Foil-Roasted Lemon Salmon
with caesar broccoli / orzo
This method of baking fish inside a foil packet helps the salmon to stay moist as it cooks. Roast it on the same pan and at the same time as broccoli for minimal clean-up after dinner.
Smarts: Be sure the foil packet is sealed tight to fully enclose the both the salmon and the butter that tops it.
Ingredients
- Garlic - 1 clove, chopped
- Anchovy filets (opt) - 1, mashed, more to taste
- Mayonnaise - 1 Tbsp
- Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
- Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce - 1 tsp (sub soy sauce)
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp
- Broccoli - 1 1/2 lbs, florets
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Pine nuts - 2 Tbsp (sub any type of chopped nuts)
- Pasta, orzo - 8 oz (sub any small pasta shape)
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp
- Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
- Butter - 1 Tbsp
- Mustard, Dijon - 1 Tbsp
- Brown sugar - 2 tsp
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp
- Lemons - 1, sliced
- Foil - for roasting
- Salmon - 1 lb
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Pasta - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and toss with olive oil (portion for orzo). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Garlic (for broccoli and salmon) - Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Make Caesar dressing - Mash anchovies in a small bowl. To anchovies, add garlic (portion for broccoli), mayonnaise, mustard (portion for broccoli), lemon juice (portion for broccoli), and Worcestershire sauce. Add olive oil (portion for broccoli) while whisking. Taste and season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Broccoli - Chop broccoli. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Prepare butter - Melt butter in the microwave. Combine with garlic (portion for salmon), mustard (portion for salmon), brown sugar, salt, and lemon juice (portion for salmon). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Lemons - Slice lemons. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Try for freeLearn More
Make
- Heat oven to 400F / 204C.
- Set foil out on a sheet pan. Add salmon to one half of the foil.
- If butter mixture was made ahead, defrost in the microwave until soft. Spread butter over salmon. Top with lemon slices. Fold foil over to enclose salmon and crimp the edges so that the salmon is sealed in.
- Toss broccoli with cooking oil. Add it to the same sheet pan as the salmon if there is space (or use a second sheet pan).
- Roast salmon and broccoli together until broccoli is tender and salmon is cooked through, 15 to 22 minutes (depending on thickness of salmon). They should finish around the same time, but leave one on the pan to keep cooking if needed.
- Toss broccoli with Caesar dressing. Top with pine nuts.
- If orzo was made ahead, reheat in the microwave. Fold in some more olive oil if the pasta seems dry.
- Serve salmon over orzo (drizzle any cooking liquid from the foil packet over top of the salmon and orzo). Enjoy with broccoli on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
27 reviews
DEFINITELY double the butter sauce! I really enjoyed the Caesar dressing, but it was an odd pairing as a side dish. I think it’s going to be great all mixed together as a lunch bowl, though!
We are not vegetarians. This dish was amazing! My husband was surprised there wasn't any cheese in the pasta with how creamy it was. My only issue is with the instructions. We don't prep ahead, so it makes no sense to make the pasta and the Caesar dressing before getting the zucchini chopped and the beans drained and in the oven! Also, the instructions don't say to toast the pine nuts (which we of course did).