Recipes › Seafood › Italian Baked Salmon Fillet Recipe

Italian Baked Salmon Fillet Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This Italian baked salmon fillet features fresh herb-crusted salmon with roasted vegetables, finished with a bright lemon and white wine sauce. Drawing inspiration from coastal Italian cooking, this dish celebrates the natural richness of salmon with Mediterranean flavors. Simple yet elegant, it's ready in under 45 minutes and serves as an impressive weeknight dinner or entertaining centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets (150g each)
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 15 g fresh dill, finely chopped
• 10 g fresh thyme leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 120 ml dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or similar)
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into batons
• 2 medium carrots, cut into batons
• 200 g baby potatoes, halved
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down on the prepared sheet.

2. In a small bowl, combine 40 ml of olive oil with minced garlic, chopped parsley, dill, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

3. Divide the herb mixture evenly among the four salmon fillets, spreading it across the top surface of each fillet with the back of a spoon.

4. Arrange the zucchini batons, carrot batons, halved potatoes, and cherry tomato halves around the salmon on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining 20 ml of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

5. Pour the white wine into the empty spaces on the baking sheet around (not over) the salmon and vegetables.

6. Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the salmon flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, and the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized.

7. Remove from the oven and immediately squeeze fresh lemon juice over the entire dish. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

8. Carefully transfer each salmon fillet with its vegetables to a serving plate using a wide spatula, spooning any pan juices over the top.

Substitutions

• Replace dill with fresh basil for a more traditional Italian pesto-style herb blend
• Substitute dry white wine with vegetable broth for a non-alcoholic version
• Use wild-caught trout fillets instead of salmon for a leaner alternative
• Replace half the fresh herbs with 10g of store-bought Italian herb seasoning if fresh herbs are unavailable

Tips

• Pat the salmon dry before topping with herbs to ensure the crust adheres properly and develops good color during roasting
• Do not cover the baking sheet with foil, as this traps moisture and prevents the herb crust from browning
• Add the white wine after arranging everything on the sheet to prevent the herb coating from washing away
• Check salmon doneness by gently pressing the thickest part; it should feel just firm and the internal flesh should be opaque, not translucent

This recipe reflects the Italian coastal tradition of 'pesce al forno'—simply baked fish with local herbs and seasonal vegetables. The Mediterranean emphasis on extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and white wine demonstrates the Italian philosophy of letting quality ingredients speak for themselves rather than masking them with heavy sauces.

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