Baked Salmon and Asparagus

This baked salmon and asparagus recipe is the definition of easy dinner! Throw it all on a sheet pan with lemon, and the flavor is unreal.

How to make Baked Salmon and Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thin asparagus*
• 1 pound salmon, wild caught if possible
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Lemon
• Minced fresh herbs (like chives, mint or thyme), for garnish

Directions:

1. Allow salmon to come to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Trim the asparagus. Place it on the baking sheet and toss it with 2 tablespoon olive oil (this also oils the foil). Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
4. Pat the salmon dry and place it on the foil. Drizzle it with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle the salmon with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place asparagus around the salmon. Slice the lemon into wheels and place them on top of the asparagus (but not the salmon). Squeeze juice from the two ends of the lemon onto the tray. Then add the chopped fresh herbs on top of everything.
5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes until the asparagus is tender at the thickest part, and the salmon is just tender and pink at the center (the internal temperature should be between 125 to 130F in the center for done, or 10 degrees less if you’re broiling). If the salmon is done before the asparagus (the asparagus is thick), remove it from the tray and continue cooking just the asparagus until tender.

Hint: How to prepare asparagus

Thin asparagus spears need little preparation. Simply trim or break off the very bottom of the stem to remove the base which can be a little woody. The point to trim or break can be found by carefully bending the spears – there is a natural point on the stem where it will easily snap.

For thicker stems use a vegetable peeler, to remove the outer layer of the stem, from the base to about halfway up the spear.