Super easy oven baked lemon Salmon fillet with a fresh Courgette and Pepper salad. The perfect light summer meal in under 30 minutes!
This lemon baked salmon is so easy and delicious that it’s on regular rotation at our house during the summer. The courgette salad is light and fresh, and the whole dish makes excellent leftovers, especially if it’s mixed with some rocket for a lunchtime salad the next day.
I’m trying to make more effort to Eat The Seasons and be generally more conscious of where our food comes from. We have so much amazing produce available here in the UK, and, especially right now, it’s important to support our local economy and food producers.
Courgette Salad
I have to confess that courgettes are not a vegetable I typically enjoy. I think I may have been ruined by too many soggy ratatouille and vegetable pasta dishes. However, this salad is simple and delicious. The courgettes and peppers are not cooked, just sliced super thin for a fresh and delicate flavour which is perfectly enhanced by the lemon and chilli dressing. I have used just one small chilli in the recipe, but if you enjoy a bit more spice then feel free to add a second or third chilli, or experiment with some spicier types.
To Cook the Salmon
To start off, place the salmon on a baking tray lined with a large sheet of baking paper. Lightly season the salmon with salt. Mix the juice and zest of 1 lemon with some olive oil and pour over the salmon. Fold the baking paper into a parcel around the salmon then bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Salmon overcooks easily, so make sure you check it after 15 minutes. It should be just opaque and flake easily at the touch of a fork. You can make this recipe with smaller individual fillets, but reduce the cooking time to 10-12 minutes.
To Make the Salad
While the salmon cooks, prepare the salad. Mix 1 diced chilli, 1 diced garlic clove, 2 tbsp olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel 2 courgettes (zucchini) and 1 red or orange pepper into strips. Stop when you reach the inner seeds of the courgette. For the pepper, it’s easiest if you slice it in half length ways and peel along the cut edge. Toss the strips together with the dressing.
When the salmon is cooked, allow it to cool a little then serve with the salad. This dish is delicious served with a side of basmati rice or some buttery baby potatoes.
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to add an extra chilli in the salad dressing if you like a it of extra spice.
- Make sure you set a timer when cooking your salmon – it overcooks very quickly.
- If serving with rice or baby potatoes, this recipe will make 4 comfortable servings.
- If you have leftovers, they make a great salad tossed with some fresh rocket/arugula and a drizzle of lemon juice.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The salmon will keep for 3 days after it’s cooked, but I would recommend to eat it within 24 hours.
If you’re looking for another easy summer meal then check out my Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing or my Tuna Steaks with Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Salad.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please leave me a comment if you try it!
Salmon Fillet with Courgette and Pepper Salad
Equipment
- vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- 500 g fillet of salmon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon
For the Salad
- 2 courgettes (zucchini)
- 1 red or orange pepper
- 1 chilli
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°c/180fan/Gas 6/400F
- Place the salmon on a large sheet of baking paper or foil on a baking tray. Season with a little salt.
- Mix the juice and zest of 1 lemon with 2 tbsp olive oil and pour over the salmon.
- Fold the baking paper around the salmon to create a parcel. Bake for 15-18 minutes – you want the salmon to be opaque and flake easily when you stick a fork in it.
- Meanwhile, add the juice of 1 lemon, 2tbsp of olive oil, one diced chilli, one diced garlic clove and 1 tbsp of fresh chopped parsley to a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper and mix well.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the courgettes (zucchini) and peppers into thin strips. Stop when you reach the seeds of the courgette. For the pepper, slice in half and peel along the cut edge.
- Add the strips of courgette and pepper to the bowl with the dressing and toss everything together.
- When the salmon is cooked through, allow to cool slightly and serve with the salad.
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