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My crowd-pleasing salmon dinner…a flavorful update to the classic salmon dinner and best of all, made all in one sheet pan. Nutty brown butter meets bright lemon flavor and baby potatoes roast bake up bright and crisp. Simple ingredients, restaurant-level flavor. Top the dish with a vibrant herb salad for a pretty pop of color. It’s buttery, colorful, healthy, and beyond delicious.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The brown butter + lemon combo gives rich, nutty depth with a clean, citrusy finish.
- One-pan friendly and adaptable to any season with easy veg add-ins.
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon fillets: Skin-on helps keep moisture and gives crisp edges; pat very dry. Choose similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Potatoes: Small waxy types (baby golds/fingerlings) keep their shape and crisp well; cut into even pieces so they finish together.
- Butter: Use unsalted to control seasoning. Brown until amber with toasty milk solids and a nutty aroma.
- Lemon: Zest first for max flavor; add juice off heat or near the end to keep the butter from tasting bitter.
- Aromatics & add-ons: Garlic (add late so it doesn’t burn), capers (salty pop), fresh dill/parsley, red pepper flakes for warmth.
- Olive oil & salt/pepper: Oil helps potatoes crisp; season in layers.
The inspiration
With Easter this weekend, salmon feels like the perfect recipe to be sharing. Something about Easter always reminds me of salmon, potatoes, and asparagus. I guess it’s because it’s often what my grandma would serve when we visited them in Florida over our Easter break.
It always brings back memories of my Nonnie.
And like my Nonnie, when it comes to entertaining, I love to keep things very simple and as easy as can be. She was the queen of simple entertaining and this sheet pan-style dinner is actually one she taught me.
She’d always roast the salmon right alongside the asparagus, so I’m taking a cue from her today!
Here are the details…
Start with the potatoes. I like to start roasting the potatoes before the salmon is added to the pan to ensure that they have enough time in the oven to fully cook. I keep the potatoes simple and just toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Space them out (no crowding) for browning. They’re ready when edges are deep golden and a fork slides in easily.Roast the potatoes in the oven until they start to soften.
Prepare the salmon. Rub the salmon with a little a bit of cajun seasoning and lemon zest. Pull the potatoes out of the oven, slide them to one side of the pan, and add the salmon to the other side.
Now add the asparagus and toss with the parmesan.
Put the pan back into the oven and roast until the salmon reaches your preferred doneness. For me, it’s usually about ten minutes.
Prep the Herb Salad. While everything is roasting, you can start working on the herb salad and brown butter. For the salad, it’s simply arugula, fresh herbs, lemon, and a bit of red wine vinegar.
And for the brown butter? Butter and lemon, but it’s browning the butter that’s key. Melt over medium, stir as it foams, watch for amber color and nutty scent with browned specks. Pull off heat the moment it turns golden to avoid burning. Browning the butter adds a nutty richness to the salmon that feels very special and tastes delicious.
When to add lemon: Stir zest into the brown butter; add lemon juice off heat or at the very end so it stays bright and doesn’t dull the butter’s flavor.
Finishing it up…
Once the salmon is finished I simply leave it on the sheet pan, drizzle it with the browned butter, then top everything with the seasoned herb salad.
Then spoon the dressing over the salmon and cheese, and serve with the potatoes on the side. And that’s it. It’s not hard or time-consuming but leaves you with a complete all-in-one dinner…and a pretty healthy one too!
Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes—thaw fully in the fridge, then pat very dry before cooking so it sears and doesn’t steam.
Should I cook with skin-on or skinless salmon?
Skin-on helps retain moisture and gets pleasantly crisp; if using skinless, be extra gentle when flipping and watch doneness closely.
How do I know the salmon is done without a thermometer?
Look for opaque sides and easy flaking with a fork, with the center still slightly rosy if you prefer medium.
Can I make this without dairy?
Use olive oil and create a quick lemon-garlic “pan sauce.” It won’t taste nutty like brown butter, but it’s bright and flavorful.
Looking for other spring-like dinners, try these:
Crispy Black Pepper Turmeric Cauliflower and Garlic Noodles
Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Lemon Butter Potatoes with creamy whipped feta
Lastly, if you make these Sheet Pan Lemon Brown Butter Salmon and Potatoes with Parmesan Asparagus be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Brown Butter Salmon and Potatoes with Parmesan Asparagus
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 450 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 – 1 1/2 pounds salmon filet
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly torn
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425° F. On a large baking sheet, combine the potatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Bake for 15 minutes.2. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Add the salmon to the center of the pan (if the salmon is large, cut it into smaller portions). Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil and the cajun seasoning. Add the asparagus to the pan and toss with the parmesan. Bake everything together for 10-15 minutes or until the salmon has reached your desired doneness.3. In a bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the arugula, basil, dill, and a pinch of chili flakes. Toss to combine. 4. Add the butter to a medium pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown, until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice.5. Serve the salmon, potatoes, and asparagus together with the arugula salad on top. Drizzle the brown butter over the salmon.
Notes
Homemade Cajun Seasoning: mix 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Makes 3/4 cup.
This post was originally published on March 31, 2021
Made this for dinner last night – sooooo good!
Hi Savannah,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xx
Ok. So this is my first one star rating. Love Tieghan’s recipes but this one was inedible. The salmon was SO salty. I even used a heaping tablespoon of creole seasoning instead of 2. The potatoes were yummy and we enjoyed the veg but salmon went in the garbage. Bummer!
Hi Bri,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! Please let me know if there is any way that I can help! xx
My 13 year old made this for us this evening. Delicious, easy, and minimal clean up! We baked the 1.25lb salmon fillet as one piece, instead of smaller chunks and doubled the salad.
Hey Amber,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!!? xTieghan
This has become a once a week meal because it’s that good! I double the arugula/herb salad because it’s so so good. Super easy
Hey Beth,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
So easy but felt so fancy and well rounded. Definitely a keeper for weeknights or anytime you want a big pay off for minimal work and clean up.
Hey Kathleen,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a hit! Have a great weekend:) xx
I loved this dish. So easy and fast for the weekday night. It was so light and delicious.
Hey Jean,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! ?xx
Sooo flavorful and perfect for spring! I swapped the asparagus for broccolini. So easy & it turned out perfect
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go and sharing your feedback!! I love to hear that it was a winner:) xTieghan
So tasty! I grilled everything instead of baking in the oven because it’s already hot here in Tennessee. I skipped the browned butter to make it a little healthier. Good Parmesan makes such a difference in the flavor.
Hi Tyra,
That’s great!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xxT
Made this last week for Sunday dinner. It was hit with Nana all the way down to my eight year old! Every detail is so flavorful and the arugula mix on top is a great touch. I love sheet pan dishes and will definitely make this again!
Hey Megan,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
So delicious and SO easy! I left off the cajun seasoning so that my spice-averse kids would eat it, and they did!
Just added some finishing salt for grownups.
Hey Alyse,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
We made this last night as a great dinner for lent. It was soooo good. It’s currently “Spargel” season here, or rather asparagus season, and people love their asparagus in German speaking Europe. We have another reason to love it with this recipe–it was a hit! The salad was actually one of my favorite parts to this all-in-one dinner. The dressing was surprisingly sweet with the added lemon zest and brought another dimension to this spring feast. Many thanks and hugs from Vienna, Austria!
Oops! And a five star dinner experience for sure
Thanks again!!
This was amazing!
Hey Ana,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Hey Erin,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out!! ?xx
Just made this tonight – so good!!!
Hi Darby,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
This was so good and came together very quickly! The brown butter makes it. For the salad I used baby spinach instead of arugula and added some goat cheese. Delish!
Hey Jessica,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Very delicious and yes, easy!
Hi Brenda,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xx
Well that was both easy and thoroughly delicious! Thank you!!
Hey Liz,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan