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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
Absolutely fantastic and easy and fresh and gorgeous!! Perfect Sunday meal!!
Hi Jess,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! xx
This recipe is outstanding! Made this recipe today and was easy and so flavorful. Well received by a crowded table! Thank you and I’ll be making it again very soon!!!,
Hey Kathryn,
Happy Sunday! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xx
This is one of our favourites and has been on repeat for years, easy and delicious!
Hey Jessica,
Fantastic!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it so often:)
I have made this recipe multiple times. It’s a classy meal for guests and much of the prep work can be done ahead of time. I just pop it in the oven when guests arrive and it’s ready in no time.
Hey Rebecca,
Thanks so much! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, I appreciate you giving it a try! xx
Very delicious! I made this for our valentines meal and it was so good! Hubby loved it too! I tossed the potatoes in different herbs and seasonings not just salt and pepper. One thing i wish was that the directions would be a bit more clear. It might say a certain amount of an ingredient and then say divided, but then never day where the other tablespoon of lemon juice is supposed to go. Or the directions don’t say anything about adding lemon zest to the fish when you put on the Cajun seasoning, but in the introduction to the recipe where she gives you the steps on how to do it before the actual recipe, she says to add the lemon zest. I don’t know if I’m making any sense. But otherwise I love the recipe and have recommended it to others!
Thanks a lot! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it and your comment!! So sorry for any confusion with the directions! xx
Made this today for Easter brunch, everyone raved about it! Will be making again soon😋
Hi Rene,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, I love that it was enjoyed! xT
Restaurant quality dinner!!! **immediately adds to favorites**
The combo bites on this one, with those flavors- top notch!
Thank you sooo much! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! xT
I almost didn’t bother making the arugula salad but I’m glad that I did. It is a great foil for the spicy Cajun salmon. I did add spices to the potatoes and asparagus. I think they would have been boring without a little something beyond salt and pepper. All in all this was a very good recipe. The brown butter with lemon is a really nice touch. I put it on the fish and the vegetables.
Thanks so so much for trying out the recipe, I really hope you loved it! xT
Was most excellent recipe didn’t have all the ingredients use spinach instead of the arugula but it was still good next time I’m going to get all the correct ingredients and try it again it was delish
Thank you Bill! xT
Just want to check in with a 5 star review as this is one of my most frequently made weeknight meals. My household is pescatarian and this recipe as well as some of your other salmon recipes are fantastic–but this one is definitely “the winner” just in terms of ease of preparation, availability of ingredients, and frequency of preparation.
Wow thank you so so much Jennie! I really appreciate it!
I marinated my potatoes for a couple of hours with olive oil and Italian seasonings plus a pinch of red pepper flakes. I transferred everyting onto a big platter. The presentation is absolutely gorgeous, a guest gasping pleasure.
So glad you are loving this recipe! Thanks for trying it out! xT
I made this tonight for dinner. It was delicious! I wouldn’t count this as a “one pan” meal by the time you include the brown butter pan and bowl for dressing/salad – but still, definitely worth it. I made the homemade Cajun spice that is listed in the recipe but only used 1/3 of the cayenne and it was still spicy! And good. Next time I’ll double the salad portion (or more) and omit the asparagus.
Hi Michelle,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
Shoulda, woulda, coulda… made the Cajun spice instead of using store bought. 2 Tablespoons of the store bought, which the first ingredient was salt, practically ruined the salmon. That aside, we loved the ease of a one pan meal, the simplicity of the potatoes and the asparagus and the extra elegance of the fresh herb salad on top. The recipe says it’s for 6 people, we as a family of 4 ate it all up. Will try again with homemade Cajun spice instead.
Hi Kari,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So sorry about the salt! Let me know if you make again:) xx
BRAVO TEIGAN! Gourmet all the way!!! Very few steps to an outstanding meal both in presentation and taste! As a person on a sodium restricted regimen it is so delightful to find recipes that fit this requirement! I tweaked a little using no salt added butter & Cajun seasoning..This one will be on repeat for me.🍽️
Hey Kathy,
Happy Memorial Day weekend!🇺🇸 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xx
This is one of the best recipes I’ve ever made. Anyone I make it for loves it. It’s AMAZING!!!!!
Hi Michelle,
Happy Thursday! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it:)
We didn’t like this one. The Cajun seasoning takes over the salmon flavor. I put less than the recipe called for and still found it to be overpowering. The brown butter also seemed unnecessary.
Hi Kathi,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx