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Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper

Mediterranean-inspired salmon in parchment paper with sun-dried tomatoes, dill, capers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and pesto sauce is a mouth-watering experience for a lovely evening in. PLUS, it’s easy! Let’s do this!

Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper with sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, dill, capers, and artichoke hearts. This easy dinner recipe is paleo, keto, and packed with flavor!

Have you ever made salmon in parchment paper (or fish en papillote, if you will)?

Holy mackerel, it’s a treat!

One of the astonishing facts I learned on my trip to Cordova, Alaska was that 80% of the fish and seafood that is consumed in the U.S. is consumed at restaurants.

Why? Because folks tend to be afraid of either preparing it improperly and getting sick, or preparing it in a way that isn’t palatable.

Completely understandable. No one loves a parasite, and good seafood is pricy, so why risk messing it up and having the whole thing go to waste?

While I understand the risk aversion, I’ve been wanting to dispel this fear ever since.

Making fish and seafood at home is no more complicated than preparing any other form of protein, and we don’t have to save our seafood experience for the occasional special night out!

I have shown you The Only Grilled Salmon Recipe You’ll Ever Need , My Go-To Crispy Salmon Recipe  (which involves broiling), and my Crispy Skillet Salmon method,

I have yet to show you how I prepare salmon in parchment paper, also known as fish en papillote or salmon en papillote.

You guys, this is so dang easy.

AND FUN!

The reason I love cooking fish in parchment paper is you end up with this marvelously moist and beautifully textured result every time.

AND THE FLAVOR…holy mackerel, the flavor!

This particular recipe is chock full of big, bold Mediterranean-inspired ingredients, so you’re slated for that perfectly cooked salmon experience with all the flavor to back it up.

Here’s how we do this thing!

How to Make Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper:

Procure a large salmon fillet. I use wild salmon (wild-caught salmon, King salmon, Coho salmon, or sockeye salmon are all great. Mine was 1.75 pounds.

Simply lay a long sheet of parchment paper on top of a large baking sheet. Use a large rimmed baking sheet if you have one, but any sheet pan will work.

Place salmon fillet on top skin side down.

You can purchase smaller fillets and make individual packets, or cut the fillet into smaller pieces for individual portions. I like making it in one big parchment paper packet to save time (and parchment paper).

How to make salmon in parchment paper

Drizzle the salmon with a light coat of avocado oil or a little olive oil.

Season salmon with sea salt and your choice of spices. I use paprika, dried dill, and ground ginger.

Cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder are also great choices!

How to make salmon in parchment paper

After seasoning the fish, add whatever flavor-blaster ingredients you’d like on top.

I went with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, fresh dill, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and pesto sauce. Use toppings that sound great to you, like cherry tomatoes or slices of lemon.

You can use my Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe or my Low-FODMAP Pesto Sauce or any of your favorites!

How to make salmon in parchment paper

Once your ingredients are nestled on top of the fish, you’re going to wrap up the parchment paper to make it all nice and snuggly in a parchment pouch. Gather edges of the parchment paper and fold them over, like you’re wrapping a little salmon gift.

The parchment paper will want to come apart, so I use three pieces of kitchen twine to keep it enclosed – one piece on either end and one for the middle. 

How to make salmon in parchment paper

Now that we officially have our salmon en papillote, we simply bake it in the preheated oven.

I bake mine for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. If you have a thicker piece of fish, you’ll be looking at the 25 to 30-minute time range to cook it all the way through.

Et voila!

Cut the twine, un-wrap your papillote, cut the filet into individual servings, and have yourself a glorious dinner!

Mediterranean-inspired Salmon in Parchment Paper (or fish en papillote) with sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, dill, capers, and artichoke hearts. This easy dinner recipe is paleo, keto, and packed with flavor!

Fish is considered fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. For the best result, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature to guarantee the salmon is neither undercooked or overcooked.

Insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the fish and wait until the numbers stop moving to get an accurate read.

Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper - paleo, keto, low-carb, amazingly flavorful dinner recipe! This salmon with pesto, kalamata olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts is an epic crowd pleaser!

Recipe Adaptations:

  • You can use any type of fish or seafood for this recipe Cod and halibut are amazing too!
  • As an alternative to the Mediterranean theme, you can keep it simple and sprinkle the salmon with salt and black pepper and lay lemon slices and fresh herbs on top. Get creative with your toppings!
  • Make individual packets by using smaller filets or cutting a large filet into smaller fillets. You can cook all of the parchment packets on the same baking sheet.
  • If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, aluminum foil works too. You can also make this recipe leaving the salmon open (without wrapping it at all), although the parchment method results in the most tender fish.

Serving Options:

Now that the parchment paper salmon is cooked, you can cut it into individual portions and serve with your favorite side dishes. The following are some of my favorite side dishes to pair with the Mediterranean salmon.

I’ve been using this as my favorite way to meal prep, since salmon is one of my favorite sources of animal protein.

The bold flavors make for such a delicious dinner. It’s truly a treat!

I simply make a big fillet at the beginning of the week, store it in an airtight container, and eat on it over the next 4 to 5 days.

The recipe is simple enough to make for any weeknight meal, yet fancy enough to serve at a dinner party for a special occasion.

Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and capers. An easy, delicious, healthy dinner recipe! #paleo #keto #whole30 #glutenfree #lowcarb

There she be, folks!

Your newest obsession and favorite cooking method for preparing your fillet o’ fish every single time.

The next time you meal prep or entertain guests, you’ll have this goof-proof method at your disposal!

More Healthy Salmon Recipes:

Enjoy the most flavorful, best salmon recipe!

Mediterranean salmon fresh out of the oven, ready to be served.

Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper

Yield: 5 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper is an easy, flavorful low-carb dinner recipe perfect for those who love a clean and delicious meal! Paleo, keto, and whole30, this recipe is suitable for many diets.

Ingredients

  • 1 (1 3/4-pound) salmon fillet
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
  • 1/4 cup capers
  • 3 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pesto sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lay a long sheet of parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
  2. Place salmon fillet on top of the parchment paper and sprinkle with sea salt, paprika, ground ginger, and dried dill.

Large raw salmon filet sprinkled with seasonings.

3. Top salmon with the remaining ingredients, trying to get an even distribution over the full fillet.

Raw large salmon filet on a sheet of parchment paper with toppings on top, ready to be baked in the oven.

4. Fold the sides and ends of the parchment paper, creating a packet. Secure with kitchen twine.

Salmon wrapped in parchment paper binded by kitchen twine on a baking sheet.

5. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. Thicker cuts of fish will require 25 to 30 minutes.

6. Remove fish from the oven, cut the twine and un-wrap the parchment paper. Salmon is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature by inserting it into the thickest part of the fish.

7. Cut into individual-size portions and serve with your choice of side dishes.

Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1 of 5
Amount Per Serving Calories 243Total Fat 10gUnsaturated Fat 0gCarbohydrates 7gSugar 1gProtein 33g

Mediterranean-inspired salmon in parchment paper with sun-dried tomatoes, dill, capers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and pesto sauce is a mouth-watering experience for a lovely evening in.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

I originally shared this recipe on July 26, 2018. While I updated some of the information, the recipe itself is the same.

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Deborah

Monday 12th of December 2022

I made this and it was very good. My husband is not a huge fan of fish but he commented that this was really good. I highly recommend this dish and it will become part of my repertoire of dinners.

Julia

Wednesday 14th of December 2022

Thanks so much for reporting back, Deborah! I'm happy you and your husband enjoyed the meal!

Gwen

Saturday 23rd of July 2022

By far this is the Best fish recipe I have ever made. It has been a staple for company for the bast 2 years. Everyone loves it. Once you get all the ingredients you are good for a couple meal in a row. I can’t thank you enough for this tasty treasure. Well done! Btw I use rainbow trout as it is cheaper than salmon and always fresh at Costco.

Julia

Sunday 24th of July 2022

I'm so thrilled you and your family enjoys it! Thanks so much for the sweet note!

Marla

Saturday 21st of May 2022

I am one of those people who love fish but am intimidated to make it at home . I plan to try this recipe but have a couple of questions. What do you consider thick salmon and how do I know if it's done if it's wrapped in paper? I appreciate any help I can get with this. Thank you.

Julia

Wednesday 25th of May 2022

Hi Marla!

No worries, you're in good hands! I would consider thick salmon to be anything over 1 inch thick. Salmon is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Simply stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the filet and wait until the numbers stop moving to get an accurate read. You can also tell it is fully cooked when all of the transparent brighter pink is gone and the fish is fully opaque and pale pink when you slice into it. Let me know if you have any other questions!! xoxox

Danielle

Wednesday 16th of February 2022

Did you use sundries toms in oil or rehydrate dried ones ? And the artichokes, were they packed in oil or in a can with no oil ? I have it in the oven right now, just wondering how oily it might be ?

Julia

Thursday 17th of February 2022

Hi Danielle!

I use sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts that are packed in oil and come in a jar. Before using them in the recipe, I allow the oil to drip off rather than pouring it on with the oil. Hope that helps! xo

Frankie

Tuesday 8th of February 2022

The salmon dish was wonderful. I had some guests over and all of them wanted the recipe. It’s a recipe you should definitely try & keep.

Julia

Wednesday 9th of February 2022

Thanks so much for swinging back around to let me know! I'm so happy you and your guests enjoy it, Frankie! xoxo

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