Broiled Salmon and Asparagus With Herbs

Broiled Salmon and Asparagus With Herbs
Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(958)
Notes
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Many people fear the broiler because they don’t know how to use it, or they’re worried they’ll overdo it and end up with a scorched dinner. But when used properly, it’s a useful tool ideal for crisping chicken skin, charring vegetables and melting cheese. Broiling is also a great method for perfectly cooking salmon: It yields a deeply browned crust and a tender center that isn’t overcooked. All broilers are different, and knowing the strength of yours and being aware of any uneven “hot spots” help maximize the efficiency of it. (As your dish cooks, look to see if it’s cooking evenly across the surface, which will tell you if you need to move things around.) In this recipe, soy-and-mustard-coated salmon and asparagus cook under the broiler, and are topped with an herb salad for a hit of brightness, freshness and acidity.

Learn: How to Make a Sheet-Pan Dinner

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
  • 1bunch parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
  • 1small bunch mint or dill, leaves picked, roughly chopped
  • 4scallions, light green and white parts, sliced
  • ¼to ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, according to taste
  • 3tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed
  • 3tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1large bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
  • 4(4- to 6-ounce) salmon fillets, at least ¾-inch thick
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

425 calories; 30 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 33 grams protein; 678 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.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium serving bowl, toss together the herbs, scallions, red-pepper flakes, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Season with more lemon or oil as needed until the leaves look glossy. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the broiler with a rack 6 inches from the heat source.

  3. Step 3

    In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce and mustard until smooth. Add the asparagus to a large sheet pan, toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then season well with salt and pepper. Move the asparagus to the sides, and place the salmon skin side down in the center. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, brush the tops and sides with the soy mixture, then toss the asparagus in the rest of the soy mixture. (Use a paper towel to wipe off excess soy on the sheet pan, as it will smoke.)

  4. Step 4

    Broil until the salmon is opaque with a deep brown crust, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare, and 8 to 10 minutes for medium, depending on the strength of your broiler and the thickness of the salmon. (Reduce cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes for thinner fillets.) If it looks like it’s browning too quickly or smoking excessively, move to a lower rack to finish cooking. Top the salmon and asparagus with the herb salad or serve on the side with a final round of pepper.

Ratings

4 out of 5
958 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

I cook salmon a lot this way. I strongly suggest putting skin side up for at least the first part of broiling. Melts all the fat near the skin into your fillet.

I believe it's whatever amount of parsley you would like in relation to whatever amount of the other salad ingredients you would like.

I'm eager to try this recipe, but am once again baffled by how much a " bunch" of parsley is. I grow my own herbs. For a comparison, Is it a handful like the store around the corner sells or a double fisted handful like the healthfood store? Please be more precise.

Excellent. Prep and chopping vegs took the most time. Time under broiler 6 min. Soy mustard glaze is salty enough. Would not season fish herbs or asparagus with extra salt again. Will make again. Paired with fresh buttered corn on the cob to round out meal.

J made this exactly as written. It was so easy and delicious. My oven has a high and low broil setting; high was the correct one to use

I broil salmon all of the time! I like to line the pan with enough foil so that after the initial browning and crisping, I cover up the salmon, and turn the oven down to bake at 350 degrees for the last few minutes. When I remove the fish from the oven and open the foil, it’s always moist and delicious inside and crisp and brown on the top.

This recipe was easy and tasty. I roasted the salmon and asparagus instead of broiling with an excellent result. The winning touch of this recipe, which really makes it unique, is the delicious herby salsa. For those trying to avoid the quandary of “how much is a bunch?” we used equal amounts of parsley and cilantro (half a cup each) and half that amount of dill, along with the specified amounts of other ingredients. We plan to use this outstanding condiment with other fish as well.

Made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. I saved some time (and mess) by simply trimming the asparagus and tossing it in the plastic bag it came in. Olive oil first, then the soy mix. Spread it all out on a piece of foil then broiled it. Very little clean up. A delicious recipe- the leftover herb mix I’ll use for another dish.

Would definitely make this again. Loved the herb mixture on top- added shallots because why not.

I often marinade and broil salmon and this recipe was spot on in terms of cooking time. My oven has high, med, low broil. I chose high broil, and broiled 3/4 to 1 inch thick salmon fillets for 7min and it was perfectly Medium rare cooked but still moist and pink in the middle. I also grated the lemon zest into the herb salad before the juice and I recommend it!

Regarding sizing bunches of parsley, here’s a tip from a professional vegetable grower. A bunch of parsley can be measured by looking at the stems at the base of the bunch. The diameter of the stems should be somewhere between the size of a nickel and a quarter. This is how we measure parsley when bunching in the field during harvest.

Delicious! Even my husband (who doesn't care for salmon) really enjoyed it! Only had parsley and the salad was still very good.

Delicious! Just delicious! I did add some baby reds cut in half, and dressed them with the remaining soy sauce/mustard mix.

Loved the herbs. Believe the mix is whatever you want--I used cilantro (1 C), mint (4 T), parsley (4 T). Turned the mixture into a mediterranean style salad by adding Campari tomatoes (still winterish here) and kalamata olives. Agree instructions are a little cumbersome; tossed asparagus in bag with soy-mustard mix, as another tip suggested. Worked beautifully.

Absolutely delicious. I added a little vinegar to the Dijon sauce for some tang. The herb salad is fantastic. Served with roasted potatoes.

I'm one of those people who is afraid of the broiler, so I cooked this as a sheet pan recipe in the oven at 425 for 12 minutes. It came out quite nicely, but without the extra crispness that broiling/grilling would give. We had lots of herb salad left over -- there was more than we needed. And if you cut up a few new potatoes and throw them in the pan, you have a full meal in one pan.

This was excellent and with peppers from my garden and leftover broccoli and stems, no cilantro because it doesn’t grow in Louisiana summers I did it without asparagus. A perfect summer meal with some couscous on the side to soak up all the herbal deliciousness.

It works with cod!

Soy Sauce + Mustard = yum! Such a simple recipe that highlights lovely ingredients and freshness. Will make again!

This was so good. The acid from the lemon on the herbs took it over the top. I used herbs I had—basil, Thai basil, parsley—and added some cucumber. It was delicious—especially since Wild Alaska Sockeye was in season.

The acidity from the lemon goes a long way so be generous :) if you have thick asparagus, peel it quickly to make it more tender, just a drizzle of olive oil under the salmon is brilliant for any meaty fish. Herb salad is lovely

I had haddock which cooked perfectly. This is a simple and delicious recipe. A keeper!

Marinade is not at all tasty. However, the broiler method was very helpful--6 inches from the broiler and the salmon was beautifully done.

Delicious! We used the smoker pellet grill. So easy, great flavor. This recipe will be on repeat.

Really, really good. I have been devoted to Samin Nosrat’s low and slow roasted salmon for years but was amazed by the silky texture this recipe imparted to a gorgeous Norwegian salmon filet. Loved the herb salad, too. A real keeper.

I only eat my salmon broiled and it never disappoints. I like my skin a bit crunchy, so I flip over a few minutes to firm up. Try marinating in a robust bottle Italian dressing. You'll thank me.

Another winner. Made it as written. What a great way to use fresh herbs from the garden. Thank you!

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