This low-carb and keto-friendly sheet pan dinner features a whole filet of salmon drizzled with melted garlic butter, then roasted in the oven with zucchini and summer squash. It’s packed with simple flavor that lets the ingredients shine. The salmon cooks perfectly every time. It’s ultra-moist and flakes apart perfectly. Zucchini and summer squash are quick-cooking vegetables, so everything cooks for only 20 minutes all at once with only 5 MINUTES of ridiculously easy prep! This post explains how EASY it is to make this sheet pan salmon, how to make sure the salmon stays moist, how to make sure the salmon and veggies are browned but not overcooked, and provides suggestions for other vegetables to use in this recipe.
How to make Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies
I can’t get over how easy it is to prep and cook this meal. You’re going to LOVE how simple this recipe is! First, melt four tablespoons of butter, and place two tablespoons of it on the bottom of a sheet pan. Then, add some cut up zucchini and summer squash to the sheet pan and toss to coat with the butter. Move it to the perimeter of the sheet pan to make room for the salmon. Place the whole filet of salmon skin-side down right in the center. If you want, you can cut it up into smaller pieces, or have the fishmonger do it when you buy it at the store to save you some time. Sprinkle some kosher salt and black pepper all over the fish and the veggies. Be generous- you want everything well seasoned.
Finally, mix the remaining two tablespoons of melted butter with a minced clove of garlic, the juice from one lemon, and some chopped fresh parsley. Drizzle the melted garlic lemon butter mixture on top of the salmon, making sure its evenly coated. You can use your hands or a brush for this. Then, throw it in the oven! You’re done! Told you this was easy.
How to make sure you get SUPER MOIST baked salmon
The biggest key to making sure your salmon is perfectly cooked and moist is to not overcook it. But there are some other factors as well that I’ve discovered after cooking salmon countless times in my kitchen. First, leave the skin on. The skin has a lot of fat in it which helps keep all those yummy, healthy, fatty juices in the salmon as it cooks. You can eat the skin if you want. But for this recipe, I don’t eat it- I prefer crispy salmon skin from pan-searing when I eat it. The second tip I have is more controversial: I recommend farm-raised salmon, NOT wild-caught. It’s fattier, which makes it easier to keep moist and not overcook than wild-caught. And it’s cheaper. And it’s important to note it’s still a very healthy choice. That said, you do you! If you want to use wild-caught salmon, keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t overcook. You may want to try decreasing the overall cooking time by 5 minutes.
How to brown the salmon and veggies without overcooking them
This part is easy. The key to getting perfectly cooked salmon and veggies without risking overcooking the fish is to bake first, then broil. Adjust your oven rack to be close to the top of the oven. Bake the salmon and veggies at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. THEN, turn on your broiler and cook the salmon and veggies for another 5 minutes. This will ensure even cooking throughout with a bit of browned color on top. Keep a close eye on it. All broilers are not created equal- some are much hotter than others. You may only need 2-3 minutes to get some good color, not all five. That said, you can just bake this without broiling! It will be just as good and you won’t have to worry about switching the oven and keeping a close eye on it.
Can I use other veggies?
Yes! I used zucchini and summer squash because I happened to have some ready to go in my garden. But I recommend only using veggies that cook QUICKLY. Asparagus, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced carrots, small broccoli or cauliflower florets, green beans, or a mix all pair very well with salmon and will require about 20 minutes of roasting time. Other vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, thick carrots, etc. require longer roasting time. This means you’ll have to cook them for a while before adding the salmon. And the name of the game here is quick and easy- so make sure you choose your veggies wisely! Here’s a GREAT resource on how long different vegetables take to roast.
Check out these other easy sheet pan dinners:
Chicken and Fall Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner Roast Chicken and Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner Rosemary and Garlic Roast Chicken Breasts and Potatoes
Other super FAST Salmon Recipes:
15-Minute Perfect Poached Salmon with Chive Butter Orange Glazed Salmon Oven BBQ Salmon Salmon, Arugula, and Feta Frittata One-Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Swiss Chard Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema Seared Salmon with Scallion Butter Seared Salmon with Avocado, Lemon, and Garlic Aioli Garlic Poached Salmon with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce
Seafood is one of my favorite things to make when I’m in a hurry. Check out all my Seafood Recipes! Did you make this Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies? Please comment below and Rate this Recipe!
