Baked Salmon Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil a shallow baking dish.

Season salmon

Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with 2 tbs olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Spread minced garlic over fillets and sprinkle chopped dill (or parsley). Slice the lemon and place a few thin slices on top of each fillet; reserve the other half for serving.

Bake

Place salmon skin-side down on the prepared sheet or dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes for 6-8 oz fillets, or until internal temperature reaches 125-130°F (52-54°C) for medium-rare to medium and the flesh flakes easily with a fork. Thicker fillets may need up to 17 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 3 minutes.

Finish

Squeeze the reserved lemon half over the salmon before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Sauté aromatics and mushrooms

While oven preheats (or concurrently), heat 1 tbs olive oil or butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook 5-6 minutes until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown. Stir in the 1 tsp minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Toast rice

Add 1 cup rice to the pan and stir for 1-2 minutes so the rice gets coated and slightly toasted; this helps keep grains separate.

Simmer rice

Pour in 2 cups water or broth, add 1 tsp tamari, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and fresh thyme or rosemary if using. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer 15-18 minutes (check rice package for exact time) until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let sit covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Cook broccoli

While salmon bakes and rice simmers, toss broccoli florets with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Options: (a) Roast: spread on a baking sheet and roast in the 400°F oven for 12-15 minutes until crisp-tender and slightly charred; or (b) Steam: steam 5-7 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp; or (c) Sauté: cook in a skillet over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes until tender. Choose the method that fits your timing with the salmon.

Finish broccoli

If desired, squeeze a little lemon over the broccoli before serving and adjust seasoning to taste.