An everyday dinner worth getting excited over: seared salmon with roasted potatoes, a bright & lemony fennel salad, and smoky paprika aioli to eat with every bite. This is one of those meals you will want to make over and over again. Simple, but with a few special touches to make it extra delicious and something you crave!
seared salmon with roasted potatoes & paprika aioli – the details
I’m so excited to bring you this “everyday dinner” that’s healthy, takes just about 45 minutes to make, and will have you licking the plate clean! Today was my second time testing this recipe and I can confidently say it is so, so delicious.
Because in January, we need dinners that are not only good for us, but something to look forward to. The days can be busy and the weeks can start to blend together, so a fun weeknight dinner is essential.
The best part about this seared salmon with roasted potatoes is that the salmon and potatoes are cooked in the most simple way possible. You’ll roast the potatoes in the oven until golden and crisp, and sear the salmon in a pan until the skin is crispy and the inside is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Nothing out of the ordinary, but hopefully my simple techniques will help you create perfectly cooked salmon and potatoes.
The special touches? A shaved fennel salad that’s bursting with bright lemon flavor. This salad has arugula, scallions, and parsley – all perfect elements to help cut the richness of the salmon.
And then of course…we need a flavorful sauce. You’ll whip up a paprika aioli in the food processor that is much easier than it may sound. It’s nice and smoky and adds a really delicious, decadent flavor to every single bite of the dish. Enjoy!
If you’re looking for more salmon recipes, here are a few favorites:
Simple Salmon Dinner with Roasted Carrots
Rye Salmon Cakes with Pickled Shallots
Tarragon Dijon Salmon Tartines
Seared Salmon with Roasted Potatoes & Paprika Aioli
crispy-skinned seared salmon with roasted potatoes, a lemony fennel salad, and paprika aioli
servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup neutral oil, plus more for cooking (i like using safflower)
- 2–3 tsp cold water
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 fennel bulb, quartered + cored
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 4 fillets skin-on salmon
- 1 cup arugula
- ½ cup microgreens
- ½ cup roughly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the salmon dry and let sit at room temperature.
- Place the potatoes onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes into one, even layer, halved-side down. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
- Meanwhile, use the back of your knife to smash the minced garlic into a paste. Add this to a food processor, along with the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Blend for 30 seconds. Combine the oils and *very* slowly start to pour them into the food processor, while it’s still running.
- Halfway through the oil, stop pouring and add a teaspoon of cold water. Finish adding the remaining oil. Add in the smoked paprika, along with another teaspoon or so of water to loosen the aioli into a silky smooth consistency. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
- Use a mandolin to shave the fennel into paper thin slices. Add the fennel to a bowl, along with the scallions, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Toss well. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Heat a 12” stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add enough neutral oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Season the salmon with salt on both sides. Once the oil is hot (it will shimmer), carefully place the salmon skin-side down into the oil. Sear for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and easily releases from the pan. Flip the salmon over and finish cooking on the other side, about 3-4 minutes longer, or until cooked to your desired doneness.
- Add the arugula, microgreens, parsley, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the fennel salad. Toss well. Plate the salmon with the roasted potatoes, fennel salad, and paprika aioli alongside.
Notes
Use the aioli as a sauce for both the salmon and the potatoes. It’s also really delicious to eat a little of the lemony fennel salad with each bite of salmon.
shop the dish: seared salmon with roasted potatoes & paprika aioli
The recipes look delicious. However I was taught not to consume raw eggs, due to possible salmonella. Yet you use raw egg yolks in the aioli. Please comment. Thanks.