This salmon dinner is one of those meals that tastes like a restaurant plate but really comes from just one sheet pan.
The salmon bakes right next to thin lemon potatoes and a pile of grape tomatoes, so everything cooks in the same place at the same time.
Then the roasted tomatoes get blended with salted butter into a silky sauce that goes right over the fish.
On the side, there is a warm vegetable salad with zucchini, yellow squash, and onion, cooked until tender and tossed with arugula and a bright lemon dressing.
It’s cozy and fresh at the same time, which is exactly what I want when I can’t decide between comfort food and something light.
It works for a quiet weeknight or a slow weekend dinner, and it sits right alongside Baked Salmon in Foil With Asparagus and Lemon Garlic, Spiced Salmon with Mango Salsa, Pesto Fish with Tomato Bake, and Cherry Mango Salmon and Savory Cherry Quesadillas on my salmon night list.
What Makes The Butter Sauce So Good
The sauce is just the roasted grape tomatoes blended smooth with a few tablespoons of salted butter.
Roasting the tomatoes first concentrates them and makes them sweet, so the butter turns into a glossy, savory sauce without anything fussy added in.
Everything On The Shopping List
How To Make Salmon With Warm Vegetable Salad
1. Slice the red potatoes
Slice the red potatoes into thin rounds so they roast quick and get crisp at the edges.
Try to keep them about the same thickness so they cook evenly.
2. Chop the thyme
Pull the thyme leaves off the stems and give them a rough chop.
Fresh thyme is what makes the potatoes smell so good while they roast.
3. Season the potatoes and tomatoes
Add the sliced potatoes and the whole grape tomatoes to a big bowl.
Toss them with olive oil, the chopped thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until everything is coated.
4. Spread it on a sheet pan
Line a sheet pan with foil and spread the potatoes and tomatoes out in one layer.
Give them room so they roast instead of steam.
5. Roast until tender
Roast in a hot oven until the potatoes are tender and the tomatoes burst and blister.
The tomatoes get jammy and that is exactly what you want for the sauce.
6. Add the salmon and bake again
Push the potatoes aside and lay the salmon fillets right on the same pan.
Slide it back in the oven and bake until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
7. Plate the salmon and potatoes
Set the baked salmon on plates and pile the lemon potatoes right beside it.
Keep the potatoes close so they catch any extra sauce.
8. Blend the butter sauce
Scoop the roasted tomatoes into a blender or food processor with the salted butter.
Blend until it turns into a smooth, glossy orange sauce.
9. Spoon the butter sauce over
Spoon the warm tomato butter sauce over each piece of salmon.
Let it run down the sides so every bite gets some.
10. Mince the garlic and onion
Mince the garlic and thinly slice the onion for the warm salad.
These go in the pan first to build the flavor base.
11. Saute the squash and onion
Heat a little oil in a pan and add the garlic, onion, zucchini, and yellow squash.
Cook until the squash is just soft and the onion turns sweet.
12. Toss the warm salad
Add the warm squash and onion to a bowl with the baby arugula.
Pour the lemon dressing over and toss so the arugula just barely wilts.
Little Things That Help
Slice the potatoes thin so they finish roasting in the same time the tomatoes need.
Pat the salmon dry before it goes on the pan so the top bakes up nice instead of wet.
Toss the warm salad right before you serve it so the arugula stays bright and barely wilted.
Easy Swaps To Try
Cherry tomatoes work just as well as grape tomatoes for the sauce.
Swap the arugula for baby spinach or spring mix if thats what you have.
Trout or another firm fish bakes the same way if you want to change up the salmon.
What I Put On The Side
This plate is pretty full on its own with the fish, potatoes, and salad all together.
A piece of crusty bread is nice though, mostly so you can wipe up the last of that butter sauce.
IngredientsSalmon Dinner Questions
How do I know the salmon is done?
It flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque all the way through, usually after about 12 to 15 minutes in the oven.
Can I make the butter sauce ahead?
Yes, blend it and keep it warm, or gently reheat it so it stays smooth and pourable when you serve.
Do I have to use a sheet pan for the salmon?
No, but baking it with the potatoes and tomatoes keeps it all on one pan, which means less to wash.
What kind of potatoes work best?
Thin sliced red potatoes hold their shape and crisp up nicely, but baby gold potatoes work too.
Is the warm salad supposed to be hot?
It is just warm, the cooked squash gently wilts the arugula so the salad sits somewhere between hot and fresh.
Can I use unsalted butter for the sauce?
You can, just add a pinch of salt to taste so the roasted tomato flavor still pops.
Storing The Leftovers
Keep the salmon, potatoes, and salad in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Warm the salmon and potatoes gently so they dont dry out.
Store the butter sauce on its own and reheat it slow so it stays smooth.
Salmon with Butter Sauce, Lemon Potatoes and Warm Vegetable Salad
Salmon bakes on one sheet pan with lemon potatoes and grape tomatoes, the tomatoes blend into a silky salted butter sauce, and a warm zucchini arugula salad rounds out the plate.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Pescatarian
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 1 lb red potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 1 yellow squash, sliced into rounds
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups baby arugula
- 1/4 cup lemon dressing
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven and line a sheet pan with foil.
2. Toss the sliced red potatoes and grape tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, then spread on the pan.
3. Roast until the potatoes are tender and the tomatoes burst.
4. Push the vegetables aside, add the salmon fillets to the pan, and bake again until the salmon flakes easily.
5. Scoop the roasted tomatoes into a blender with the salted butter and blend until smooth.
6. Plate the salmon with the roasted lemon potatoes and spoon the tomato butter sauce over the fish.
7. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet and cook the garlic, onion, zucchini, and yellow squash until just tender.
8. Add the warm squash and onion to a bowl with the arugula, pour over the lemon dressing and lemon juice, and toss until lightly wilted.
9. Serve the warm vegetable salad alongside the salmon and potatoes.
Notes
- Slice the potatoes thin so they roast in the same time as the tomatoes.
- Blend the butter sauce while the tomatoes are still warm so it stays smooth.
- Toss the warm salad right before serving so the arugula stays bright.