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You’ll love this Whole30 Mustard Salmon with Cabbage and Asparagus because it’s an entire meal cooked at once. There’s no need to cook additional sides, or do anything elaborate, which makes this dish perfect for busy weeknights.
It’s Starting to Look Like Salmon Season
Without a doubt, salmon is one of the most important (and delicious) foods in Alaska. And I’m lucky enough to have some amazing fishmongers at my farmers market in Anchorage where I’ll be able to enjoy freshly caught salmon all summer long.
But before I get ahead of myself, not all Alaskan salmon is the same. There are many different varieties of Pacific salmon, and they all have slightly different seasons. Now, at the end of May, we are entering King salmon (also known as Chinook) season. These are the first salmon of the summer. Later on this summer, we’ll see Red salmon (Sockeye salmon), Silver salmon (Coho salmon), Pink salmon (Humpback, or Humpies), and Chum salmon (Dog salmon). There are also subtle taste differences between these five varieties, but they can all be used interchangeably in this recipe.
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Asparagus
One of the first spring vegetables to appear at the farmers market, asparagus has a distinct grassy flavor that I love to maximize when it is in season.
I know a lot of people get hung up on the thickness of the stalks when they are picking out asparagus. There is a common misconception that thinner stalks are younger, more tender, and generally better than the thicker stalks. But this isn’t necessarily true. The diameter of the asparagus stalk is determined by the age of the entire plant, not that year’s harvest. An asparagus plant producing thinner stalks in April will not produce thicker stalks in May; instead, it will likely produce slightly thicker stalks the following April.
Instead of focusing on finding thinner stalks, look for bunches of even diameter stalks. This will ensure that everything roasts evenly. Thicker stalks will have great flavor in this recipe, and you may even be able to get them cheaper because everyone else will be looking for those thinner stalks.
Have lots of asparagus to use up? Try my simple shaved asparagus salad for a side dish that basically takes no time at all to prepare.
Cabbage
Roasted cabbage has a wonderful sweetness that really complements the sharp mustard flavor on the salmon.
You’ll see lots of different types of cabbage at your local farmers market. Check out my guide here for all the different kinds of cabbage.
Tips and Tricks
I’ve got good news for you if you’re short on time: you don’t need to thaw the salmon before cooking this meal. I know it sounds crazy, but it does work! Simply place the frozen fillets, skin side down, on top of the bed of cabbage. The first half of the cooking process will thaw the salmon, and bring you to the same point as if you had thawed the fish ahead of time.
If your salmon fillets are thawed, however, you’ll add them to the sheet pan halfway through the cooking process. This will ensure that they stay flaky and juicy, and won’t overcook in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite part about sheet pan meals is that it’s all-in-one. I don’t need to make separate sides, or do anything super elaborate. It all goes on the sheet pan, into the oven, and out comes a full meal. It’s beautiful!
Other Fish Sheet Pan Meals You Might Enjoy
Whole30 Mojito Salmon with Crispy Roasted Potatoes: Another salmon option, though served with crispy fingerling potatoes. An easy choice for any season.
Baked Cod with Peach Salsa: Summer is coming up, and I know I can’t wait for all the peaches to ripen for this easy sheet pan dinner.
Whole30 Baked Sablefish with Bok Choy: Sablefish, also known as black cod, is an Alaskan specialty. This recipe makes preparation foolproof!
What about the leftovers?
Leftover Whole30 Mustard Salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I have not tried freezing the leftovers, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
However, this sheet pan meal is easily scalable to prevent leftovers. Plan on one 3.5-4oz fillet of salmon and a 1/4 pound of asparagus per person. As for the cabbage? One head of cabbage can serve a lot of people; half a head can easily serve 4 or more people. My only recommendation in scaling up this recipe is to not overcrowd your sheet pan. Use two pans if you need to, and rotate them halfway through the cooking time.
Whole30 Mustard Salmon with Cabbage and Asparagus
You'll love this Whole30 Mustard Salmon with Cabbage and Asparagus because it's an entire meal cooked at once. There's no need to cook additional sides!
Ingredients
- ½ lb green cabbage, roughly chopped
- ½ lb asparagus spears, woody ends removed
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 salmon fillets, 3.5-4 oz each. See notes for unthawed, frozen fillets
- 2 lemons
- 1 tbsp stone ground mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cabbage with the ghee and 1 tsp kosher salt. Spread onto an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15m.
- While the cabbage is roasting, prepare the mustard marinade. In a small mixing bowl, add the juice and zest of one lemon, mustard, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and the remaining ½ tsp of kosher salt. Mix until thoroughly combined, then whisk in the avocado oil.
- Slice the remaining lemon into ¼ inch thick slices
- Pull the sheet pan out of the oven, and push the cabbage into a pile in the center of the sheet pan. Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down, on top of the bed of cabbage.
- Lay the asparagus spears on the sheet pan on either side of the salmon and cabbage.
- Pour the mustard marinade all over the salmon, cabbage, and asparagus. Place the lemon slices on top of the salmon fillets, then bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the salmon is fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven and serve while hot.
Notes
If your salmon fillets are still frozen, place them skin side up on top of the bed of cabbage during Step 2. When pulling the sheet pan out in Step 5, flip the salmon fillets over (now skin side down), then continue with Step 6.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 797Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 1110mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 7gSugar: 7gProtein: 56g
Calculated nutrition values are not always accurate, but can provide a general idea for planning purposes. Please do not rely on this information as it may not be complete. Recipes that include unusual ingredients, especially scrap ingredients, will have the least accurate information with this calculator.
