Baked Salmon over Roasted Zucchini with a Lemon Spinach Puree
Whether looking for a way to mix up your baked salmon and veggie routine, or trying to find a way to sneak in more nutrients, this dish will deliver on both flavor and health benefits!
The Green Goddess! I’ve had many friends that were into distant running, and it was always fun to learn about their diets, both in training and off, to maintain their bodies. Iron, protein and good fat seemed to be a common theme, and it was incredibly interesting at how they could sneak this in! True story, I once got so into sneaking in veggies that my test of cooking ability was if the audience could tell (zucchini chocolate cake? Pureed carrot nacho cheese?) While there is no sneaking in this dish, by pureeing down the spinach into a sauce, you are taking in the nutrients of a large dinner salad without the full filling. Great for a refreshing meal!
Move over Vampires! I’ll be honest, while I LOVE my garlic, this one should come with a warning. While the chopped garlic in the zucchini roasts down to provide flavor to the veg and dilute the potency of the garlic, the sauce is the exact opposite. By chopping this in the food processor, it opens up the garlic and spreads throughout the rest of the sauce with the help of the lemon and oil, creating a beautiful garlic and lemon taste….that will stay with you for a bit. My suggestion going in-eat that garlic! But, variations here could be to add parsley into the sauce, add a bit more to the salmon when cooking and less topped in the raw form, or cut back on the quantity used. My mom use to say “anyone remotely interesting usually has garlic breath”. Well said mom, well said!
Looking for other ways to cook with salmon? Try out:
Salmon with a Strawberry Balsamic Chutney
Salmon with a Sun-Dried Tomato Garlic Cream Sauce
Salmon Meatballs with an Avocado Cream Sauce
Salmon with Olive and Caper Puttanesca Chutney
Like with you see?! Jump over and Like and Follow Goddess of Garlic on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest to receive updates as new recipes are posted!
We’d love to have you share with your friends and tell us about your experience!
Baked Salmon over Roasted Zucchini with a Lemon Spinach Puree
Equipment
- Kitchen knife
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Food Processor
- Air Fryer (optional)
- Roasting Pan
Ingredients
- 2 medium Zucchini
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 2 fillets Salmon
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (optional)
- Salt
Puree
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3-4 handfuls Fresh Spinach
- 1/2-2 squeezed Lemon
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. In a mixing bowl, add diced zucchini (about 1/2 pieces), and toss with olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Transfer to a roasting dish and place in oven. These should cook for about 30 minutes, tossing often, until tender.
- In a food processor, add half of the lemon juice and olive oil, along with a handful of spinach. Puree until smooth. As a liquid forms, add additional spinach, minced garlic, olive oil, and lemon, to slowly incorporate until all is added. You can adjust lemon/olive oil to taste and liquidity preference. I like mine thicker, similar to a pesto.
- Clean and place your salmon fillets on a baking dish. If using an air fryer, place about a tsp of the spinach puree on each and cook for about 12 minutes, until done. A conventional oven works just as well with the same process, but adjust cooking time accordingly, as this will take longer.
- Plate roasted zucchini, topped with a salmon fillet, and add a generous amount of additional spinach puree for serving. If you'd like, sprinkle a little freshly grated parmesan cheese over the zucchini. Garnish with a wedge of lemon and enjoy!
Spicy Dijon Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes - Goddess of Garlic
[…] Baked Salmon over Roasted Zucchini with a Lemon Spinach Puree […]