This week is full of meetings. Meetings at weird hours, meetings far away, meetings close to home. I needed an easy weeknight meal they hubs and I could enjoy without much prep, cleanup or cooking time. Simple Roasted Salmon with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus is a go-to meal for us at least once a week. It’s delicious, full of healthy fats, protein and flavor. This meal is perfect for low carb and ketogenic foodies, and paleo/Whole30-compliant with the right bacon.
The Ingredients
Simple Roasted Salmon
I LOVE salmon. I love it so much I could eat it every week. Oh wait, we do! It’s high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. My go-to variety is king or sockeye. King salmon is fatty and has a great texture. Sockeye has significantly less fat and is bright burnt orange in color. It’s very flavorful. Any variety of salmon will work for this!
Asparagus & Bacon
Something about asparagus cooked in a snug coat of bacon makes the asparagus moist, tender and downright amazing. It’s my husband’s favorite way to eat asparagus. It’s also extremely easy to prepare and hard to mess up. Asparagus is low in carbohydrates, full of vitamins and minerals, and has folic acid. I love Oscar Mayer’s hardwood smoked bacon for this recipe. The thin pieces of bacon are 45 calories a slice, and crisp up nicely around the asparagus bundles.
All About the Timing
The bacon wrapped asparagus will take longer to cook than the salmon. Note – For a pound of un-trimmed asparagus, I typically get 4 three-ounce bundles of trimmed asparagus to split between my husband and me. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Divide the stems into 4 even bundles, and wrap each bundle in one piece of bacon. Use two pieces of bacon if desired. Bake the bacon wrapped asparagus bundles for about 15 minutes (at 350 degrees) before popping in the salmon. The thinner the salmon, the less time it will take. A thick piece of king salmon can take 18 to 20 minutes to cook. The asparagus takes 30 to 40 minutes in total in our oven. Note – oven temperatures and cooking times will vary based on food selection and personal cooking devices.
Once everything is cooked, cut the simple roasted salmon into equal serving portions, scraping the skin off the salmon if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges, and serve the asparagus alongside. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Simple Roasted Salmon with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Need an easy, delicious and healthy dinner? This simple roasted salmon with bacon wrapped asparagus is perfect.
Ingredients
- 16 oz asparagus woody bottoms removed
- 4 pieces bacon Oscar Mayer hardwood smoked recommended
- 12 oz salmon Chinook or King recommended
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Adjust oven racks so one is mid-top and one is mid-bottom (like you are dividing the oven into thirds). Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a grate on the foil (if you have one).
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Cut the woody bottoms off the asparagus. Divide the asparagus into four even bundles. Wrap each bundle in one piece of bacon (two if you're feeling crazy).
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Place the bundles on the grate on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven on the upper rack for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp, and the asparagus is cooked through.
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After the asparagus has been in the oven for 10 minutes, pull the salmon out of the fridge. If the fish has pin bones, be sure to remove them before baking (a pair of regular tweezers will work fine - just sanitize them with alcohol).
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Place the slab of fish on a foil-lined baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven on the lower rack while the asparagus bundles are still cooking. Roast until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Remove the asparagus and fish from the oven when everything is cooked through.
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Cut the salmon into (2) 6-oz portions. Plate each piece and garnish with lemon wedges. Place 2 asparagus bundles on each plate. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 414; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 104 mg; Sodium: 432 mg; Potassium: 873 mg; Total Carbohydrates: 4 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g; NET CARBOHYDRATES: 2 g; Protein: 43 g.
Nutrition facts can vary based on the selection of produce and meat, portion sizes, and preparation. Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, and obtained via MyFitnessPal. You are responsible for obtaining your own nutrition facts for any and all recipes.
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