Roasted Salmon With Asparagus, Lemon and Brown Butter

By Kay Chun

Published April 14, 2021

Roasted Salmon With Asparagus, Lemon and Brown Butter
Beatriz Da Costa for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(1,492)
Comments
Read comments

Ready in just 15 minutes, this fast dinner combines silky salmon with a vibrant green medley of asparagus and peas. While the fish roasts, the vegetables and sauce come together in one pan on the stovetop. Thinly slicing the asparagus is the trick to maintaining a crisp texture that complements the tender salmon, while bright lemon juice and zingy capers balance the nutty brown butter sauce. Parsley is used here to finish, but dill or tarragon would also be lovely. Leftover vegetables make a fantastic omelet filling the next day.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4(6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1pound asparagus, tough stems trimmed, stalks sliced ¼-inch-thick on a slight bias (leave tips whole)
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
  • 2tablespoons drained capers
  • ½cup thawed frozen peas
  • ¼cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

557 calories; 41 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 39 grams protein; 780 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 450 degrees. Rub salmon all over with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange skin side-down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until medium, 8 to 10 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    While the salmon roasts, prepare the asparagus: In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a plate.

  3. Step 3

    Reduce heat to medium and add butter to skillet. Cook, stirring, until foam subsides and butter is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. (Be careful not to burn). Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice, capers, peas, parsley and cooked asparagus. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Divide vegetables among plates. Top with salmon and spoon over any remaining pan sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,492 user ratings
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Comments

Barbara

I cook asparagus with a teaspoonful of water in the microwave on high for one minute and it is tender-crisp every time. The butter sauce, if desired, could be added afterward.

Martha

Roasted the asparagus along with the salmon. Added butter to the drippings the the rest after the butter browned for the sauce. Easy and repeat worthy for a week night dinner.

Anita

We found this greasy with the amount of butter called for. Next time I’ll skip the butter and after sautéing the asparagus I’ll make a pan sauce with stock or wine plus the lemon juice and capers, which were delicious over the asparagus. And more sauce would be welcome over the bland salmon.

Rivka

Followed the recipe as written. It was delicious, love the asparagus, pea and caper combo, excellent flavors. Served it with rice pilaf and a green salad with avocado and oranges for dinner guests. The meal was a hit.

Sally

Yes, cooking the asparagus in the microwave makes the recipe quicker and easier.

Sandia

This is a family favorite. If you use wild salmon, keep your roasting time shorter and watch it carefully. The combination of asparagus, butter, lemon, peas, capers, and herbs is lick-the-plate-clean good. Do adjust amount of butter and oil as well as cooking time for asparagus to your taste. My family finds 3-4 T. of browned high-quality butter works perfectly and pairs really nicely with steamed rice.

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