Need a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s healthy and delicious? Salmon en Papillote with Edamame Mash full-fills all!
En papillote is French for ‘in parchment’ (pronounced “ON poppy-YOTE”). It is a method of steaming that locks in flavor and moisture. It may look (and by name, even sound) fussy, but it couldn’t be easier, and it’s virtually foolproof.
Simply place the salmon on the parchment paper, add a little olive oil, thyme, some lemon, salt and pepper, seal it up and pop it in the oven. That’s it. All of the ingredients steam together and the salmon is infused with all of those wonderful bright flavors. It’s a method that couldn’t be easier, healthier, and more delicious.
The edamame mash, combined with scallions, parsley, and lemon is bright and herbaceous. It’s a lovely compliment to the lemon and thyme infused salmon. Like the salmon, the mash is super quick and easy to make. Just throw all of the ingredients into a food processor, pulse to a course texture – done.
From start to finish, you can have a healthy and delicious dinner on the table in under 20 minutes!
- 8 ounces shelled edamame
- 2 scallions
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1 lemon
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 - 6 ounce salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- *You will need parchment paper or foil for this recipe
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Zest the lemon. Then slice in half. Juice one half of the lemon, and slice the other. Set the deconstructed lemon aside.
- Cook the edamame according to the package directions. Drain the edamame and place in a food processor, along with the scallions, parsley, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper. Pulse until coarsely ground. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and thyme.
- Fold two squares of parchment paper (or foil) in half and cut into a heart shape. Place one piece of salmon on each half of the parchment paper. Brush the salmon with the olive oil - thyme mixture. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and few cracks of pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest and place 2 slices of lemon on each salmon fillet. Fold the top half of the parchment over the fish, and overlap small folds along the open edge to seal. (Click here, to see a video demonstration).
- Place the pouches on a sheet pan and cook for 10 minutes.
- Carefully open the packets. Serve either still in the packet or carefully remove and plate the salmon with the edamame mash. Serve immediately and enjoy!
This recipe sounds so delicious. I love salmon, and I think this recipe will make its way into my personal cookbook. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Cecilia. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This looks like the perfect spring meal! The fish looks so moist and flavorful, and I’m loving that gorgeous green edamame mash!
Thanks, Allie 🙂 I think en papillote is the easiest way to keep foods moist… and it make for easy clean-up as well!
What a light and healthy meal Kathleen. I’m loving that it looks so elegant yet it is so simple to make. And that edamame mash. . .divine!
Thanks, Lynn! Don’t you just love when an elegant meal is so easy to achieve? 😉 It’s the best of both worlds.
So simple yet so delicious.. this salmon en papillote is perfect! And I just LOVE the sound of that edamame mash – so much better than a standard pea, potato or bean.
Thanks, Thalia! The edamame mash is one of my favorite healthy sides, it’s so bright in flavors and like you said, a nice change from the standard side dishes.
What a lovely light meal! I need to be eating something like this at the moment, I have over done the heavy foods. Funny, I have never had edamame mashed before! I need to fix this 😉
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Lol! I’ve been around a lot of family recently and so I have also been overdoing it on the heavy meals. This dish is certainly a refreshing break… a detox if you will 😉
I REALLY want to eat this for dinner TOMORROW, Kathleen! It’s my idea of food heaven. I often eat salmon baked plain, but this is very little extra effort for a lot of extra flavour, I’m guessing. And I love edamame beans … what a great idea to mash them!
Ooo… I hope you enjoy it! Salmon simply baked is one of my go-to healthy weeknight dinners – so quick and delicious… and clean-up is a breeze 😉
This is such a fantastic, super healthy meal, Kathleen! I love the easy cleanup too!
Thanks, Thao! You know, I didn’t even think about the clean-up, but you’re SO right! No pans to wash, just simply throw away the parchment paper! I should make a note of that! 🙂
Oh man this looks delicious! I love fish cooked en papillote and that edamame mash looks incredible!
Thanks, Marissa. I almost always cook fish en papillote during the week – it’s just so quick and easy that way!
I love simple, elegant meals like this! I’ve only cooked salmon en papillote once last year and I need to make your recipe next! Yours looks perfect and so delicious! I can’t wait to try your edamame mash too, such a great idea and sounds amazing!
Thanks, Kelly! I remember the first time I saw en papillote – I thought it looked way too complicated to make… I couldn’t have been more wrong! Don’t you just love when you’re pleasantly surprised?
I LOVE en papillote!! I have a post in my cue just waiting to go up 🙂 The simplicity is fantastic and people always feel like they are getting a little gift to unwrap 🙂
Ooo… I can’t wait to see it! It’s one of those methods of cooking that is so quick and easy but always looks elegant 🙂
I love the simplicity of this recipe and the flavors you are combining. My husband WILL eat fish, whether he likes it or not… 🙂 This combo sounds very refreshing.
Thanks, Susan! So when you say your husband, ‘WILL’ eat fish whether he likes it or not, does that mean he typically does not like it? If so, he sounds like my hubby 😉 I make him eat it because I tell him it’s good for him. However, he actually likes the en papillote, so it’s not too hard to convince him to eat up 😛
Kathleen, the only way he usually eats fish is breaded and fried. Or that nasty chunk light canned tuna. I can try this at least once. Hopefully he would like it. The idea that it’s good for him most likely won’t work. I probably should mention that he was used to one particular style of cooking for most of his adult life, and then he married me not quite 7 years ago, when we were both in our mid-60s, so it’s understandable that adjusting to my ‘weird’ (multi-cultural) cooking has taken some doing. He really has been good about it, and I try to be kind to him by respecting what he really doesn’t like. If it’s not too weird, he’ll try it once. So I will try this.
Well it sounds like he’s one lucky guy – a woman to gently nudge him into expanding his culinary horizons, but still respects his taste limitations. I hope he likes the salmon en papillote. If not, that’s just more for you 😉
You know, I’ve been thinking about doing a fish n’ chips recipe inspired by our recent trip to Ireland – would that be something he might like?
If you can forgive the Sarah Palin quote: “You betcha!” My husband would love fish and chips.
What a coincidence, I was just looking at lamb pieces cooked in parchment paper! I think I’ll just start with salmon! Looks perfectly cooked and delicious. And the edamame mash is something I know I’m gonna like!
Ooo… lamb in parchment sounds amazing! I can’t wait to see that recipe! I hope you enjoy the salmon, and I think you’ll really like the edamame mash 😉
Cooking salmon en papillote is my favorite way to cook it. I think it just retains so much flavor. Lovely recipe.
Thanks, Janette. It’s mine too! It’s so quick and easy, it’s definitely my go-to method!
So basically I shouldn’t bother posting my “fish in foil” because you beat me, yours is posher AND you taught me how to pronounce en papillote!!!
Love the edamame mash. That’s gold. How have I never thought I that? I always think of edamame as beer snacks!! 🙂
Ha! This wouldn’t be the first time we made the same/similar thing (long lost relatives) 😉 I can’t wait to see your fish in foil! I don’t know about mine being ‘posher’ because I already know yours is going to be gold!
The edamame mash was born one day out of emptying my fridge of greens. Now it’s one of my favorite healthy sides.