🐟 Sheet-Pan Salmon & Broccoli

Name: Sheet-Pan Salmon & Broccoli
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 salmon fillets; 1 head broccoli; 1 lemon; 3 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp olive oil; Salt & pepper

25 min
Serves 2
easy
dinner
seafood
quick
healthy
gluten-free

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Ingredients

2 salmon fillets
1 head broccoli
1 lemon
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil (pantry staple)
Salt & pepper (pantry staple)

Instructions

Heat oven to 425°F. Toss broccoli florets with oil, garlic, salt on a sheet pan; roast 8 min.
Push broccoli aside, add salmon fillets, brush with oil and lemon zest.
Roast 10–12 min more until salmon flakes. Finish with lemon juice.

Tips

The broccoli gets an 8-minute head start for a reason. Salmon is done in 10–12 minutes and broccoli isn't — putting them in together gives you either raw broccoli or overcooked fish.
Pat the salmon completely dry before it goes on the pan. Surface moisture steams the fish and stops the top browning.
Pull the salmon at 125–130°F for medium. It keeps cooking off the heat, and the gap between silky and chalky is about two minutes.

Substitutions

Salmon: Trout, arctic char or steelhead cook in the same time. Cod and haddock are leaner and flake sooner — check at 8 minutes.
Broccoli: Broccolini (2 minutes less), cauliflower, or green beans. Anything that roasts in 20 minutes; softer vegetables like courgette should go in with the fish.
Lemon: Lime, or a splash of white wine vinegar at the end. Acid at the finish is what stops the dish tasting flat.

Storage & reheating

Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Salmon is genuinely good cold — flake it into salads or grain bowls rather than reheating, which pushes it past done. If you do reheat, 275°F for 10 minutes, covered.

Common questions

How do I know when salmon is done?

It flakes when you press the thickest part and turns from translucent to opaque. A thermometer is more reliable: 125–130°F for medium, 145°F if you prefer it fully firm.

Skin on or off?

Skin on, skin-side down. It protects the fillet from the hot pan and crisps up, and it lifts away easily afterwards if you don't want it.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes — thaw overnight in the fridge and pat it very dry, as frozen fish releases more water. Cooking from frozen works but adds about 5 minutes and won't brown.