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.

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!