Keto Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus
This Keto Sheet Pan Salmon & Asparagus is perfectly suited to an elegant low carb brunch or dinner, but easy enough for any weeknight meal! Low carb, gluten free, nut free, Atkins, grain free, keto.
This Keto Sheet Pan Salmon & Asparagus is perfectly suited to an elegant low carb brunch or dinner, but easy enough for any weeknight meal! Low carb, gluten free, nut free, Atkins, grain free, keto.
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 lemons
- 16 ounces wild caught salmon (whole fillet or cut into four
- 2 tablespoons sugar free mayonnaise
- 1 pound fresh asparagus ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to garnish
- Carbohydrate 10.2042791141617 g
- Cholesterol 2.75000000350403 mg
- Fat 2.11730396250104 g
- Fiber 4.14409105519656 g
- Protein 4.46005991153142 g
- Saturated Fat 0.732034737738862 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (292g)
- Sodium 217.69153691089 mg
- Sugar 6.0601880589651 g
- Trans Fat 0.212266677829919 g
- Calories 62 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 325° F.
- Rinse and pat dry your salmon fillets.
- Run your finger gently over the fillets and remove any bones.
- Combine the mayonnaise and dijon mustard in a small bowl and mix together.
- Brush the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the salmon.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top of the coated fish and press lightly to secure.
- Place the asparagus on the sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Toss with tongs or your hands to coat the asparagus in the oil.
- Spread the asparagus out on the pan, leaving room in the center for the salmon.
- Place the salmon on the pan, CHEESE SIDE UP. (I shouldn't have to say that lol, but you know someone will ask or do it wrong if I don't! ??)
- Cut the lemons in half and place them, cut side up, somewhere on the sheet pan.
- Sprinkle the entire shebang with the salt and pepper.
- Bake for 18 minutes (for whole filet) or 12-15 minutes (for 4 ounce portions), or until the thickest part of the fillet reads 145° on a thermometer. (See notes in post if cooking smaller portions.)
- Remove from the oven and squeeze the desired amount of juice from the lemons over the asparagus and salmon - removing any seeds.
- Garnish with parsley and serve warm or chilled.
Why does the fish always release white albumen while the asparagus remains stubbornly raw at the edges of the pan? Temperature control is the silent variable in sheet pan cooking, where dense vegetable stalks and delicate marine protein are expected to finish simultaneously despite having vastly different thermal requirements. Roasting at 325 degrees Fahrenheit prevents the mayonnaise and parmesan crust from scorching before the interior reaches food safety standards.
Coating the salmon fillet in a fat-based binder like mayonnaise protects the muscle fibers from drying out in dry oven heat while anchoring the grated cheese to the surface. Spreading the asparagus around the perimeter ensures maximum contact with the aluminum surface, which conducts heat more efficiently than parchment paper. Checking the thickest portion of the fillet with an instant-read thermometer until it registers 145 degrees eliminates guesswork and stops the proteins from contracting into dry flakes.
Chilled leftovers do not require reheating, which often results in sulfurous odors and rubbery textures. Flaking the cold salmon into a bowl of dressed greens or folding the spears into a morning omelet utilizes the pre-cooked elements without subjecting them to a second round of heat. Storing the components in an airtight glass container within three days preserves the structural integrity of both the fish oils and the tender asparagus tips.
