Honey Mustard Salmon with Veggies {for two}

This super simple Honey Mustard Salmon is an easy sheet pan salmon recipe with minimal ingredients, effort and time…so it’s perfect for busy days. Plus, if you are cooking for two people, this is the recipe for you (though, it can easily be adjusted for the fam jam!). Paired with some simply prepared veggies, it makes for a light, satisfying meal. This one is sure to be a regular in your dinner rotation!

Honey Mustard Salmon

In our home I’m the popcorn fanatic.  I just love it, especially with a little melted butter on top and maybe a sprinkling of salt. Hubby, on the other hand, isn’t a huge popcorn lover…or so he says.

I swear, I make a bowl and every.single.time. he digs in.  But, he’ll still say he isn’t a fan. 

Ummmmm, no, hubby. You like popcorn, lol.

You may be asking, ‘Dawn, what’s popcorn gotta do with honey Dijon salmon?’ Well, hubby proclaims he isn’t a huge fan of salmon because whenever we eat it at a restaurant it’s usually overcooked and just ok. I can’t blame him, though. Ain’t nobody got time for dry salmon, am I right?  Anywho,  I made this sheet pan salmon recipe for him the other day and he dug in.

I asked for his assistance while I was photographing the pics and was towards the end of the photo shoot.  He thought I was finished and started shoving the salmon into his pie hole. Bestest compliment EVA!

So, whether hubby loved the honey mustard sauce, the oven baked salmon fillet itself or the whole sum of its parts, it was a winner in our home. Winner winner easy salmon dinner dare I say??  

What Makes this Easy Salmon Recipe So Great?

• It’s cooked on ONE PAN! Hellooooo easy clean up.
• It’s low carb (ok, I’m not overly concerned about that because I’m a carb addict, lol, but some people are).
• Salmon is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, nutrients and protein.
• There’s not a whole lot of ingredients (and the ones that are used are pretty basic).
• Dinner is on the table in under 30 MINUTES!
• It tastes oh so delish!

Honey Mustard Sauce Recipe for Salmon

This honey mustard sauce is stupid simple, you guys! There’s literally 3 ingredients – 

• Dijon mustard
• Whole Grain Mustard
• Honey

I like to use whole grain mustard because of the look it gives (we eat with our eyes, right?). If you only have Dijon on hand, just use that!

How to Cook Salmon Fillets in the Oven? 

Generally, I like a cook time of roughly 5 minutes per inch of thickness (measure at thickest part of the fillet to determine thickness) cooked at 400 F for my oven baked salmon.  For me, it gives a perfectly cooked salmon fillet without being dry.

Obviously, you want the salmon to be cooked, but you don’t want to overcook it. Overcooking means dry salmon that tastes kinda chalky, bland and not moist.  Cook times will vary depending on thickness of the salmon fillets and desired doneness. 

The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145 F at the thickest part of the salmon.  And in Canada, Health Canada recommends an internal temperature of 158 F. Not sure? Invest in an instant read food thermometer. They’re inexpensive and a handy tool to have in the kitchen.  

Having said that, just like with steak, different people like their salmon cooked to different levels. One person may enjoy their salmon just cooked, while another may love it well done.  Therefore, simply adjust cooking time to how you like it. You do what you feel is best for you and your taste buds!

How to Know When Salmon is Done?

Basically, the salmon should be cooked through and flake easily with a fork at the thickest part. If not, place bake in the oven to continue cooking.  

How to Make this Honey Mustard Salmon Recipe?

• Make sure all visible pin bones are removed from the salmon fillets. Usually when you buy from your fishmonger, they are removed. However, sometimes there are ones that have been missed.  I like to gently/slowly run my fingers along the sides of the salmon fillets and over top.  You can feel any bones as they are hard. Use a set of really good tweezers and pluck them out at an angle and discard.  Still, when enjoying the cooked salmon, be careful of any missed bones.
• Prior to cooking, remove salmon from the fridge for about 10 minutes. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
• Mix together Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard and honey. Brush or spoon over salmon 
• Fold narrow end of salmon fillets underneath.This helps even them out a little for a better cook.  The salmon is cooked skin side down.
• Drizzle/massage veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.    
• Bake salmon and veggies on prepared parchment lined baking sheet and enjoy!

Do I Need to Flip the Salmon Fillets?

Nope! No flipping required. Just place the honey Dijon salmon and veggies on the sheet pan and bake.

Should I Leave the Skin on Salmon?

The objective with oven baked salmon is not to crisp the skin like you would with pan seared salmon. You can certainly remove, but I like to leave the skin on because (mostly) it’s less work. Plus, it helps to retain moisture. I just eat the salmon after it’s cooked and not the skin. If you still want to remove, here is a guide to skin a salmon fillet from Fine Cooking.

Exhibit A…Evidence of my hubby digging into the salmon before I finished taking shots 😀 —->

Tips for Making this Easy Baked Salmon with Vegetables

• Like mentioned above, cook time will vary depending on a couple of things – how thick your salmon is and how you like the cook to be. 
• Go for the freshest, best quality salmon fillets you can get your little hands on (but that goes without saying, right?). Get to know your fishmonger. Markets typically get their fish delivery at certain times/days every week.  If you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask how fresh the fish is.  For this sheet pan salmon recipe, I used ‘Atlantic salmon fillets‘.
• Speaking of salmon fillets, I like to get centre cut if I can for even (pretty) pieces.
• Don’t have honey? Maple syrup works lovely too (use a little less, about 1 tbsp, as it’s more runny than honey).
• For the veggie component of this easy baked salmon recipe, I used zucchini and asparagus.  Those work lovely because the cook time was very minimal and that’s what I had on hand.  Rather use another veggie? Go for it! Looking for another side? How about this apple & gouda mixed green salad?
• And if you want to add another layer of flavour to your veggies, sprinkle with a little grated parmesan cheese.
• I like to bake the veggies less than the salmon fillets (because I still want a little bite). So, you can either give the veggies a few minutes head start and then put the salmon fillets on the pan to cook OR put everything on the pan to start with and remove the veggies part way through. It’s up to you!

How Long Is Leftover Salmon Good For?

Refrigerate leftover salmon and enjoy within 2-3 days. After that, toss.

Like this Oven Baked Salmon Fillet Recipe? You May Enjoy These Too

• Traditional Newfoundland Cod-au-Gratin
• Oven Baked Fish Tacos

Hope you love this easy oven baked salmon recipe!

Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon.

~Dawn

P.S. If you think this honey mustard salmon recipe will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little Pin button. Many thanks, you guys! XO

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5 from 1 vote

Honey Mustard Salmon with Veggies {for two}

This super simple Honey Mustard Salmon is an easy sheet pan salmon recipe with minimal ingredients, effort and time...so it's perfect for busy days. Plus, if you are cooking for two people, this is the recipe for you (though, it can easily be adjusted for the fam jam!). Paired with some simply prepared veggies, it makes for a light, satisfying meal. This one is sure to be a regular in your dinner rotation!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Canadian

Keyword cooking for two, honey Dijon salmon, oven baked salmon recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 374kcal

Author Dawn Coombs

Ingredients

Honey Mustard Salmon

• 2 6 oz salmon fillets -roughly
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1.5 tbsp honey
• chives -minced (garnish), optional

Veggies

• 6 oz asparagus -about 12-15 stalks (cut off those woody ends)
• 1 zucchini -cut into slices
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• lemon wedge/juice -optional

Instructions

• Remove salmon from fridge for about 10 minutes or so before baking. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  
• Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, sprinkle with salt & pepper.
• Stir together Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard and honey in a small bowl. Brush salmon with sauce. Fold under narrow end of salmon.   
• Drizzle asparagus and zucchini with olive oil (massaging well to coat) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on prepared sheet pan with salmon. 
• Bake salmon for 12-15 minutes or until salmon is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork. If you like it really well done, cook a few minutes more.

  If after 12-15 minutes salmon doesn't flake easily with a fork, continue cooking, checking on in 1 minute or so intervals. 

  NOTES: 

  I like to check on the salmon at the 12 minute mark, making sure it doesn't overcook. As mentioned in post above, cook times will vary depending on the thickness of your fillets.

  For the veggie component of this recipe, I like to remove at the 10-12 minute mark so they don't overcook.
  
• Garnish salmon with minced chives, if desired, and give veggies a squeeze of lemon juice (optional). Enjoy! 

  Optional:  Let salmon rest for 5 minutes before digging in!

Video

Notes

See post above for more tips and details on making this recipe.

Tried this recipe? That's awesome!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood!

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 836mg | Potassium: 1261mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 18.1% | Vitamin C: 27% | Calcium: 6.3% | Iron: 20.6%