Foil Baked Salmon with Asparagus

These salmon foil packets with asparagus can be baked in the oven or heated on the grill and can include almost any sort of seasonal vegetables, making them an ideal option year around. They seriously couldn't be easier and pair great with these Grilled Red Potatoes or Garlic Grilled Broccoli.

Sometimes simple meals really are the best and this foil baked salmon recipe really couldn’t get any easier. Everything is baked (or grilled) together in one neat little packet that you can throw together in about 10 minutes. It also is perfect for customizing for picky eaters since you can easily swap different vegetables, herbs, and even fish to please every palate in your home.

Consider adding some tomatoes, red onions, zucchini, olives, and oregano to your salmon foil packets for a more Mediterranean spin or limes, poblano peppers, summer squash, and chili powder for a Southwestern twist. You can also sprinkle the salmon with some store-bought Cajun seasoning or your own special Creole spice blend to add some heat and spice to the dish. Finally, the basic salmon and asparagus combination creates the ideal canvas for any number of additional herbs, spice combinations, or side dishes. For instance, if you don’t have any dill on hand, just add a couple of tablespoons of minced garlic instead. 

Sides for Foil Baked Salmon

You can serve the simply seasoned salmon with potatoes, sweet potatoes, carb-conscious cauliflower rice, and so much more. Honestly, this foil baked salmon will go with just about anything. We normally like to serve it with grilled potatoes and a big salad like this Healthy Kale Caesar.

How to Foil Bake Salmon

Cooking salmon in foil is really as easy as the recipe makes it sound. For one, foil baked salmon cooks evenly since each serving basically in its own little oven. But if you find you like your fish more or less done, just adjust the cooking time to suit your tastes. The foil packets also keep the salmon from drying out, especially since the asparagus or any other vegetables you add will release added moisture as they cook. With that in mind, you should make sure you place the packets on a baking sheet to keep any escaped juices contained if you are cooking them in the oven.

The foil baked salmon also cooks up fine without any vegetables at all if you want to plan ahead for lunches or salmon-topped salads later in the week. The small amount of butter, oil, or ghee in each salmon foil packet will add flavor while preventing the fish from sticking. Whether you include veggies or not, don’t forget to coat each piece of foil with a light layer of cooking spray first to ensure every delicious morsel of the meal comes out cleanly.

What is Coho Salmon?

You may not be familiar with this fish because it is sometimes called silver salmon or, like other species of wild salmon, may simply be lumped under the general label of wild versus farmed fish. No matter what the salmon’s species, there are many reasons to go wild when it comes to salmon, including the fact wild salmon has fewer calories and about half the fat of the same serving size of farm-raised fish.

Plus, certain pollutants that have been linked to health issues such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and stroke are more prevalent in farmed salmon. For example, according to information from Cleveland Clinic, polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, exist in levels anywhere from five to 10 times higher in farmed fish than wild salmon. Coho salmon and other species of wild salmon are also low in mercury contamination and high in good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids, making them a great heart-healthy protein choice that you can eat often without worrying about adverse effects from contaminants.

While any wild salmon would be great for this recipe, consider coho salmon specifically. Its delicate flavor won’t overpower your seasonings and sides and won’t turn off finicky folks who don’t like more strongly flavored fish. Its fairly firm texture also makes it great for grilling, although another advantage of cooking salmon in foil is that you never have to worry about the fish falling through the grill grates.

Coho salmon is available fresh from about mid-June through late October and can be found frozen year around. So, if you don’t see the specific species at your supermarket, consider asking someone at the seafood counter whether the wild salmon is coho. Or, if you’ve got a variety of wild salmon species to choose from, why not try different types to see which fish your family favors? No matter which you use, this easy recipe is bound to be delicious.

Looking to learn more about salmon? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Salmon with recipes and everything you need to know about using salmon and all its health benefits.