One Pan Roasted Salmon, Sweet Potatoes, and Asparagus

One pan Roasted Lemon Dijon Salmon with sweet potatoes and asparagus is all cooked on one sheet pan in less than twenty minutes. There is really nothing better. And if you love sheet pan dinner as much as me, try these One Pan Chicken Fajitas and Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan.

I am going full steam ahead with this one pan dinner craze. I mean what's not to love about a meal that has virtually no clean up? Seriously, this whole meal is cooked on a foil lined baking sheet, so the clean up is minimal. Plus it's good for you and taste amazing -- crispy sweet potato chips, roasted asparagus, and lemon dijon salmon -- yum.

The key to making sure this baked salmon dish turns out perfectly is to slice the potatoes nice and thin using a sharp knife or mandolin. Also be sure to cut each slice as close to the same thickness as possible. (If you aren’t sure how thick your slices should be, check out the video below.) Since potatoes normally take a long time to cook, slicing them thinly and evenly cuts the cooking time down substantially. And who doesn't love a good oven chip?

If you find that your potatoes aren't cooking quickly enough, I recommend removing the fish from the baking sheet just before it is ready and tenting it with some foil while the potatoes finish cooking. The lemon dijon salmon will finish cooking under the foil and, that way, nothing will be overcooked. This shouldn't be necessary if the potatoes are nice and thin, but it's a good back up just in case.

Customizing this Roasted Lemon Dijon Salmon Recipe

You can substitute any number of vegetables for the sweet potatoes or asparagus in this roasted salmon recipe. Baby red potatoes with green beans or zucchini with tomatoes are both classic combinations that would pair perfectly with the lemon dijon salmon. You can also decide to use whatever you happen to have at home or in your garden. I have made this with green beans, sugar snap peas, butternut squash, cabbage, bok choy, and tons of other veggies. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time if needed. You can always put the veggies in early to make sure you don't end up overcooking the salmon.

The seasonings, spices, and herbs in this roasted salmon recipe aren’t set in stone either. If you don’t like dill or don’t have any on hand, feel free to experiment with other herbs or just go with the garlic and oregano alone. Get creative and customize this dish with your family’s favorite flavors. You can even add a little honey to the salmon sauce if your taste buds crave a contrast in the spicy, mustard-based sauce.

Are sweet potatoes good for you?

Sweet potatoes tend to get a bad reputation when they are in fact packed with good for you nutrients and vitamins. Sweet potatoes are a good source of iron, calcium, and selenium as well as of most B vitamins and vitamin C. They’re also high in fiber and an antioxidant called beta-carotene. They are a great side dish or base for a main course and will keep you full for a long time.

Do I have to use Dijon mustard?

Dijon mustard takes its name from its hometown of Dijon, France, but is now produced in many parts of the world. What really distinguishes dijon mustard from the bright yellow, squeezable sauce found at many family picnics is that yellow mustard is made with vinegar and dijon mustard typically mixes mustard seeds with white wine or another liquid that’s less acidic than vinegar. Yellow mustard also begins with a base of more-mild yellow mustard seed while Dijon mustard is made with brown mustard seed, black mustard seed, or a mix of both.

As a result, the flavor of Dijon mustard is sharper, stronger, and spicier than the typical yellow mustard, so substituting one for the other will significantly change the flavor of this baked salmon recipe. So if you want to experiment with different mustards, you might try whole grain mustard which, like dijon, starts with darker, spicer seeds and usually uses wine as its other main ingredient. Just keep in mind your salmon sauce will have some extra texture thanks to the whole mustard seeds.

Who knows? With the extra time this one-pan recipe frees up, you might even be inspired to make your own mustard. And, if not, rest assured that the store-bought stuff will still produce a delicious dinner.