Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus Recipe

cooked salmon and asparagus on a sheet pan

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Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus Recipe

One and done meals are the best, and this one is a classic combo with a bonus flavor from crunchy Panko topping for the salmon. Be sure to check the recipe notes on asparagus cook time. If your asparagus is particularly thin or thick, you’ll want to adjust the cook time slightly to accommodate for that.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Main Dish

Keyword: asparagus, easy dinner, easy salmon recipe, easy, weeknight-friendly, kid-friendly recipe, one pan meal, quick meal, seafood, sheet pan meal, sheet pan recipe, weeknight-friendly

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $17.00

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Half Sheet Pan
Foil or Parchment Paper (optional, but will make clean-up easy)

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus (see note)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 lemon
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (see note)
1 1/4 pound center-cut salmon (either 4 fillets or one large piece)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and set it aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, maple syrup, and the zest from the lemon (save the rest of the lemon - you’ll use the juice for the asparagus). Stir in the breadcrumbs.
Spray a large rimmed sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray or line it with foil or parchment. Arrange the salmon on the tray, either on the outside edges if using four fillets or on one side of the pan if using one piece of salmon.
Season the top of the salmon lightly with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Use a spoon to spread the Panko topping evenly over the tops of the salmon. Don’t worry if some of the breadcrumbs don’t stick or fall over the edges onto the sheet pan.
Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and set a timer for 6 minutes. When six minutes have passed, remove the pan from the oven and add the asparagus to the empty space. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and season it with ½ teaspoon of salt.
Return the oven to the pan and continue cooking until the asparagus is tender and the salmon is cooked through (an instant read thermometer should register 130°F in the thickest part).
Slice the lemon in half and squeeze it over the asparagus (and the salmon if you’d like it to have some extra lemon flavor too).
Enjoy!

Notes

Asparagus - Asparagus can vary a lot in thickness and this will affect the preferred cook time. The recipe is written assuming sort of standard asparagus which should be about the thickness of a pencil or pen. If your asparagus is thinner than this, add it to the sheet pan with the salmon when there are about 4 minutes left for the cook time. If using very thick asparagus spears, you can cook them for the full time that the salmon is in the oven.

Panko breadcrumbs have a crunchy texture and come in larger pieces than traditional Italian-style breadcrumbs. They will give you the most crunch and texture in this recipe.

Nutrition