Salmon With Whole Lemon Dressing

Salmon With Whole Lemon Dressing
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott for The New York Times. Prop Stylist: Kalen Kaminski.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(2,582)
Notes
Read community notes

Roasting salmon low and slow in one large piece means just cooked, perfectly medium-rare salmon every time. In a pinch, this recipe would work with pre-portioned salmon fillets, but make sure they are at least an inch thick, and decrease the cooking time by about 5 to 8 minutes. The lemon dressing here is tangy, floral and, yes, a little bitter (as the whole lemon is involved, pith and all). If that’s not your preferred flavor profile, feel free to only use the zest and juice.

Featured in: This Is Not an Article About Lemony Salmon

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
  • Print Options


Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2lemons, seeds removed, peel, pith and fruit finely chopped
  • 1small shallot or garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 3oregano, marjoram or thyme sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped
  • 2tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • pounds skin-on salmon fillet (skinless is fine in a pinch)
  • 1head butter or Little Gem lettuce, torn into large pieces
  • 2Persian cucumbers or radishes, or both, sliced, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

505 calories; 37 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 718 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine finely chopped lemon, shallot, oregano and vinegar for the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and add ¼ cup olive oil. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Place skin-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or other 2-quart equivalent). Spoon half the lemon dressing over the salmon, and place in the oven until salmon is just cooked through but still a nice orange-pink in the thickest parts for more of a medium-rare salmon, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, scatter lettuces onto a large serving platter. Once salmon is out of the oven, use a spoon or spatula to transfer it to the serving platter with the lettuces, leaving behind the skin. Spoon remaining lemon dressing over the salmon and lettuces. Serve alongside cucumbers or radishes, or both, for crunch.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,582 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Here in Italy I read this recipe on the bus, stopped at the fishmongers and bought the salmon. The rest of the ingredientsI had at home. I followed the instructions to the letter. The dressing is very quick and easy to make and in no time a lovely dish of lemony salmon on the table for our lunch. Delicious

The whole lemon dressing sounds wonderful. But please tell me why how it is that the salmon in this recipe is ".... roasted low and slow, lower and slower than you have patience for …" . Ms. Roman's reference/link to her own NYT recipe for "Slow-Roasted Citrus Salmon With Herb Salad" specifies a lower temperature and a longer roasting time. To dispense with any worry about dry salmon try roasting at 250F with the filet (or steaks) loosely wrapped in pierced parchment. A thermometer helps.

To end the controversy about how to cook the salmon, refer to Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Cookbook, 1999. She says to bake the salmon in a "very slow humidified oven, which yields a moist, tender, velvet fish". Place a pan of warm water on the lowest rack of the oven and bake the fish, wrapped in parchment at 200 degrees. It works perfectly every time! ENJOY!

Try roasting a little longer but at 210 degrees. Much silkier feature. 325 is way too hot.

I used to do a mash-up of your Slow-Roasted Citrus Salmon and Mark Bittman’s Butter Roasted Salmon because I wasn’t keen on using so much oil, and then I’d play with the temperature and look in the oven over and over. This recipe ends all my guessing and delivers more citrus tang without losing any of the richness of salmon. Thank you!

Used a whole sockeye salmon filet. Followed instructions. Thought it would come out overdone since I usually pan fry for around eight minutes. Also thought the citrus would be harsh. Fish turned out perfect degree of rareness and citrus was delightful. Next time I’ll use three lemons for more juice.

I made this last night. A very pleasant dish indeed. The chopping of the lemons is a bit arduous but I used the new seedless lemons available at the local Hannaford supermarket in Portland Maine. BTW, the directions don’t mention pouring olive oil over the finished dish. I served it with sliced cucumbers and boiled little new Maine potatoes called Pinto, yellow fleshed potatoes sold at farmers markets. A creamy potato that I adore. I might make this again or a variation thereof

This salmon is fantastically light and citrussy. Thank you chef! To remove the guessing about when it is done, you can use a thermometer. That is not cheating you know. Put the thermo in the thickest part of the fish. If you have a wifi or bluetooth thermo, all the better. Remove the fish promptly at 120F and let it rest a few minutes. You can have perfect salmon every time.

just made it! Another Alison Roman winner. Peel Is a bit bitter for me. Might use the zest and the inside only next time. Will definitely be part of the salmon rotation.

I have been slow roasting salmon for years but at a temperature lower than 325 degrees. Like another commenter, at that lower temperature, it always comes out silky and smooth. I do this with halibut, tuna, cod — all manner of fish. Always rub it with olive oil before roasting. Couldn’t be easier, tastier, and healthier.

I'm kind of obsessed with Alison Roman's recipes right now. I made her chickpea stew, lemony garlicky chicken, her caramelized shallot pasta, and now this. As a twenty-something medical professional, cooking is a serious challenge, but she never uses too many ingredients, and her food is incredibly delicious. I think this is an underemphasized point about affordable cooking. It's hard to get started when you need to buy a whole pantry of spices. I'm grateful for these affordable recipes.

I made this last night to divine effect. I used gorgeous Meyer lemons instead of the standard variety. True, it was less assertive and bitter than Roman’s recipe, but more palatable for my husband who doesn’t care for lemon pith. I followed the rest of the recipe to a T and served with couscous and roasted carrots. Folks, she’s a stunner!

Delicious !!!. I have used skinless salmon fillets. The dressing is very tangy. Maybe I will reduce the amount of lemon a bit. Let's see. Served it with a couscous and grilled veggie salad. Will do it again. Roasted the salmon for about 10 minutes. Perfect.

Read preface: Whole lemon vs parts and large salmon vs filet

Terrific recipe. Not to criticize, but if you want it even more unctuous, same ingredients, but bake in parchment (difficult) or aluminum foil packets (easy). Beyond tender, juice, delicious. Top salmon while cooking with chopped scallions, tomatoes, parsley, anything. You'll eat it three times a week, and make double to bring to work for lunch.

This has become my standard recipe for salmon. I wouldn't change a thing.

My family didn't like the bitterness that came from using whole lemons.

Use spinach instead of lettuce

I love Alison Roman. This however didn’t work for me. Lemons with pith and peel we’re yucky.

Salmon with dill weed sprinkled on top needs no salt! Pair it with fresh asparagus, mist with olive oil, and bake in preheated oven at 425 for 12 minutes. Sprinkle the asparagus with a bit of fresh Parmesan. It’s too easy to be THAT good!

I make this every other week and am obsessed. After reading reviews, I decided to do lower heat - 250-265 for about 25 mins and it came out a perfect medium rare. I never have enough dressing though, and find that cooking the dressing really mellows out the flavor. I usually only use 1/4 of it on the fish, and add extra olive oil in the pan to keep the fish moist while it bakes. Alternatively, you could just double the dressing amount.

Made this tonight. Per suggestions, I used just zest and lemon juice. I also added a bit of preserved lemon both rind and flesh. No herbs on hand except parsley so used that. No butter lettuce so used Romaine essentially roughly chopped. Added in sliced green onions, grape tomatoes and some avocado and tossed with the lemon dressing. Cooked salmon at 300 for 15 minutes. Perfectly done salmon and we loved the more complex salad. Definitely a keeper!

This is a winning recipe just as it’s written. The chopped lemon dressing adds freshness and liveliness to salmon, which can be heavy, being such a fatty fish. Give it a try!

Can this be served at room temperature?

Quick eviygh for weeknight, good enough for guests. A perfect recipe, even better w one Meyer and one regular lemon. I've made it many times,never the same always yummy.

I used one small lemon (whole thing) and just the juice for the second. This seemed like a good ratio. I also used dried dill as I'm out of everything else and it was great. I slow cooked the salmon on 250 for 30 minutes, 2 filets a little over 3/4 lb each and they were perfect! I had leftover dressing and will use with the extra salmon with salad tomorrow. Radishes and broccoli were a tasty side!

This didn’t cook in even close to 20 minutes— more like 40 minutes and still very rare in the thickest part of the fillet.

One lemon (instead of two), white balsamic (instead of white wine) vinegar, shallot, oregano. Baked at 250 for about 30-35 minutes with the pan of water on the stove bottom. Served with farro (with a couple of spoonfuls of the dressing mixed in) and sliced cucumbers. Definitely going into the rotation—delicious!

Meyer lemons, if you can get them!

One Meyer lemon plus 2 Pixie tangerines (segments only) was plenty. Green garlic, a little marjoram and parsley, half of a preserved lemon segment. Good EVOO. Chopped together, this makes a lovely lemon relish, and a flavorful counterpoint to the rich fish. The thing is, good salmon, cooked just right, is so magnificent unadorned. On the other hand, this relish could save a piece of not-quite-up-to-it salmon. And a good idea to bake it on the fish, though mine went on the grill over a low fire.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.