Salmon en Papillote

A delicious and easy to make Salmon En Papillote Recipe that looks refined, but is so simple you can get it on your family’s dinner table in 30 minutes. It’s a great dish for date night too!

When this salmon en papillote recipe hit the table, I opened the parchment paper and peeked in at the gorgeous, velvety fish with veggies and couldn’t wait to dig in. But I kept one eye trained on Ben.

Historically, my husband hasn’t been a huge fan of salmon. So, it is with that in mind that I approach making salmon in our house. My goal has always been to change his mind on the matter, and I’ve made some great headway!

The best thing about making this salmon en papillote, beside being as delicious as it is, is that it is uses simple ingredients and is an easy way to put dinner on the table with very little prepping required.

It’s not often that five minutes of chopping results in a delicate and deeply flavorful salmon dish you might order at a high end French brasserie. Salmon en papillote is really a recipe that let’s the ingredients do all the work.

Ingredients for Salmon en Papillote

• Salmon: Boneless, fresh salmon fillets are the best type to use for this papillote dish. But you can technically use any cut of salmon you like.
• Garlic: Minced cloves are placed underneath the salmon to infuse it with sweet, garlicky notes.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend using your best olive oil for this dish because you will definitely taste it. A high quality virgin olive oil tastes like fresh herbs and is also fruity and aromatic.
• Dill: We all know how well dill goes with salmon and lemon. It’s one of those classic flavor combinations you can’t go wrong with. I’m using fresh dill for this recipe.
• Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes add a refreshing and bright flavor to this dish. I have cut them in half to let some of their natural flavors mix with the garlic and other ingredients.
• Button mushrooms: I’m using medium white mushrooms that I have thinly sliced, but brown cremini mushrooms or fresh shiitake mushrooms work just as well.
• Asparagus: Thick spears are preferable because they yield a lovely, slightly crunchy texture. But you can use any type of asparagus, white ones included.
• Lemon: A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice to add moisture during the cooking process, and a little more for when the salmon is being served.
• Capers: Capers add saltiness and some acidity. However, you can omit them if you are looking to lower the sodium content of this dish.

Ingredient Variations

This is a list of popular ingredients in other similar recipes that you can test out the next time you are trying out this recipe! It’s a fun way to get creative while also making something delicious once again!

• Bell peppers
• Green beans
• Sweet potatoes or other root vegetables
• A splash of white wine

How to Make Salmon en Papillote

Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Start by preheating your oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
3. Place the salmon fillet on a flat surface and season them on both side with kosher salt and black pepper.
4. Cut two pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil that are big enough to hold the salmon fillets and other ingredients and that can be closed and folded.
5. Lay one piece of parchment paper flat on the counter and place half of the garlic and asparagus in the center of it. Top with a salmon fillet and repeat the same step for the other piece of parchment paper.
6. Place the cherry tomatoes and mushrooms around the salmon fillets and season with salt and pepper.
7. Place a few pieces of chopped dill and some capers on top of the salmon and drizzle with a little extra virgin oil.
8. Squeeze a little lemon juice and close the paper by folding the edges over several times, until it is completely sealed.
9. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the salmon is almost fully cooked and flaky. Enjoy!

What Does Salmon en Papillote Mean?

Salmon en Papillote literally means salmon in a packet, which is usually made of parchment or wrapped in foil. The packet process helps steam the salmon so it’s moist and cooked to perfection.

For this recipe I have surrounded the fillets with a mix of mushrooms, tomatoes, olive oil, dill, lemon juice and capers. The parchment paper is then folded to create a packet that is baked, creating a self contained mini-oven where all of the flavors become intertwined.

Each element of the dish comes out of the oven perfectly cooked and having taken on the characteristics of everything else in the packet.

Origins of Salmon en Papillote

As you might be able to surmise given the french namesake, this dish and cooking technique was popularized in France and dates back to the 17th century. However, the ‘en papillote’ cooking method existed long before, and in many other cultures and countries. For example, in Italy, all different types of seafood is cooked in parchment paper, called al cartoccio in Italian. It’s also a popular method used in Latin cuisine, especially when making dishes such as tamales.

Salmon is a fantastic ingredient to cook with. Not only is it delicious, it is packed with nutritional elements your body craves to operate at peak levels.

Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, selenium – as well as vitamins B6, B12 and D.

Salmon en papillote just happens to hit the trifecta when it comes to cooking at home: easy to make, delicious to devour and super-duper healthy. Make it easily for dinner tonight or plan a dinner party and WOW your dinner guests!

Other Salmon Recipes You Might Like

Baked Salmon with Honey Sriracha Sauce

Japanese Salted Salmon (Shiozake)

Miso Salmon

The Best Salmon Croquettes

This is a favorite method of mine when cooking salmon. Did you like this salmon en papillote? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Salmon en Papillote

Print Recipe

★★★★

3.5 from 2 reviews

A delicious and easy to make Salmon En Papillote Recipe that looks refined, but is so simple you can get it on your family’s dinner table in 30 minutes!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 people 1x
• Category: Fish and seafood
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 8–ounce boneless salmon fillets
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dill (roughly chopped)
• 14 cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 10 medium white button mushrooms (thinly sliced)
• 8–10 thick asparagus spears
• 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons capers (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Use two pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil big enough to fold in half once all the ingredients have been added.
4. Evenly distribute minced garlic and asparagus in the center of each of the pieces of paper and top each with a salmon fillet.
5. Add cherry tomatoes and mushrooms around the salmon and season with salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle dill and capers on top of fish and vegetables and drizzle extra virgin oil.
7. Squeeze a little lemon juice and close the paper by folding the edges over several times, until it is completely sealed.
8. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until salmon is almost fully cooked and flaky.
9. Serve with quinoa, rice or noodles.

Notes

This Salmon en Papillote recipe is best eaten right out of the oven. It can keep refrigerated for up to a day, stored in an airtight storage container.

* Skip the capers for a dish that’s even lower in sodium.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 6.2g
• Sodium: 259.6mg
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 2.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 56.2g
• Cholesterol: 115.6mg

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