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This One-Pan Dill Pistachio Salmon with Zucchini, Fennel and Leeks is the perfect solution to all of our busy weeknight needs! Nutritious and full of flavor…it’s just one of many easy salmon recipes that make dinner simple and satisfying.
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Thank you to Robin at CaliGirlCooking for this wonderful and easy sheet pan salmon recipe!! A passionate foodie, Robin loves creating (mostly) balanced recipes while still allowing plenty of room for life’s little indulgences. She believe that with a focus on whole, minimally processed foods, there’s no need for severe diets or restrictions.
With the holidays fast approaching, we’re all in need of quick, easy dinners to get us through the week. I don’t know about you, but for me, half the trouble of cooking is all of the dirty dishes that come along with it. I could be busy making delicious food in the kitchen all day if I didn’t have to worry about the clean-up! One-pan dishes like this are the perfect solution to the dirty dish dilemma.
Salmon is an incredible source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, perfect for these times of year when we’re indulging in cookies, candies and pies more often than usual and are seeking a little bit of balance in our lives. It provides sustained energy for those marathon shopping sprees and lots of vitamins and minerals to keep us healthy in the colder weather.
Salmon is a natural pairing for dill, and gets along wonderfully with some of the season’s hottest produce, such as zucchini, fennel and leeks. Once these vegetables are roasted (requiring minimal seasoning and “dressing up”) they take on an almost umami-like flavor that perfectly complements the herby acidity of the dill and pistachio coated salmon.
The dill and pistachio coating deserves a special mention all on its own. It most closely remembers a gremolata, which is typically comprised of lemon zest, garlic and parsley. For this version, we use dill, lemon juice, pistachios, fresh garlic and olive oil. Although it tastes a bit zesty on its own, this sauce provides the perfect contrast once it’s slathered on the salmon and paired with the roasted vegetables. The gremolata can easily be made in a high-powered blender or food processor, or you can go the old-fashioned way and use a mortar and pestle. It’s also important to note that, although I used fresh dill in this recipe, dried dill would also work just fine (I’ve provided substitution amounts in the recipe.)
Aside from the fantastic flavor and minimal clean-up, this One-Pan Dill Pistachio Salmon with Zucchini, Fennel and Leeks is also incredibly easy to prapare. From start to finish, this dish takes just about 30 minutes, with over half of that time spent in the oven.
Because salmon takes next to no time to cook, you’ll want to give the vegetables about a 10 minute head start in the oven. This is a great time to whip up the dill-pistachio gremolata and get it slathered on your salmon filets. Once the vegetables are well on their way to softening and a light caramelization, simply add the salmon filets on top and return to the oven. Less than 15 minutes later, you’ll have a healthy, well-balanced and, most importantly, delicious meal ready to be devoured by all of your nearest and dearest.
One Pan Dill Pistachio Salmon with Veggies
Ingredients
- For the vegetables:
- 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- For the gremolata:
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup fresh dill, or 3 tablespoons dried dill
- ¼ cup pistachio nutmeats
- Juice of ½ of a lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Other ingredients:
- 16 ounces salmon fillets, cut into four even pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine the leeks, fennel, zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour out onto a large sheet pan and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Using a high-powered blender or food processor, make the gremolata. Combine all of the gremolata ingredients and pulse until a chunky paste forms. Spread the gremolata evenly over each salmon filet.
- Keeping the oven at 450 degrees, remove the vegetables and place the salmon filets on top. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 12-15 minutes (until the salmon appears to be cooked through.)
- Remove pan from oven and serve immediately.
