes and asparagus, they will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. The leftover veggies can also be frozen for up to a year.
To thaw them from the freezer, transfer the frozen vegetables from the freezer to the refrigerator and let them rest there overnight.
As for leftover salmon, it will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you want it to last longer, you can freeze cooked salmon for up to 6 months. Check out these detailed instructions for re-freezing cooked salmon.
To reheat these leftovers, bring your oven up to 400°F and roast everything again as is (no need to add any extra oil or seasonings) for about 10-15 minutes until the veggies are heated thoroughly and the internal temp of the salmon reaches 145°F.
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? Reduce your contribution to food waste by properly storing and enjoying your leftovers!
Why this Sheet Pan Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes is On Weekly Rotation in My House
- It’s so easy! As easy to clean as it is to cook with just one sheet pan.
- It’s hearty. Nice and filling between the protein-packed salmon, hearty potatoes, and nutrient-dense asparagus.
- It’s so quick! This whole meals comes together in less than 30 minutes!
If you’re loving this Sheet Pan Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes and want more easy meals that just require one dish, check out this Baked Goat Cheese Pasta and One-Pot Mushroom Spinach Pasta.
Sheet Pan Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes
Print Save RateEquipment
- Kitchen Thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 24 ounces honey gold potatoes
- 1 pound asparagus
- 10 ounces salmon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Prep your vegetables by snapping off the "woody" ends of the asparagus and chopping your potatoes into bite-sized wedges that are roughly equal in size.
- Prep your salmon by patting it dry with paper towels (try these bamboo paper towels for a more sustainable option!).
- Add the olive oil and Old Bay seasoning to the asparagus, potatoes, and on top of the salmon in a roughly even layer. For best results, use clean hands to toss the vegetables in the oil and seasoning and to smooth the seasoning and oil over the salmon.
- Add the potatoes to the baking sheet and roast on the top rack for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the lemon juice to the asparagus and salmon.
- After 10 minutes, remove the potatoes from the oven and toss. Then, add the asparagus and salmon (skin side down) to the sheet pan with the half-roasted potatoes.
- Roast on the top rack for an additional 12-15 minutes until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 125°F. Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- If you don’t have Old Bay Seasoning, check out this post on Every Old Bay Seasoning Substitute to see what to use instead!
- For more ways to eat salmon, check out this list of Simple Salmon Recipes!
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