Sheet pan salmon is a balanced meal of oven-baked salmon with a honey-soy marinade, cooked alongside crisp, seasoned green beans. With simple prep and a cooking time of just 15 minutes, this is an easy salmon sheet pan dinner the whole family can enjoy.
For more delicious salmon recipes, try this Easy Salmon Gravlax Recipe, Coconut Curry Salmon, and Miso Glazed Salmon Bowl.
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Sheet pan salmon is an easy weeknight dinner idea when you want something hearty, nutritious, and tasty. Oven-baked salmon and green beans are cooked until they’re perfectly tender.
The salmon fillets are dry-brined and then marinated in a delectable honey-soy sauce. That same marinade is later used as a glaze for the entire meal so prepare for a sweet, savory pairing that is bound to please even the pickiest eaters!
Why This Sheet Pan Salmon Recipe Works
- Convenient Meal – It doesn’t get easier than a one-pan meal. Oven-baked salmon and green beans mean no hovering over the stovetop and a super easy clean-up after dinner.
- Customizable – Sheet pan salmon recipes are easy to customize with various vegetables so if you don’t like green beans, swap it for another side. You can also use different marinades and seasonings for the fish.
- Healthy – Salmon and green beans is a low-carb meal that’s rich in healthy fats, protein, and omega 3’s.
What is a Sheet Pan Dinner?
A sheet pan dinner is a complete meal prepared on a sheet pan or baking sheet. It typically consists of a protein, a vegetable, and sometimes a starch. It’s a quick and easy way to enjoy a wholesome meal.
Serve it as a family meal or use it for meal prep.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients You Will Need for Sheet Pan Salmon
This recipe has three components: the salmon filets, honey-soy marinade, and green beans.
Salmon
- King salmon – King salmon, also known as Chinook salmon, has a rich flavor and a high oil content. It has a buttery flavor and a firm, succulent texture that makes it the perfect protein for this sheet pan meal recipe. Cut the salmon into steaks.
- Kosher salt – This is coarser than table salt so it provides more texture. I prefer Diamond Crystal brand. This is one of two ingredients used for the dry-brine.
- Sugar – Use this to dry brine the salmon.
Why Dry-Brine Salmon?
Dry brining salmon is a technique used to enhance the flavor, texture, and moisture content of the fish. Brining, in general, involves soaking meat or fish in a solution of salt and sugar in order to improve the taste and texture.
Another great thing about dry-brining the fish is that it leaves a little more room for error when cooking. If you happen to cook the fish a minute of two longer than you wanted to, dry-brining will still result in a flaky and moist piece of fish.
Honey-Soy Marinade
- Soy sauce – This imparts a deep umami flavor.
- Honey – This sweetens the marinade and thickens it.
- Garlic cloves – Use freshly grated garlic for the best flavor.
- Sake – This Japanese rice wine tenderizes the salmon and adds a subtle sweetness to balance the salty, savory taste of the soy.
- Avocado oil – The mild flavor doesn’t overpower the other marinade ingredients and helps the filets retain moisture.
- Freshly cracked black pepper – This is more flavorful than regular pepper.
French Green Beans
- French green beans – Trim the ends.
- Seasoning – Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Avocado oil – A drizzle of oil helps the cook evenly and without burning.
How To Make Sheet Pan Salmon
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is the salmon prep. We dry-brine and then apply a marinade. But when you’re ready to cook it, the “hard” part is done!
- Dry-brine salmon: Pat salmon filet dry, removing any excess moisture. In a small ramekin, combine kosher salt and sugar and stir to mix. Liberally coat the entire filet with salt and sugar mixture. Set aside for 20 minutes, then carefully rinse well with cold water and pat dry.
2. Marinate Salmon. Add marinade ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Pour ¼ cup of marinade into a small dish and add salmon, flesh-side down, ensuring the marinade is coated on the sides and skin as well. Reserve remaining marinade, set aside for later. Marinate salmon for 40 minutes.
3. Move oven rack to middle of the oven and preheat oven on BROIL. Toss greens in oil and season with salt and black pepper then spread on a baking sheet. It’s okay if some of the green beans overlap. Lightly season the flesh of salmon then transfer to the baking dish along. Pour the marinade used for the fish over green beans. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pan at the halfway mark.
Once the timer goes off, baste the salmon with the marinade that was set aside and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked through (internal temp should be 145°F).
4. Remove from the oven and leave salmon to rest for 4 minutes, covered. Serve with rice and toasted sesame seeds (optional) and be sure to pour sauce from the sheet pan over the rice. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks for the Best Sheet Pan Salmon
- Remember to pat dry the salmon before dry-brining it. Removing excess moisture makes it less likely that the fish will become soggy.
- For even easier cleanup, line the sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Variations
- Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies – broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, zucchini
- Sheet Pan Salmon with Potatoes – Add carbs for a heartier meal. I recommend parboiling the potatoes so they cook at the same speed as the salmon and asparagus.
- Seasoning – You can use any marinade you like or none at all. Switch up the seasoning with ingredients like fresh parsley, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and lemon juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the temperature of cooked salmon?
Cooked salmon has an internal temperature of 145°F. Check the thickest point of the filet with a meat thermometer. Otherwise, it’s cooked when it’s no longer translucent but instead an opaque pink.
What temperature should I cook salmon?
Salmon is usually baked between 375°F and 400°F. It’s best to cook salmon at a higher temperature so it cooks faster and the skin gets crispy.
How long does it take to bake salmon in the oven?
The cooking time for oven-baked salmon depends on the thickness of the salmon fillet or steak and the temperature at which you’re baking it. As a general rule of thumb, it takes about 12-15 minutes to cook salmon at 400°F.
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Sheet Pan Salmon
Equipment
- ½-baking sheet,
- Microplane Grater
- Basting brush
Ingredients
Salmon
- 1¼ pounds king salmon, cut into steaks
- ⅓ cup kosher salt, Diamon Crystald
- ⅓ cup sugar
Honey-Soy Marinade
- 2½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoons honey
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons sake
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
French Green Beans
- ½ pound french green beans, ends trimmed
- kosher salt, season to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, season to taste
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Dry-brine salmon: Pat salmon filet dry, removing any excess moisture. In a small ramekin, combine kosher salt and sugar and stir to mix. Liberally coat the entire filet with salt and sugar mixture. Set aside for 20 minutes, then carefully rinse well with cold water and pat dry.
- Marinate Salmon. Add marinade ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Pour ¼ cup of marinade into a small dish and add salmon, flesh-side down, ensuring the marinade is coated on the sides and skin as well. Reserve remaining marinade, set aside for later. Marinate salmon for 40 minutes.
- Move oven rack to middle of the oven and preheat oven on BROIL. Toss greens in oil and season with salt and black pepper then spread on a baking sheet. It's okay if some of the green beans overlap. Lightly season the felsh of salmon then transfer to the baking dish along.Pour the marinade used for the fish over green beans. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pan at the halfway mark. Once the timer goes off, baste the salmon with the marinade that was set aside and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cooked through (internal temp should be 145°F).
- Remove from the oven and leave salmon to rest for 4 minutes, covered. Serve with rice and toasted sesame seeds (optional) and be sure to pour sauce from the sheet pan over the rice. Enjoy!
