Mediterranean Sheet Pan Salmon with Zucchini Noodles, 15 minutes to a healthy delicious dinner! Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, anti-inflammatory, good for you and delicious!
Mediterranean spiced salmon nestled on a bed of zucchini noodles, olives, tomato, onion, and garlic. A few simple ingredients, one sheet pan, and 10 minutes in the oven.
I'd like to introduce you to your new back pocket – go-to – quick and healthy – I need dinner and have exactly 15 minutes – recipe.
15 minutes from start to finish. I mean come on!
Briny olives, salmon coated in a crave-able garlic za'atar spice rub, zucchini noodles, the pop of fresh tomato, who could ask for anything more?
I'm going to start off by telling you to go ahead and buy that pre-spiralized zucchini at the grocery store, it's worth the extra money because it means dinner literally happens in 15 minutes! Or, if you are a meal prep maven go ahead and spiralize a few zucchinis at the beginning of the week (store them in a glass lock container with a paper towel on the bottom to absorb moisture), making dinner time uber easy.
I've been feeling extra busy the last few weeks and struggling to balance my desire to just lay low and hibernate for the next few months with a surge of new year energy ready to take over the nutrition world 😉
January is equal parts slow cooked warm and comforting one-pot meals (hibernate vibe) to quick and easy meal prep like a boss, bring on all the healthy food recipes (take over the world vibe). Do you know what I mean?
The perfect combination of warm soups, and sheet pan dinners, meal prep salads, and portable snacks. January is all the things.
This sheet pan salmon with zucchini noodles is perfectly perfect at this moment.
Ready to get cooking?
How to Make Perfect Sheet Pan Salmon and Zucchini
- Start with one pound of wild salmon – Wild salmon is far superior to farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is one of the most contaminated foods in our food supply and has been found to contain toxic chemicals methylmercury and dioxins. Wild salmon is more expensive but well worth it.
- Make a spice rub for the salmon using Za'atar, crushed garlic, salt, and olive oil. Give that salmon a good massage rubbing all of those aromatic herbs and spices in.
- Toss your zucchini noodles with onion, crushed garlic, olives, tomato, and olive oil. You can do this directly on the sheet pan to avoid having to wash a bowl, or you can toss together in a bowl and then transfer to the baking sheet.
- Arrange zucchini noodles around the salmon on a large baking sheet.
- Roast in a 400° oven for 10 minutes for medium salmon and 15 minutes for medium well.
- Enjoy right away or pack in individual containers for meal prep magic all week long.
Perfectly Cooked Salmon Every Single Time
I love a crispy skinned salmon recipe on the stove top, but that is reserved for nights when I have more time and a better attention span. Otherwise, I make my salmon in the oven. This is my fool proof method for perfectly cooked salmon every time. Here is the formula:
How long do I cook salmon at 400°?
For Medium-Rare Salmon – 8.5 minutes
For Medium-Salmon – 10 minutes
For Medium-Well Salmon – 15 minutes
For Well-Done Salmon – Don't do it. Seriously. If you cook it beyond medium well it will be dry and yucky.
What is Za'atar?
Za'atar is a middle eastern spice blend consisting of wild thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds. Traditionally za'atar was made from hyssop, which is an herb in the mint family tasting similar to thyme with a minty overtone. On my recent trip to Israel, I scored some traditionally prepared za'atar (made with hyssop) which is what I used in this recipe. You do not have to travel to Israel to purchase za'atar (although I would highly recommend it 😎). You can find a za'atar spice blend online or at a specialty grocery store, you can make your own za'atar using this recipe, or you can very simply substitute 1/4 tsp of dried thyme + 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Substitutions for this recipe
- If you don't like olives (we can't be friends), eliminate them and add a pinch of salt
- I've also made this recipe with halibut and it worked beautifully
More Quick and Easy Seafood Recipes You Will Love
Easy One Pan Mediterranean Cod
Sheet Pan Roasted Shrimp and Cauliflower
Roasted Sole and Asparagus with a Lemon Dijon Sauce
The Best 5 Ingredient Clams Casino
Icelandic Fish Stew
Smoked Salmon and Herb Frittata
Salmon Farro Salad with Corn and Bacon
Mediterranean Sheet Pan Salmon with Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 lb wild salmon
- 3 cups zucchini noodles 1 large zucchini or 16 ounce of pre-spiralized zucchini
- 3/4 cup grape tomatoes
- 3/4 cup olives
- 1 small red onion, sliced sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp za'atar (see notes for substitution)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Drizzle one teaspoon of olive oil on the salmon, coat with 1 clove of crushed garlic, za'atar spice (see note for substitution), and salt. Place in the center of a large baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl toss together zucchini noodles, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, tomato, olives, onion, black pepper, and olive oil. Pour onto the baking sheet and arrange in a single layer around the salmon.
- Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. (see notes for cooking time).
- Remove from oven, serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- 10 minutes for medium salmon
- 15 minutes for medium well salmon (I don't recommend cooking beyond 15 minutes)
Nutrition
Pin to your Healthy Meal Prep Board!
