The 5-Ingredient Salmon Dinner I Make All the Time

You can have a salmon dinner with a luxurious lemon and caper butter on the table in just 20 minutes. The salmon and asparagus cook on a sheet pan together for quick clean-up.

May 7, 2024 - 12:00

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The 5-Ingredient Salmon Dinner I Make All the Time

sheet pan salmon topped with lemon and capers next to asparagus — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

I am always looking to make fish a more regular part of my dinner routine. Salmon is what I usually fall back on since both my husband and I never seem to tire of it week after week.

I rarely have a plan until I am home from the store, staring at the filets I just bought. This quick and easy sheet pan meal is something I most often fall back on. Quick-cooking asparagus roasts next to the salmon—it's a one-pan dinner that’s ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Lemons and capers are staples in my fridge, as is butter, so I can whip up a fancy but super fast lemon caper butter to top the salmon in mere minutes. It’s a flavor combination that’s familiar yet somehow feels just the right amount of special.

Spoon this compound butter onto salmon and it will soak right into it while it roasts, lending big flavor without much effort.

sheet pan salmon and asparagus on a plate with lemon slices — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Tips for Making My 5-Ingredient Sheet Pan Salmon

This recipe really couldn’t be simpler, but a few tips ensure success. Plus, there is lots of room to make it your own:

Asparagus Size: Medium or thin asparagus stalks will cook in the same amount of time the salmon takes to cook. Avoid very thick stalks, which need a bit more time to become tender.
Other Vegetables To Try: If asparagus isn’t in season, another thin, quick-cooking vegetable like skinny green beans or broccolini can be used instead.
Caper Replacement: No capers? Use an equal amount of pitted, chopped olives instead. Or if you aren’t a fan of the briny flavor of capers, swap in chopped fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, or rosemary.
How To Know When Salmon Is Done: I keep an instant-read thermometer close by when cooking salmon because it’s a foolproof way to ensure it’s never dry and overcooked. I like my salmon to be just opaque and still very moist and juicy (medium-rare), so I aim for 120°F to 130°F. If you prefer it more firm and cooked through, tack on another few minutes to the cooking time to hit 135°F to 140°F.

Serving Suggestions

This sheet pan recipe is a complete dinner. You could cook some couscous, rice, or orzo to round the meal out. If I’m feeling lazy, I just bring some crusty bread and good olive oil to the table.

More Ways To Enjoy Salmon

Sheet pan salmon and asparagus served on blue plates with lemon wedges — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.

Make the lemon caper butter:

Place the butter, capers, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Mash with a fork to combine.

Prepare the asparagus:

Arrange the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzled with the olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper, and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer around the perimeter of the baking sheet, making room for the salmon in the center.

Prepare the salmon:

Season the salmon filets all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Place skin-side down (if you bought them with the skin on), spaced evenly apart, in the middle of the baking sheet, pushing the asparagus to the side if needed.

Divide the lemon-caper butter among the filets, doing your best to spread it evenly. Don’t worry too much since the butter will melt in the oven.

Roast:

Roast until the asparagus is crisp-tender and the salmon is just cooked through. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the salmon registers 120°F to 130°F for medium-rare, 10 to 15 minutes.