Salmon Tray bake with Asparagus (in 30 minutes)
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If you’re in the mood for a healthy dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes, this salmon tray bake will surely fit your needs. It’s a one-pan recipe that’s an easy weeknight meal. Once you roast it in the oven, you’ll have enough for meals throughout the week (or dinner for the entire family).
This salmon sheet pan dinner is full of yummy veg, including asparagus and broccoli, for a nutrient-dense recipe. It also has a delicious honey soy sauce topping that adds a sweet, savoury, spicy, and flavorful taste to each bite!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Easy cleanup: There’s nothing easier than a one-pan recipe, which is what makes this salmon tray bake great for busy weeknights!
Big flavor: Combining ingredients like honey, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes makes each bite of salmon traybake full of flavor.
Healthy: This salmon tray bake recipe includes a rainbow of veg and a light sauce, making it an excellent option for a healthy dinner.
Love fish? You’ll love my ; The Best Garlic Prawns, Perfect Pan Fried Cod Recipe and Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
Easy Salmon Traybake
With four quick steps and simple ingredients, this salmon tray bake is an easy option. The most hands-on part of this sheet pan recipe is chopping the veggies and prepping the salmon/seasoning. The majority of the 30 minutes is spent letting the sheet pan salmon and veg bake in the oven.
Choosing the Best Salmon
When making salmon tray bake, it’s essential to grab the best salmon filets possible since they’re the star of the show. Here are a few tips to ensure you select the best option for this recipe.
Frozen vs fresh
Fresh is a great option if there are good-quality filets available. However, you can also find frozen filets that are good quality. Often frozen fish is prepared through similar methods as fresh, yet frozen for longer storage. As long as the brand producing the fish is reputable, fresh or frozen filets will work well with this and other similar delicious recipes.
Farm-raised vs. wild-caught
Farm-raised vs wild-caught is a controversial topic in the world of salmon! Farmed salmon is often larger, as it’s fed a processed, high-fat/protein diet. Wild-caught salmon is often smaller but has less fat and higher calcium content. This type of salmon is considered healthier, yet it is much pricier. If farm-raised is within your budget, you can definitely opt for that instead.
Salmon Varieties
Quite a few varieties of salmon are available at the store. King is a top choice for a buttery flavour, though it has a higher cost. Sockeye is also a great option that features a decadent taste. Atlantic salmon is one of the more affordable options, yet it is typically farmed. Alaskan salmon are usually wild-caught and typically contain fewer contaminants.
Steak vs filet
While a salmon steak and filet may look similar, they produce different results in salmon recipes. I always recommend getting filets, as they are cut parallel to the spine. This method of prepping the fish means you’re left with a flakier end result.
Here are some tasty side dishes to try with this salmon recipe; The Best Roasted Parsnips, The Crispiest Halloumi Fries and Easy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
Salmon Filets
Frozen or fresh salmon filets will work well in this salmon tray bake. If you’re using frozen filets, you don’t even need to defrost them. However, this will add a few extra minutes to the bake time. This baked salmon recipe is also delicious with meat-free alternatives, such as tofu or seitan.
Asparagus
I love adding asparagus to a traybake for extra nutrients. However, you can swap it out with other veg if you prefer. Sweet potatoes or new potatoes are also great substitutes for asparagus.
Honey
This ingredient helps take the recipe from good to great, as the sweetness from the honey balances out the savoury, umami taste of soy sauce. If you don’t have honey, maple syrup and agave will also work well with this salmon sheet pan dinner.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are a few variations/adaptations for your salmon tray bake so it meets your taste preferences! If you prefer green beans in healthy salmon recipes, include those instead of asparagus. Or, swap the asparagus for other veggies you enjoy (like pea pods). Make the recipe more filling by adding new potatoes or sweet potatoes. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to add a Mediterranean flare to this tasty recipe, add cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives.
You can also change the seasoning to a Mediterranean sauce or seasoning if you wish. Consider squeezing lemon onto the one-tray bake for a slightly tangier dish with a yummy lemon flavour after removing the baking sheet from the oven. Or, serve the tray bake with lemon slices/wedges so your family can add the amount of lemon juice they prefer.
Need to make this recipe more substantial? Add a quick and easy side dish; Airfryer Frozen Fries, Airfryer Hash Browns and Frozen Roast Potatoes
How to make Salmon Tray bake
Preheat oven to 190°C FAN/ 210°C Conventional
- Start by slicing the tomatoes in thick wedges, slicing the tenderstem broccoli, asparagus and red pepper into smaller pieces (Image 1).
- Then place into the baking tray. Coat with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes (Image 2).
3. Meanwhile, add your salmon fillets to a bowl and coat with 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of honey and the remaining olive oil. Stir to get everything incorporated, and set aside in the fridge (Image 3).
4. When your timer has gone off, remove the tray from the oven (Image 4).
5. Coat the vegetables in 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of honey. Add the marinated salmon and asparagus into the tray, skin facing down. Pop the tray back in the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes (Image 5).
6. Remove from oven and top with coriander and chilli flakes, then dive in! (Image 6).
Tips for the best result
Don’t overcook salmon
I recommend treating salmon more like steak when making this salmon tray bake. For salmon sheet pan recipes, bake the fish according to your desired cook (medium rare, medium, etc.) using the notes below.
- Medium rare – 125-130℉ (51- 54℃)
- Medium – 130-135℉ (54 – 57℃)
- Medium well – 135-140℉ (57 – 60℃)
- Well done – 140-145℉ (60 – 63℃)
Let your salmon rest before serving
It’s always best to let salmon rest for about 10 minutes after you finish cooking it. This step means you’ll have even juicier and flakier salmon, since it allows the juice of the salmon to redistribute in the filets.
I don’t recommend eating the skin for this recipe since it will not be crispy
As this recipe cooks the salmon in a homemade sauce, the skin will not be crispy. You can still eat the skin, but it won’t be as delicious as crisped skin. So, I recommend tossing the skin once the filets are cooked.
Need inspiration for some main dish recipes? Try my ; Sausage and Fennel Pasta, Vegetarian Burrito Bowl and Grinder Salad (Italian Sub Salad)
Serving Suggestions
For a lighter dish, consider serving this salmon tray bake as-is. If you want a more filling meal, you can add rice, couscous, or noodles to the side of the salmon and veggies. It’s also a great recipe to serve with crusty bread.
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
I recommend enjoying this tray-baked salmon and roasted vegetables recipe fresh, as it will have the best flavour at that time. However, if you have leftovers, they will stay good in the fridge for up to three days. Ensure you allow the recipe to cool before putting the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze?
You can freeze this salmon tray bake. Once the salmon and veggies cool fully, store them in an airtight container and freeze them. This recipe will stay good for up to one month in the freezer.
Creative ways to use leftover sheet pan salmon
If you don’t want to eat salmon tray bake for three days in a row, you can easily turn the leftovers into other salmon recipes (healthy and filling!). Add it on top of your favourite salad for a protein boost. Or chop up the filets and turn them into yummy salmon tacos. You can also make salmon salad by chopping or shredding the filets and mixing them with mayo. Then, you can add the salmon salad to rice, bread (for a sandwich), or noodles.
Try some yummy, healthy soup recipes, as a starter; Tomato & Lentil Soup, Courgette Soup and Carrot and Coriander Soup
FAQs
When you create recipes where you bake salmon in the oven, it’s best to leave the salmon uncovered. Fish typically cooks quite quickly, so it’s not necessary to cover it with foil.
The best method for preventing overcooked salmon in a salmon tray bake is to use a meat thermometer. This step ensures you can properly monitor the internal temperature of the fish.
If the salmon is already prepared and descaled, you do not need to wash it before cooking. However, if it still has any scales, you can rinse the filets under cool water to help clean the fish. Be sure to pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels before seasoning them for the best results.
If you tried this Salmon Tray bake with Asparagus recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Salmon Tray bake with Asparagus (in 30 minutes)
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (£4.40)
- 160 g tenderstem broccoli (£1.35)
- 6 tomatoes, sliced into thick wedges (£0.95)
- 260 g asparagus (£0.69x2)=(£1.38)
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced (£0.59)
- Fresh coriander (£0.52)
Cupboard Essentials
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- Salt & Pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C FAN/ 210°C Conventional
- Start by adding the tomatoes, tenderstem, asparagus and red pepper into the tray. Coat with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add your salmon fillets to a bowl and coat with 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of honey and the remaining olive oil. Stir to get everything incorporated, and set aside in the fridge.
- When your timer has gone off, remove the tray from the oven. Coat the vegetables in 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of honey. Add the marinated salmon and asparagus into the tray, skin facing down. Pop the tray back in the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Top with coriander and chilli flakes, then dive in!
Notes
- Avoid overcooking salmon; treat it like cookingsteak with desired doneness (medium rare, medium, etc.).
- Allow salmon to rest for 10 minutes post-cooking for juicier, flakier texture.
- Skip eating the skin in this recipe as it won't crisp up due to the sauce; discard once cooked.
Nutrition
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