One-Pan Salmon and Asparagus is a simple, 20-minute salmon dinner that comes together on a sheet pan. The lemon-garlic-herb butter melts over this baked salmon and asparagus as it bakes, and every bite is so flavorful. Don’t miss the quick video tutorial to see just how easy this is.

Salmon and asparagus baked on a sheet pan and garnished with parsley

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Helpful Reader Review

“Fantastic recipe. I have made this many times and is always well received and totally delicious.” – Rosebud ★★★★★

Easy Salmon and Asparagus Dinner

This one-pan salmon asparagus recipe is a reader and family favorite (read the glowing reviews below). The flavored butter here is gold. It is the same butter we use on our popular Lobster Tails recipe, and I even use it on my juicy Roast Turkey. It comes together quickly, and everything it touches always gets rave reviews.

Seriously, though, this salmon recipe is a must-try. Make it once and you’ll make it again and again. It’s just THAT good! Perfect for special occasions and easy enough for a busy weeknight – it’s delicious and looks so pretty on that baking dish. Make this, and you’ll impress your family.

Salmon and Asparagus Video


SO MUCH FLAVOR!! I hope you all love this easy dinner idea. I’d pass you a slice if I could because I really want you to discover this juicy salmon recipe! P.S. I’ve been making this salmon with 6 Tbsp butter instead of 8, and it works just as well, which is why the recipe states 6 Tbsp butter. 

flaky salmon served with a side of asparagus

How to Bake Salmon with Asparagus

This whole process takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. While it cooks, I like to start cooking white rice or make Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes to pair it with, so my side dish is ready to serve when the salmon comes out of the oven.

  • Prep – Preheat oven to 450˚F (set the rack in the top third of the oven – this gives the salmon some color). Line a large baking sheet with parchment (trim it to fit so it doesn’t burn).
  • Place salmon fillets in the center add asparagus on the sides. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and roll to coat in the oil. Season both salmon and asparagus with salt and pepper.
  • Mash together the flavored butter ingredients in a small bowl until the lemon juice is incorporated (by hand with a fork, or use a small food processor or an immersion blender to speed up the process).
  • Finish and Bake – Spread most of the butter over salmon, dab the rest on asparagus. Top salmon with lemon slices and bake 10–12 min (depends on thickness). You can finish under the broiler for 2–3 min for a golden top. Bake until the salmon is flaky and cooked through. According to the USDA guidelines, it should reach a safe internal temperature of 145˚F on an instant-read thermometer.
How to bake salmon and asparagus with flavored butter on a sheet pan

Salmon is a smart choice for dinner because it has plenty of health benefits; rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and Selenium. I think salmon is the most satisfying protein, and it’s low carb, leaving you feeling full yet light at the same time. And this one is lip-smacking good!!

What to Serve with Salmon and Asparagus

There’s tons of flavor here, so I like to pair it with simple sides such as:

Up close slices of baked salmon with asparagus

P.S. Spoon some of those scrumptious pan juices over your salmon for even more amazing flavor! What is YOUR favorite way to enjoy salmon? 

Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus

4.97 from 204 votes
One-Pan Salmon Asparagus recipe with a lemon-garlic-herb butter. Every bite is so juicy and flavorful! A reader favorite, 20-minute salmon dinner. | natashaskitchen.com
A one-pan easy salmon dinner idea. The lemon-garlic-herb butter is GOLD!! It melts into the salmon and asparagus as it bakes and every bite is so flavorful.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 as a main course

For the Salmon and Asparagus:

  • 2 lbs salmon filet, cut into six – 6 oz portions
  • 2 lbs asparagus*, fibrous ends removed
  • Salt and black pepper, added to taste
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small lemon, sliced into rings for garnish

For the Lemon-Garlic-Herb Butter:

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened (*see quick softening note)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 small lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt, we used sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Prep – Preheat oven to 450˚F with oven rack in top third. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, trimming the paper to just fit so it doesn't go over edges of pan (this prevents the paper from charring under broiler).
  • Place salmon filets in a row down the center of your lined baking pan. Arrange trimmed asparagus on the sides of the salmon. Drizzle asparagus lightly with olive oil and roll to coat. Sprinkle both asparagus and salmon with salt and pepper.
  • Make Flavored Butter – In a medium bowl, use a fork to mash together all ingredients for flavored butter. It takes a couple of minutes to come together but keep mashing and it will happen. You can also use a food processor for the job if you prefer. Spoon 3/4 of your flavored butter over the salmon and spread evenly (no need for perfection). Dab remaining butter mix over the asparagus.
  • Bake – Top each salmon filet with a slice of lemon and bake uncovered at 450˚F for 10-12 minutes (a thinner fillet will take 10 minutes and a larger fillet takes 12 minutes). Set the oven to BROIL and bake another 2-3 minutes to give the salmon a golden glow. Bake until salmon is flaky and cooked through with an internal temperature of 145˚F on an instant-read thermometer.

Notes

*Asparagus Note: this recipe is written for medium to thick asparagus. If your asparagus is thin, add it to the sheet pan halfway through baking or put it on a separate sheet pan so you can pull it out when it has reached your desired tenderness. 
*How to Speed-Soften Butter: Place wrapped stick of butter in airtight ziploc bag and submerge bag in warm (100˚F) water, placing a weight over the top so it doesn’t float. Let sit 10 -15 mins until softened.

Nutrition Per Serving

374kcal Calories8g Carbs34g Protein24g Fat9g Saturated Fat5g Polyunsaturated Fat8g Monounsaturated Fat0.5g Trans Fat113mg Cholesterol460mg Sodium1092mg Potassium4g Fiber3g Sugar1671IU Vitamin A22mg Vitamin C67mg Calcium5mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus
Amount per Serving
Calories
374
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
24
g
37
%
Saturated Fat
 
9
g
56
%
Trans Fat
 
0.5
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
8
g
Cholesterol
 
113
mg
38
%
Sodium
 
460
mg
20
%
Potassium
 
1092
mg
31
%
Carbohydrates
 
8
g
3
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
34
g
68
%
Vitamin A
 
1671
IU
33
%
Vitamin C
 
22
mg
27
%
Calcium
 
67
mg
7
%
Iron
 
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: salmon and asparagus, Salmon Asparagus, sheet pan salmon and asparagus
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 374
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

More Easy Salmon Recipes

If you love salmon as much as I do, I know you’ll find new favorites in this list. These will keep your salmon dinner menus exciting:

 

4.97 from 204 votes (102 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Natalie
    July 4, 2017

    The flavors here are delicious!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 4, 2017

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

  • OLGA
    June 29, 2017

    This looks delicious. I really want to make it. Melt in your mouth recipe for sure! I loooove asparagus and salmon, so this is a good combination. Yum!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 30, 2017

      This recipe is really popular and for good reason! Please let me know what you think of the recipe Olga!

      Reply

  • Natasha
    natashaskitchen
    June 26, 2017

    I’m not familiar with the air-fry method. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  • Carrie Kappel
    June 25, 2017

    Made about half of this recipe, with fillets about 8 oz, so baked a couple minute longer and was fabulous! Fish was flaky and the asparagus had a slight bit of crunch. Very easy and made ahead to just pop in the oven when ready to eat. Will definitely make this again.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 25, 2017

      Hi Carrie, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe so much you would make it again. That’s fantastic!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂

      Reply

  • GT
    June 25, 2017

    The recipes look good, except I don’t like to use so much butter. I would like to know if anyone has tried it successfully with much less butter.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 25, 2017

      Hi GT, I think it would still work with 4 to 6 Tbsp of butter. Keep in mind, alot of the butter stays in the pan but it does flavor the salmon well and makes it very juicy 🙂

      Reply

    • Shiries
      September 3, 2017

      I actually used a vegan butter because I’m dairy free. I used the earth balance avocado oil butter, and it was still amazingggggg.

      Reply

  • Greg Pavich
    June 24, 2017

    One of my favourite recipes of all times. So easy and so tasty. Thank you again for making me look good in the kitchen. Lol

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 25, 2017

      LOL, my pleasure Greg! I’m glad you love the recipe as much as I do!

      Reply

  • Suzanne Cuffaro
    June 19, 2017

    Hi!!!!

    I’m def going to try this recipe because it’s so healthy, looks so good and I love salmon and asparagus!!!!

    Question: how long can you keep cooked salmon in fridge for leftovers??

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 20, 2017

      Hi Suzanne, This one does reheat well and keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days – possibly longer but we haven’t had leftovers of this recipe longer than that 🙂 I like to warm the salmon up on a skillet, but it’s also pretty good eaten cold if you wanted to put it into a salad 🙂

      Reply

  • Guadalupe
    June 15, 2017

    Hi Natasha!!! I just want to say Thank you for this recipe. I cooked this for dinner tonight and it’s DELICIOUS!!! I used tilapia fish because I didn’t have salmon and I was lazy to go to the store… The flavor is so good. Thank you again for your great recipes! 💕

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 15, 2017

      You’re welcome Guadalupe! I’m so glad to hear how much you love the recipes! Thanks for sharing your great review 🙂

      Reply

  • J Huston
    June 14, 2017

    Would be nice to have the option to print the recipe with out all the pictures.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 14, 2017

      Hi J, there is a print button at the top right of the recipe and towards the bottom of the page that prints with just 1 small photo of the dish.

      Reply

  • Patty
    June 13, 2017

    Can you tell me the nutrition breakdown? We are trying to be salt, fat, calorie conscious. I could not find the breakdown. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 13, 2017

      Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Patty!

      Reply

  • Laura (Untwisted Vintage)
    June 13, 2017

    Yum! That butter sounds divine. Have you tried this with other types of fish?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 13, 2017

      Hi Laura, I haven’t tried other fish with this method but the flavored butter works well on many other fish and even shrimp and lobster. If you experiment with something, let me know how you like it! 🙂

      Reply

  • Sandra S Templeton
    June 12, 2017

    Would it be possible to split this recipe? There are just two of us.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 12, 2017

      Hi Sandra, yes absolutely! You can cut it in half and keep the baking time the same 🙂

      Reply

      • MD
        September 16, 2021

        This was phenomenal! My kids demolished it. Thank you so much Natasha.
        #You’reTheMVP

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          September 16, 2021

          That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!

          Reply

  • Linda Baxter
    June 10, 2017

    what could you use instead of asparagus..neither my husband or myself like asparagus..but love salmon..

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 10, 2017

      Linda, I would use broccoli or green beans instead.

      Reply

      • Linda Baxter
        June 13, 2017

        I tried it with green string beans and wasn’t happy with it ..think I will try broccoli or cauiflower next time..

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          June 13, 2017

          Hi Linda, good to know it doesn’t work well with string beans. It takes some experimenting if you are switching out the vegetables since some veggies cook faster/slower.

          Reply

          • Rachelle
            September 4, 2017

            Maybe you could blanch the green beans first then they would work. I’m assuming they didn’t cook enough.

  • Melissa @ Insider The Kitchen
    June 9, 2017

    Made this recipe last night for my family and they loved it!! Love your recipes! Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 9, 2017

      Hi Melissa! I’m so glad you loved it 🙂 Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Vicki
    June 9, 2017

    I really like this recipe. My personal trainer really recommended me to eat asparagus and salmon. So this will definitely work for me.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 9, 2017

      Your trainer is on to something and I hope you love this recipe!! 🙂

      Reply

  • Katherine
    June 9, 2017

    Yum! This looks delicious. Love one-pan meals! We eat a lot of salmon around our house; I need to try this.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 9, 2017

      Oh that’s awesome! I hope you fall in love with this one 🙂

      Reply

  • HayleyDawnBlogs
    June 9, 2017

    Not gonna lie Natasha, I have been BINGE watching your youtube channel for the past coupe days. I love them. Would this recipe work just as well with cod or halibut? Not a salmon lover over here. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 9, 2017

      Hayley, I haven’t tried it with other fish but I think they should work. Make sure the fish is flaky and cooked through. If you test it, let me know how it goes. 😁

      Reply

  • Alana
    June 9, 2017

    Thats a crazy amount of butter for 2lb fish!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 9, 2017

      No worries, a good amount of it stays in the pan and keep in mind it’s 8 Tbsp of butter for 6 servings including 2 lbs of asparagus 🙂 You can absolutely cut down to 6 Tbsp and the recipe will still work 🙂

      Reply

  • vera
    June 9, 2017

    This is exact recipe as the other one with the whole salmon right? In this recipe you just have the salmon cut….anyway I still love your recipes 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 9, 2017

      Yes! I found it was easier to serve it this way so I like this method a little better but it is exactly the same recipe. It’s one of our most popular recipes so we created a video so more people can discover it 🙂

      Reply

  • Laura ~ Raise Your Garden
    June 9, 2017

    This is so ideal because my husband is a fisherman and actually catches his own salmon. And we save a lot of money this way! Plus, this is so easy!!!! Thank you. I like the eye-popping green it adds too =)

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 9, 2017

      You’re welcome Laura! Please let me know what your family thinks of the recipe!

      Reply

      • Marlene DeRosia
        January 9, 2021

        Making this for dinner tonight for the two of us. It looks delicious. I always know your recipies will be awesome as every one of your recipes I have made have been perfect🙂❤️. Thanks so much for for sharing.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          January 9, 2021

          Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles

          Reply

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