Baked Salmon with Salsa Verde (Printable version)

Tender salmon fillets baked and topped with a bright, herb-packed salsa verde for a flavorful meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on or skinless
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Salsa Verde

05 - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
06 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
08 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
09 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
12 - 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper.
03 - Bake the salmon for 14 to 16 minutes, or until just cooked through and flaky.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine parsley, basil, capers, anchovies if using, garlic, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar or lemon juice. Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Remove salmon from the oven and transfer to plates. Spoon salsa verde generously over each fillet. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The salsa verde is so vibrant and fresh that it makes the salmon taste like it came from the best restaurant, but it takes just minutes to throw together.
  • Everything happens in one sheet pan plus one bowl, so cleanup feels almost unfair for how impressive the result looks.
02 -
  • Don't skip the slow whisking when adding the olive oil to the salsa—it emulsifies and becomes creamy instead of greasy and separated, which is the difference between good and magic.
  • The salmon will continue cooking a tiny bit after you pull it from the oven, so err on the side of slightly underdone rather than waiting for it to look fully opaque in the pan.
03 -
  • Buy salmon from a fishmonger you trust if you can; they'll tell you which fillets are freshest and exactly how thick they are, which helps you time the cooking perfectly.
  • If your salsa verde looks too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the consistency you like—this is especially true if you made it hours ahead.

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