Easy Sheet Pan Pesto Salmon With Potatoes And Broccoli

Are you a sheet pan person? Yay or nay. We’re making sheet pan salmon today and I’m freaking pumped to tell you about it. Easy cleanup, healthy to boot, and SUPER TASTY! Believe me when I say my life changed when I got this extra large sheet pan. Suddenly I could roast everything on ONE surface and it was nothing short of sublime. So now I have to do my due diligence and take you straight to flavor town with meals you can make on one magical little (but actually big) sheet pan. Remember this Sheet Pan Mexican Veggie Dinner? What a beaut. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried my Lemon Cajun Shrimp, Potatoes and Vegetables. Seriously fabulous stuff.

We’ve been here before! How I don’t have more salmon recipes on this blog is beyond me. We eat salmon almost every week, and I grew up doing the same! My dad grills a mean salmon. Pesto + salmon is a match made in heaven. So much buttery bright herbaceousness (spelling?) going on, I almost can’t handle. But for you, I’m gonna handle. Let’s do this!

Key ingredients and tips

Salmon: Wild salmon filets for the win! I always go for frozen as it’s more affordable than fresh. You’ll need four salmon filets, about 4-6oz each. Thinner pieces will quick more quickly and thicker pieces will take a bit longer. Pesto: You can use store bought pesto or use my fave recipe for dairy-free pesto! Easy peasy flavor. Potatoes: I love baby gold potatoes here but you can use russet, red, or even sweet potatoes. Broccoli: Veg, taters, and salmon–gang’s all here! Broccoli is my jam but cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, or zucchini would also be a swell stand-in. Olive oil: For crispy perfection and mega flavor. You could also use avocado or coconut oil. Spices: We’re keeping it simple with kosher salt, garlic, and pepper since the pesto has so much flavor. Feel free to add oregano, smoked paprika, or whatever floats your boat!

The best salmon to buy

Ahhhh, this question! I get it a lot. I go for wild Alaskan salmon as my number one choice, which of course is frozen when I find it here in Ohio. “Fresh” fish here is typically thawed from frozen unless they’re flying it in. Atlantic salmon is what we most often see, and that means that the fish is farmed farmed, higher in pollutants, and lower in those good omega-3 fatty acids we love. If you have access and the budget for it, wild-caught salmon is a wonderful choice as it’s healthier and more environmentally sound. You’ll see coho, chinook, king, and sockeye (which is more red). You can always ask the fishmonger at your store for more info, as there are many sustainably farmed choices nowadays that are fab! Verlasso is a great example. You can buy one big salmon filet that you cut yourself or buy individually portioned/sliced ones. Wild canned salmon is far more affordable, but save that for my Salmon Corn Chowder or Salmon Burgers!