Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon
A 30 minute lemon garlic salmon that’s full of bright and fresh flavors! You will love this Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon with Asparagus!
This moist and flaky salmon recipe is so easy to make. This meal comes together quickly and easily. You’ll brush the salmon with a lemon garlic sauce and bake it for a few minutes before adding the asparagus to the pan.
The asparagus gets brushed with lemon and garlic as well, and then it roasts alongside the salmon until it’s crisp-tender. Meanwhile, you’ll have time to make a quick batch of couscous or rice to serve alongside your salmon. I like to top the couscous with a squeeze of lemon juice, sliced almonds and fresh parsley. Yum!
Lemon and garlic pair so well with both salmon and asparagus, and it’s one of my favorite flavor combinations. I use lemons like crazy, in everything from salad dressings to baked goods. I love this inexpensive lemon juicer for juicing lemons quickly. It even measures the juice for you!
HOW TO COOK SALMON
Cooking moist flaky salmon is easy when you follow these tips:
- Choosing salmon. Salmon should have shiny skin and shouldn’t smell overly fishy. Choose fillets of even thickness.
- Let salmon come to room temperature. Take your salmon out of the refrigerator when you are ready to get started with this recipe, this helps the salmon cook evenly.
- Cook salmon as a whole fillet, with the skin on. Cook the salmon with the skin on placing the skin side down on the sheet pan. You can easily remove the skin after cooking. The salmon should easily lift from the skin after it is cooked.
- Reserve some sauce for additional flavor. Reserve a portion of the lemon garlic sauce to pour over the salmon near the end of the cook time or squeeze some lemon over the salmon for additional flavor.
- Don’t overcook your salmon. The FDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees F. To check the temperature of your salmon, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the fish. Salmon will continue to cook a little once removed from the oven, remove promptly as soon as it reaches 140-145 degrees.
With minimal effort, you’ll be sitting down to a meal that’s healthy and worthy of company!
Sides Dishes to Serve with Salmon
This salmon recipe calls for a side of asparagus but roasted broccoli or green beans pair well too. We enjoy mashed potatoes, oven-roasted potatoes or a side of Instant Pot Rice.
More Healthy Salmon Recipes
If your family loves salmon, also try our favorite easy baked salmon, grilled salmon or Air Fryer Salmon. Or try my sheet pan honey garlic salmon.
Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more for the couscous
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ pounds salmon filets, 4 even size pieces
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 ½ cups plain or whole wheat couscous
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- lemon slices and/or fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the mixture by placing it in another small bowl or measuring cup.
- Arrange the salmon pieces down the center of the baking sheet and drizzle/brush with the lemon juice mixture, saving the reserved ¼ cup for the asparagus. Place salmon in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and add the asparagus along the sides of the pan. Drizzle asparagus with the reserved ¼ cup lemon juice mixture and toss gently to coat.
- Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for about 10 minutes, until salmon is cooked through. If desired, turn on the broiler during the last 2-3 minutes of baking to help the salmon and asparagus brown on top. Season with more salt and/or pepper, to taste, as needed.
- While the salmon and asparagus cook, prepare the couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork. Top couscous with a squeeze of lemon juice, sliced almonds and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve alongside salmon and asparagus, with additional lemon slices and parsley as desired.
This year is flying by SO fast! I normally despise January and February because of the weather, but’s been pretty mild here in the midwest, so I’m thankful for that. This sheet pan meal looks SO good, Kristine! I love lemon garlic anything, especially when it comes to salmon and asparagus. My husband and I just had this meal last night, except it was lemon pepper flavored everything. I’m going to have to try this one soon!
Eeeekkkk—Spring! It’s almost here. I can just about taste it. And I always think of asparagus as soon as March hits. So that plus the lemon you’ve got going on in here has me feeling all the warm weather feels!
I’ve been buying up asparagus by the bunches — it’s so nice that it’s back and reasonably priced! Sheet pan salmon happens weekly in my house and this meal would be a huge hit with everyone!
I don’t want the time to pass too quickly either! Babies grown up way too fast! I love all the lemon going on here! And, yah for asparagus season!
This is my idea of the perfect meal! I love salmon and asparagus, especially with lemon, so I can’t wait to make this! Can’t wait for spring either – it’s snowing like crazy here again today, so I’m looking forward to warmer weather!
We made this tonight with a couple small adjustments. It was delicious! My kids ate well and I loved it too! Thanks for the simple and yummy meal!
very nice and fast, asparagus’m rarely on the menu
Thanks, Bora! Let me know if you try it!
This looks so delicious and easy too! Perfect combo! Adding it to this week’s meal plan now. Definitely will be saving some of the other recipes in your link-up too!
Thanks, Jessica! Asparagus is a favorite this time of year!
So I tried this recipe yesterday and my family really loved it. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, Kristine!
I’m glad your family enjoyed this, Bonnie! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I tried your lemon garlic salmon and asparagus for the first time for dinner guests. I made the lemon garlic topping and prepped the asparagus ahead of time. All I had to do was put everything together in the sheet pan and pop it into the oven. It was a hit!  The best part was y that it didn’t take me away from my guests!
I’m glad everyone enjoyed it! That was a great idea to prep the different parts ahead of time. 🙂
I just finished making it right now and wow it tastes Amazing! Thanks