Giada De Laurentiis’s Sheet-Pan Salmon Recipe Is Golden

We love when celebrity chefs share healthy and delicious recipes that look pretty easy to make. After all, there’s no better feeling than serving up a quick-and-tasty weeknight meal that takes very little time to prep and cook.

Giada De Laurentiis just shared one of those must-try simple meals, and we can’t wait to break out our sheet pans and give it a try. Plus, as an added bonus, it’s a favorite dish of Giada’s teen daughter Jade, which could make it a great fit for the whole family.

In a recent Instagram post, De Laurentiis shared her Mediterranean diet-friendly Sheet-Pan Lemon-Pepper Salmon and Veggies, and it’s chock-full of colorful veggies and plenty of health benefits. “This sheet pan salmon also happens to be a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet,” she says in the clip. We just so happen to agree with her—especially when she breaks down her reasoning.

“First, I chop up zucchini, tomatoes and potatoes…,” De Laurentiis shares. “They’re each packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber and overall a ton of nutrients—good stuff. I toss it all in pepper-infused olive oil, which is rich in polyphenols.” 

Olive oil is a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet *and* a go-to ingredient in our pantries. Like De Laurentiis says, it offers beneficial polyphenols that can help support your bone health—plus, it’s a great choice for heart health and reducing inflammation.

“Next, I prep the salmon, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids,” Giada adds. “These healthy fats are anti-inflammatory and they help lower our blood pressure and support cognitive function. We all love that. You pop it all in the oven, and that’s it.”

We’re sold, especially considering that salmon is also a great source of protein and vitamins like B-12 and D. What’s more, potatoes can improve gut health and help with your blood pressure, zucchini contributes to bone, heart and skin health, and tomatoes are a great source of vitamins and lycopene (especially once they’re baked). Needless to say, we’re loving all of De Laurentiis’s beneficial additions to this yummy sheet pan meal. 

To make De Laurentiis’s sheet-pan salmon, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Scatter the potatoes and vegetables onto a sheet pan and drizzle the mixture with olive oil and salt. De Laurentiis prefers pepper-infused olive oil for this recipe, but whatever olive oil you have on hand will work fine. 

Bake the veggies for about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking process. As the veggies cook, prepare your salmon filets by seasoning them with a mixture of lemon zest, oil, black pepper, salt and oregano. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the salmon reaches your desired doneness. Serve each salmon filet on a bed of roasted vegetables with some lemon wedges on the side for squeezing on top.

If you’re not a fan of fish or prefer to try another type of simple sheet-pan dinner, worry not. We’ve got you covered with high-protein sheet-pan dinner recipes, some delicious chicken sheet-pan meals and lots of Mediterranean diet-friendly sheet-pan meals that are easy to prepare in your own kitchen. 

You can also try other sheet-pan fish dinners, like Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli or Sheet-Pan Lemon-Garlic Cod with Roasted Vegetables, especially if this De Laurentiis dish is a win with your own kids. These simple sheet-pan supper recipes make it easy to swap in veggies you have on hand or tailor the seasonings to fit your palate, so they’re great resources to have on hand for busy evenings.

However you dish up this dinner—maybe with a side of brown rice or with a fun and refreshing drink—the fresh, lemony flavor of this simple meal is perfect for an evening at home.