Are you searching for a new weeknight dinner that is incredibly fast, ridiculously easy to clean up, packed with vibrant, fresh flavor, and super healthy? This amazing, from-scratch Sheet-Pan Salmon with a colorful Potato and Pepper Hash is that perfect meal. It’s a complete, restaurant-quality dinner that comes together almost entirely on a single pan, making it a true hero for busy nights.
This isn’t just another sheet pan recipe; it’s a guide to a perfectly cooked, flaky salmon and crispy roasted potatoes, every single time. The secret lies in a few simple but brilliant techniques, like preheating your baking sheet and creating a cool, tangy, and unbelievably delicious yogurt sauce to bring it all together. This is a wholesome, satisfying, and sophisticated meal that you will want to make again and again.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Healthy One-Pan Dinner
What makes this Sheet-Pan Salmon so spectacularly delicious is its wonderful combination of textures and its bright, savory flavor profile. The entire meal is built on one sheet pan. We start by roasting a hearty and colorful hash of red-skinned potatoes, bell peppers, and onion until they are tender and caramelized. Then, we add the salmon fillets, seasoned with the iconic flavor of Old Bay, to the same pan to roast to flaky perfection. The entire dish is brought together with a cool, creamy, and intensely tangy homemade yogurt sauce, loaded with briny capers and crunchy cornichons.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Vibrant Meal
This recipe uses a handful of fresh, high-impact ingredients to create its signature fresh and savory flavor.
- The Salmon: The healthy and delicious star of the show.
- What to Buy: The recipe recommends wild salmon, which is a fantastic choice for its firm texture and rich flavor. Look for four 6-ounce fillets that are vibrant and moist, without any brown spots. High-quality salmon is key to this simple dish.
- Old Bay Seasoning: This is the iconic, non-negotiable seasoning for the salmon. This legendary Maryland-born spice blend, with its unique mix of celery salt, paprika, and other spices, is the classic and perfect pairing for any seafood.
- The Potato Hash:
- Red-Skinned Potatoes: These are the perfect choice for roasting. Their thin, tender skin means there is no peeling required, and their waxy texture helps them to hold their shape beautifully and develop wonderfully crispy, golden-brown edges.
- The Tangy Yogurt Sauce: This is a healthy, modern, and incredibly flavorful take on a classic tartar sauce.
- Whole-Milk Yogurt: Using a thick, whole-milk yogurt or, even better, a plain Greek yogurt, will create a wonderfully rich and creamy sauce base.
- The Tangy Trio (Capers, Cornichons & Lemon): This is the secret to the sauce’s incredible, vibrant flavor. Briny, salty capers, tangy, vinegary, and crunchy cornichons (tiny French pickles), and bright, fresh lemon zest and juice create a flavor that is absolutely electric and the perfect counterpoint to the rich salmon.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Sheet-Pan Salmon Dinner
This delicious meal comes together in just a few simple stages.
Step 1: Roast the Potato and Pepper Hash
Step 1: First, place a large, rimmed baking sheet in the upper third of your oven and preheat the oven to a very hot 450°F (232°C).
Pro Tip: Preheating your baking sheet is a crucial professional trick! It gives the potatoes an initial blast of high heat, just like a hot skillet, which is the secret to helping them brown and get wonderfully crispy edges.
Step 2: In a large bowl, toss the 1 pound of sliced red-skinned potatoes, the 2 chopped bell peppers, and the 1 sliced small onion with 3 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
Step 3: Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Spread the prepared vegetables on the hot pan in a single, even layer.
Step 4: Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the vegetables about halfway through, until the potatoes are tender and have beautiful, browned spots.
Part 2: Make the Tangy Yogurt Sauce and Season the Salmon
While the vegetables are roasting, you can prepare your sauce and the salmon.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, make the yogurt sauce. Combine the 3/4 cup of whole-milk yogurt with the 2 tablespoons of chopped capers, the 4 chopped cornichons, half of your chopped fresh parsley, the 1/2 teaspoon of grated lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and a pinch of Old Bay seasoning. Stir everything together and season the sauce with salt and pepper to your taste.
Step 2: In a separate small bowl, coat your 4 salmon fillets with the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the remaining 3 teaspoons of lemon juice, and the 1 1/2 teaspoons of Old Bay. Season the salmon with a little more salt.
Part 3: Finish the Sheet Pan and Serve
Step 1: After the potatoes have roasted, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Stir the potato mixture and make four open spaces on the pan for your salmon fillets.
Step 2: Add the seasoned salmon fillets to the pan.
Step 3: Return the pan to the oven and roast until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is cooked all the way through. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
Pro Tip: The only 100% foolproof way to guarantee perfectly cooked, not dry, salmon is to use an instant-read thermometer. Salmon is perfectly cooked when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the fillet registers 145°F (63°C).
To serve, divide the salmon and the potato hash among your plates. Top each piece of salmon with a generous dollop of the tangy yogurt sauce and a sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley.
The Best Healthy & Easy Sheet-Pan Salmon with Potatoes
A complete and healthy one-pan meal, this recipe features seasoned salmon fillets roasted on a sheet pan with a colorful potato and pepper hash. The hash, made with sliced red-skinned potatoes, bell peppers, and onions, is roasted first until tender. Salmon fillets, seasoned with Old Bay, are then added to the same pan to cook through. The dish is served with a cool and tangy yogurt sauce flavored with capers, cornichons, lemon, and fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, sliced
- 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green), chopped
- 1 small onion, halved and sliced
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons drained jarred capers
- 4 cornichons
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 3/4 cup whole-milk yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, plus a pinch
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (preferably wild)
Instructions
- Place a baking sheet in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, bell peppers, and onion with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
- Carefully spread the vegetable mixture on the hot pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are tender and browned in spots.
- Make the Yogurt Sauce: While the vegetables roast, roughly chop the capers, cornichons, and parsley. In a bowl, combine the yogurt with the capers, cornichons, and half of the parsley. Stir in the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of Old Bay. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the Salmon: Coat the salmon fillets with the remaining 1 teaspoon each of olive oil and lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Old Bay. Season with salt.
- Stir the potato mixture on the baking sheet and make space for the salmon fillets. Add the salmon to the pan.
- Roast for 7 to 10 more minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Divide the salmon and potato hash among plates. Top with the yogurt sauce and sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley.
Notes
- Preheating the baking sheet before adding the vegetables is a key technique that helps them to brown and crisp up.
- The salmon is added to the pan partway through the vegetable roasting time to ensure everything is perfectly cooked at the same time.
- The cool, tangy yogurt sauce provides a refreshing contrast to the warm, roasted salmon and vegetables.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive meal, you can get a head start by preparing all your components in advance. The yogurt sauce can be made completely up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also chop all your vegetables for the hash and store them in the fridge.
- Storage: Store any leftover salmon and the hash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the yogurt sauce separately.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Use a Different Fish or Protein: This same fantastic sheet pan method is also absolutely delicious with other firm fish fillets, like cod, halibut, or even swordfish. You could also use large shrimp or boneless, skinless chicken breasts (just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly).
- Use a Different Fall Vegetable: If you’re not a fan of potatoes or peppers, you could easily substitute them with an equal amount of cubed sweet potatoes or butternut squash, or other quick-roasting vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, or cherry tomatoes (just be sure to add these to the pan at the same time as the salmon).
- Add a Different Herb to the Sauce: If you don’t have parsley, this bright and tangy yogurt sauce is also incredible with about 2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped dill or chives.
Enjoy Your New Favorite Healthy One-Pan Meal!
You’ve just created a truly special skillet dinner that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, fresh, and delicious flavors. This Sheet-Pan Salmon with Potato Hash is a testament to the power of a simple, one-pan meal to be both incredibly fast and incredibly elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new staple in your weeknight dinner rotation.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves a good, easy, and healthy meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute secret to getting crispy roasted potatoes on a sheet pan?
This recipe uses a brilliant professional trick: preheating your baking sheet! By placing your empty baking sheet in the oven while it preheats to a high temperature, you are essentially turning it into a flat griddle. When you spread your seasoned potatoes on this screaming hot surface, they will begin to sizzle and sear immediately, which is the key to developing beautiful, crispy, golden-brown edges.
Q2: What are cornichons, and is there a good substitute?
Cornichons are very small, tart French pickles that are made from gherkin cucumbers. They have a wonderful, bright, tangy, and crunchy texture. If you cannot find them, you can substitute them with an equal amount of finely chopped dill pickles.
Q3: Can I make the yogurt sauce ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! The tangy yogurt sauce is a perfect make-ahead component. You can prepare it completely and store it in an airtight container or a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will actually have even more time to meld and will be even more delicious!
Q4: How do I know for sure when my salmon is cooked through without a thermometer?
A great visual cue for perfectly cooked salmon is to gently press on the thickest part of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the fish is cooked, the flesh will begin to separate easily into large flakes. It should also be a uniform, opaque pink color all the way through.
Q5: Can I use a different kind of potato?
Of course! While the red-skinned potatoes are great because you don’t have to peel them, this recipe would also be delicious with an equal amount of cubed Yukon Gold potatoes or even sweet potatoes.