In this salmon en papillote recipe, the fish is cooked in a parchment paper packet for just under 10 minutes until it’s moist and delicious.
Here’s a little meal we whipped up in honor of Valentine’s Day. I must admit, I used to be quite the Valentine’s Day cynic. I won’t go into it here, but some of my arguments were consumerism, cheesy cards, and the way it makes some single people feel bad. Since my youth, I’ve warmed up to the concept of celebrating love on February 14 because, well, why not take another day to cherish those you hold dear? And it doesn’t have to be just romantic love. Family, friends, community—everyone can be celebrated on V-day! I do follow that up with a meal that’s perfect as a cooking date for a couple—though of course it can be doubled or tripled for more. Keep reading for the salmon en papillote recipe!
Related: 28 Day Healthy Meal Plan
What is salmon in papillote?
Salmon en papillote is a fancy French way of saying “salmon in paper.” The fish is cooked in a parchment paper packet for just under 10 minutes until it’s moist and delicious. We’ve added lemon, thyme, and rosemary for flavor, and cooked it with thinly sliced carrots. Some added roasted potatoes make it a meal. It’s fairly easy to put together, but so elegant it will seem like it took hours in the kitchen.
Related: 14 Red Potato Recipes
Making this salmon en papillote
For the salmon, try looking for a sustainably raised fish. We bought ours at the Indy Winter Farmer’s Market from Sitka Salmon Shares, which provides responsibly-sourced fish from Alaska. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, we have a white bean option (below). You may want to add a salad or bread since the white bean option is not quite as filling.
Related: 10 Romantic Dinner Recipes | Easy Dinner Recipes for Two
If you do try this as a cooking date, make sure to do the following:
- Buy the ingredients in advance; make sure not to shop when you are hungry!
- Turn on some music (Alex’s favorite is Google Music—they have great thematic mixes).
- Pour some wine or your beverage of choice.
- Put together some items to nibble on while cooking: we like a nice cheese, crackers, olives, baguette, nuts, etc – simple items that need no preparation.
- Allow for about 1 hour or a little over to prepare the meal, depending on how fast of a cook you are.
- Make the potatoes first and get them in the oven; then start the salmon packets.
- Folding the heart-shaped packets is the only somewhat tough part; we’ve added a link below to help out.
- We have a dessert recipe coming soon to end your meal on a sweet note; it requires no advanced prep so you can make it after you eat your meal.
We hope you enjoy this meal! Let us know if you give it a try.
Looking for more healthy seafood recipes?
Outside of this salmon en papillote, here are a few more healthy seafood recipes:
- 5 Minute Seared Tuna Recipe
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Seafood Paella Recipe on an Open Fire
- Broiled Salmon with Bourbon Glaze
- Baked Salmon with Chimichurri Sauce
- Maki Sushi Recipe
- Truffled Egg with Smoked Salmon
- Baked Shrimp with Feta and Tomatoes
- Garlic Grilled Shrimp
- Easy Grilled Shrimp
- Roasted Tomato Shrimp Over Creamy Polenta
- Quick Garlicky Shrimp Couscous
- Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Sauce
- How to Cook Shrimp on the Stove
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers
- How to Buy Sustainable Fish & Seafood
This recipe is…
This salmon en papillote recipe is pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. For vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based option, see the recipe below.
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Salmon en Papillote with Roasted Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (10 minutes for salmon only)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
In this salmon en papillote recipe, the fish is cooked in a parchment paper packet for just under 10 minutes until it’s moist and delicious.
Ingredients
For the roasted potatoes (optional)
- 2 pounds mixed red and yellow-skinned potatoes
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Fresh ground pepper
For the salmon en papillote
- 2 pieces parchment paper
- ½ pound salmon (or for a vegetarian version, 1 ½ cups cooked or a 15-ounce can white beans)
- 3 medium carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 green onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- For the roasted potatoes (optional): Dice the potatoes. Chop the thyme leaves. In a large bowl, mix the potatoes and thyme with the olive oil, kosher salt, honey, and fresh ground pepper. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
- For the salmon en papillote: Cut the salmon in half. Peel the carrots and cut them into very thin strips (julienne). Peel the garlic. Slice the lemon into rings. Finely chop the thyme and rosemary. Thinly slice the green portion of the green onion.
- Fold the parchment paper in half and then cut it into a heart shape. Lightly brush the right half of the parchment heart with olive oil. On the right half of the heart, place the carrots on the paper, then place the salmon on top. Add the whole garlic cloves and lemon rings next to the carrots. Top each packet with half of the chopped herbs, ½ tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon paprika and fresh ground pepper. (Note: For the vegetarian version, substitute 1 ½ cups drained and rinsed white beans. Decrease the herbs to 2 teaspoons each.)
- Seal each packet by folding over the left half of the heart, then folding ½-inch straight folds along the edge of the heart. (See How to Fold Parchment Paper for more detailed instructions for how to fold the parchment paper.)
- Bake the salmon 9 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece, or 10 to 11 minutes for a piece thicker than 1 inch (insert a knife into the middle of one piece to ensure the desired doneness). Rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions and serve.
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: salmon en papillote
I admit I’ve never tried salmon en papillote but I’m going to have to change that ASAP with this recipe (plus those heart-shaped papers — LOVE :)).
Love cooking fish this way and the presentation is always great!
What a beautiful meal. I love cooking salmon in parchment for the exact same reasons you mentioned, it’s elegant without the fuss.
simple, elegant and delicious!
Gah! I love that wood table (and also the salmon en papillotte recipe, I have some soy ginger cod marinating in the fridge & will have to try this technique)!
This looks amazing and so simple to prepare! May try this tomorrow night! So healthy and beautiful…
My husband will love this salmon preparation. Thank you!
I know my boyfriend is going to love this. I do most of the cooking in our home, but I love it when he sits in the kitchen and talks to me while I am preparing dinner. Those are special times to treasure, and honour with delicious, well-thought-out food.
A fantastic recipe. How would this work with other fish (say white flesh fish), would it effect the cooking times or flavor?
It should work fine with any lighter fish. I’m not sure on cooking time — but you can always peek inside to test whether or not it is finished.
This looks amazing and it’s so cute!