Herb Crusted Salmon (Whole30, Paleo)

5 from 4 votes
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Herb-crusted salmon is an easy weeknight meal for dinner or lunch. It’s garlicky, herby, refreshing, and subtle.

This sheet pan meal is low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30-friendly, low-calorie, high-protein, and Paleo-friendly.

Wouldn’t it be great if you had an amazing salmon dish that you could make right at home? A dish that’s easy to make and doesn’t require you to go out to a restaurant?

This Herb Crusted Salmon with Garlic and Tomatoes is so delicious that you might not be able to tell the difference.

pan with herb salmon

Because the salmon is baked, it doesn’t dry out. Plus, it has an incredible herb crust that really tops it all off.

plate with herb crusted salmon and tomatoes

There are so many things to love about this meal.

Each serving is only 333 calories. Plus, the meal is low in carbohydrates.

There are only 11 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

The ingredients that make up this healthy dish are nutritious and easily accessible. Each of the components has their own benefits and play a part in making this dish so delicious!

tomatoes on plate with herbed salmon

Ingredients You’ll Need

 

Salmon fillets – Salmon is easy to find, whether you buy it fresh or frozen, and something to think about adding to your nutrition plan more often. Its fatty fish is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Garlic – Using fresh garlic is always recommended. It’s going to provide the best flavor.

Garlic has immune-boosting properties and can even help treat heart disease and high blood pressure.

Fresh parsley and basil – Fresh herbs are a must when serving a dish like this. Nothing really compares to adding fresh green herbs for fantastic flavor.

If you can’t find fresh parsley or basil, try substituting with another fresh herb before using dried herbs. Some recommendations are fresh chives, mint, or dill.

Olive oil – Olive oil is a kitchen staple that is great for cooking fish. If you don’t have olive oil, some other options will work, too.

For example, sunflower seed oil and avocado oil are other great options.

Salt & black pepper – Salt and pepper are two simple ingredients that naturally elevate the dish’s flavor. As long as your use salt sparingly, it’s OK to add to a regular, healthy diet.

Cherry tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes are used a little differently in this recipe. But it brings out a different and really delicious flavor.

When you roast tomatoes, they develop a smokey flavor while still maintaining their natural sweetness.

Balsamic vinegar – It adds sweetness, saltiness, and smokey flavor to the dish. It also is a good item to add to your diet for many health benefits.

Some of these health benefits include aiding healthy digestion, lowering cholesterol, and promoting healthy weight loss.

ingredients for herb crusted salmon with tomatoes

How to Make Herb Crusted Salmon

First, preheat your oven to 400F. Then prep your pan by lining it with foil or parchment paper.

Now you’re going to make the herb “crust” for the salmon.

Start by chopping your herbs and mincing the garlic. To make this step a little faster (and cleaner), there are a few tools to help make this part a little easier.

For example, I like to use herb scissors like this and a garlic press like this. They help keep my kitchen clean and prevent my fingers from smelling too much like garlic.

Mix together the garlic, fresh herbs, and olive oil in a small bowl.

herb and garlic mixture in bowl

Next, scatter the tomatoes on one side of the pan. Make sure that they are all lying flat and not piled on top of one another.

Drizzle the cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

tomatoes with balsamic drizzle on sheet pan

Now place the salmon fillets on the other side of the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Scoop a small amount of the herb crust that you made onto each fillet.

herb mixture on top of salmon

Now you’re ready to put your sheet pan in the oven!

sheet pan with herb salmon and tomatoes

Bake the salmon and tomatoes for about 20 minutes. The tomatoes should start to burst, and the salmon should be light pink in color.

cooked herb salmon sheet pan

Can I Cook Salmon Without Foil?

Salmon is a rather delicate fish. Therefore, we want to be sure that it doesn’t stick to the pan after cooking.

The best way to do this is to line the pan with foil or an alternative for easy removal.

If you don’t have aluminum foil, you can use parchment paper or a silicone mat.

plate with salmon and tomatoes

How Long to Cook Salmon in the Oven?

Most fish cooks relatively quickly in the oven. Which is a big perk when you are making dinner in a hurry.

It’s also one of the best ways to cook fish to maintain its structure and moisture.

Depending on how big your amount of fish is, it can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes to cook salmon in the oven.

The timing will be closer to 15-20 minutes for smaller fillets. However, if you are cooking an entire fish, it may take up to 30 minutes.

Either way, always check to make sure that your fish is thoroughly cooked. The best way to do this is to look at the color (which should be a pale pink) and flakiness.

The fish should flake apart easily when appropriately cooked.

close up of cooked salmon

Benefits of Eating Salmon

Salmon provides many health benefits! Therefore, it’s no surprise it’s often added to healthy diets and other weight loss programs.

Here are several health benefits from eating salmon:

  • Salmon is very high in protein. One 3.5 ounce serving can contain as much as 25 grams of protein.
  • Salmon is high in vitamin B. Vitamin B is an essential nutrient that helps turn your food into energy.
  • Wild salmon (vs. farmed salmon) has high levels of potassium. Potassium helps control blood pressure.
  • It’s great for weight loss and boosts your metabolism. This is because of the high protein level and low amount of carbohydrates.

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herb crusted salmon
5 from 4 votes

Herb Crusted Salmon (Whole30, Paleo)

By Karo @ AllNutritious
A quick sheet pan dinner you can make! It's refreshing, herby, garlicky, and full of nutrition. A low carb, Whole30, low calorie, high protein, and Paleo-friendly.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 salmon fillets with tomatoes

Ingredients 

Garlic Herb Crusted Salmon

  • 4 salmon fillets around 1lb (skin on, raw)
  • 8 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • a pinch salt
  • a pinch of black pepper

Tomatoes

  • 5 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • a pinch salt
  • a pinch of black pepper

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • On a sheet pan with parchment paper on, assemble tomatoes on one side. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
  • In a small bowl, press in garlic cloves, add finely chopped herbs and olive oil. Combine so the ingredients bind together and form a rub.
  • Place salmon fillets on the sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Then, rub the herb mixture on top.
  • Cook in the oven for 20 minutes until salmon is fully cooked and tomatoes are bursting.

Recipe Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1fillet with tomatoes | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12.3g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 154mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 6.2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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