Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon with Garlicky Kale
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From chef Alex Guarnaschelli, this sheet-pan salmon with kale makes a quick, healthy, and seriously delicious weeknight dinner.
Modestly adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli’s gorgeous new cookbook, Cook with Me: 150 Recipes For the Home Cook, this sheet-pan blackened salmon with garlicky kale makes a wonderful weeknight dinner. In fact, the recipe is so quick, delicious, and healthy, it’s worth the cost of the book alone. Before roasting, the salmon fillets are coated with olive oil and sprinkled with blackening seasoning — a blend of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard, and oregano — which is delicious in and of itself. Then, before serving, the salmon is drizzled with honey and lime to brighten the flavor. The garlic-tossed kale is roasted right alongside the fish until slightly crispy, making a lovely side dish.
What You’ll Need To Make Blackened Salmon with Garlicky Kale
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the blackening seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. 
Stir until evenly mixed and no lumps remain.
Use 1 tablespoon of the oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Place the salmon filets, skin-side down, on the pan, leaving space between them; drizzle the salmon with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the salmon.
Prepare the Kale: In a medium bowl, combine the kale with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the minced garlic, and a pinch of salt.
Using tongs, toss well.
Arrange the kale all around (but not covering) the salmon; it’s okay to pile it up a bit, as it will shrink significantly as it roasts.
Place the pan on the lower-middle rack and roast for 12 to 14 minutes for medium-cooked salmon. (If you prefer your salmon medium-rare, cook 10 to 12 minutes. For well-done, cook 15 to 17 minutes.) Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle the honey over the fish. Then sprinkle the lime zest and juice over the fish.
Serve immediately and enjoy.
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Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon with Garlicky Kale
From chef Alex Guarnaschelli, this sheet-pan salmon with kale makes a quick, healthy, and seriously delicious weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 (6 to 8-ounce portions) salmon fillets, skin on
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale (about 8 ounces), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the lower-middle position.
- Prepare the Salmon: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard, oregano, and ¾ teaspoon salt; stir until evenly mixed and no lumps remain. Use 1 tablespoon of the oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Place the salmon filets, skin-side down, on the pan, leaving space between them; drizzle the salmon with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the salmon.
- Prepare the Kale: In a medium bowl, using tongs, toss the kale with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the minced garlic, and a pinch of salt. Arrange it all around (but not covering) the salmon; it's okay to pile it up a bit, as it will shrink significantly as it roasts.
- Place the pan on the lower-middle rack and roast for 12 to 14 minutes for medium-cooked salmon. (If you prefer your salmon medium-rare, cook 10 to 12 minutes. For well-done, cook 15 to 17 minutes.) Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle the honey over the fish. Then sprinkle the lime zest and juice over the fish. Serve immediately.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 557
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Sodium: 591 mg
- Cholesterol: 94 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This was delicious. We eat salmon a lot and this was a great new way to prepare it. The lime and honey really finish it off. Loved the crispy kale with garlic, too.
Can you make this with white fish/tilapia?
Sure! Bake time may be slightly different so keep an eye on them.
I roasted garbanzo beans and red onions with 1/2 Tablespoon of lemon infused oil for 30 minutes at 400 degrees prior to starting the recipe. Added the roasted garbanzos and red onions to the kale and mixed as directed in the recipe. I did not have a lime on hand so subbed with a lemon. Fantastic recipe and will definitely make again!
Made this tonight. Out of this world! Thank you for a great recipe.
I don’t have sweet paprika just regular and smoked . What to do ?
Regular and sweet paprika are one and the same. Hope you enjoy the salmon!
Easy go to! Yum
Looking for an easy recipe for kale and salmon, I made this as a surprise for my husband (our top chef 😉 and son …
It was absolutely delicious! So easy to toss the dry ingredients together while the salmon thawed, it required very little prep, few prep dishes (my favorite thing) and I practically inhaled it – thank you!
Yum. I’m making this tonight—the spicer, the better for my husband and me. I already know we will love this.
It was way too hot–way beyond flavorful. The cayenne (especially) and mustard were super strong and so dominant that they were all you tasted. I might try it again with the spice cut down by a lot. Everyone at the table felt the same way about it.
I got a lot of benefits out of this recipe. First, it triggered me to buy a 1/4 sheet pan with ridges which is great for my bride and I. Our kids are off making grandkids so it’s just the two of us. Second, I loved the salmon roasting method and the timing. I also liked the seasoning finished with the lime juice (too lazy to grate the lime) and honey and cut the cayenne in half because my bride doesn’t care much for heat. She still thought it was too hot and I had to man-up and eat hers. 😉 We both loved the roasted kale. Thank you!
Absolutely delicious!! I heated up some pre-made crab cakes with it, and put them in the oven 5 minutes before. Baked the salmon and kale for exactly 10 minutes and it turned out perfect. Such an easy, healthy lunch or dinner to make in a hurry 🙂
Delish! Could I use this same rub for blackened chicken breast? How would I cook the chicken?
Glad you liked it! I do think you could use chicken. I’d suggest chicken tenderloins and baking them in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Haven’t made this in awhile, but did remember distinctly that I had enjoyed it when I did. Made it again tonight with Ouac’s carameized cauliflower and baby potatoes. Husband said he would order this every time if it was on a restaurant menu (this coming from a self proclaimed pizza/pasta guy who doesn’t like seafood). Winner!
Have made this before, as written, and all of us loved it! Flavorful and healthy which is a bonus. I wanted to make it again but have a box of baby kale that needs to be used up – would it work here?
Hi Asha, Glad you like it. You can use baby kale here, but it will have a different texture — rather than crisping up, it will wilt and soften. It will still be good — just different.
My absolute favorite salmon recipe! My only question is how could it not be completely over cooked at 10-14 minutes? I bake at 7-8 min & it’s perfect!
I haven’t made this yet, but plan to using spinach; however I agree with you – I can’t imagine baking the salmon for 10-14 minutes, esp. when one end of the salmon is so thin. True, the rack is to be set in the lower middle position, but the temp. is still set at 400 F. I’m definitely checking on the salmon at 9 min. at the most.
This recipe is simply amazing! We recently bought some salmon to change up dinners and try out new recipes. This recipe ticked all of the boxes. It was so easy to prep and fix on a weeknight and the whole meal was delicious. The salmon was perfect, and I’ve had very little experience cooking salmon, and tasted wonderful. The kale was also perfect. Our kale crisped up into nice kale “chips” almost. Paired with focaccia for an easy, delicious, and filling weeknight meal. Husband said this should definitely be a regular rotation. Thank you, Jenn!
Love this recipe! Been making this at least 1x per week for a while. Easy, healthy and so delicious!
I want to make this dish but don’t want to have to scrub my sheet pan after. Would the salmon and kale still cook and crisp the same if I used parchment on top of the pan?
Hi Judy, I think it should be fine. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, could I substitute baby spinach for the kale? If so, would the cooking time be the same? Thanks! Ally in New Jersey
Hi Ally, Yes, you could use spinach here; just keep in mind that the spinach will wilt. The timing should be the same. Please LMK how it turns out!
Jenn – Would love to try this on the grill with out the kale. Do you think the rub and olive oil and then follow with the honey and lime drizzle work? Or will it lose its overall taste without the kale?
Hi Diane, I think this would be nice on the grill and it’s perfectly fine to cook the kale and the salmon separately. It will still be delicious. Hope you enjoy!