Weight Loss-Friendly Baked Salmon with Asparagus
Salmon fillets and trimmed asparagus roast together on one tray with olive oil, garlic, and lemon. An easy sheet-pan dinner.
Baking the salmon and asparagus on the same tray means less cleanup and a dinner that's ready in under half an hour — asparagus on one side gets a drizzle of olive oil and garlic, salmon on the other gets brushed with oil, lemon juice, and paprika. Snapping off the woody ends of the asparagus before roasting keeps every bite tender.
Salmon brings a good amount of protein and healthy fats to the plate, and pairing it with a low-calorie vegetable like asparagus keeps the whole meal aligned with a weight-loss-friendly approach without leaving you hungry afterward. Fifteen to eighteen minutes in the oven is usually enough for the salmon to flake easily.
Garnish with lemon slices and serve straight off the tray.
Ingredients
- 2 fillets salmon — skin-on, about 6 oz each
- 1 bunch asparagus — trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil — extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 2 cloves garlic — minced
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika — optional
- 2 slices lemon — for garnish
Instructions
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2Arrange asparagus on one side of the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- 3Place salmon fillets on the other side. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- 4Bake for 15–18 minutes, until salmon is flaky and asparagus is tender-crisp.
- 5Garnish salmon with lemon slices before serving.