sheet pan shawarma salmon and sweet potatoes
The alliteration in the name of this recipe pleases me. And you know what else pleases me? This dish.
On Wednesday when I made this, I was highly uninspired. I liked my recipe ideas but didn’t much feel like doing any of them. Sometimes, due to my inherent anxiety issues, I overwhelm myself by thinking everything is going to take so much time when, indeed, I work efficiently and usually don’t have that problem when I’ve the day to myself.
All that is to say, I was grumpy, and fairly negative, which usually doesn’t yield the best result. But as it usually is, a quick snack and a cup of coffee helped cure the blahs. I’m definitely not in my best mindset when I’m hungry.
So if you’re not in your best mindset right now, check the clock. Is it almost dinner time? Well, I think that’s a cue to make some Sheet Pan Salmon Shawarma, yo.
I’m no stranger to sheet pan salmons, except in the fall I often paired the fish with some crispy Brussels sprouts. That was a fun phase. Now, since we’re in the brunt of winter and probably feeling even lazier, I simplified the single pan meal even more. How? I’m wont to double up on marinades and reduce what I don’t use to soak the fish, but in this case, the incredibly flavorful shawarma sauce is piled right over the salmon before baking. One and done, bake and forget it, no whipping out a sauce pot for an extra little step.
What is shawarma? Usually, the name denotes thin strips of meat seasoned with cumin, turmeric, and a bevy of other spices and slow-roasted on a spit. It’s a typical Middle Eastern street food oft piled into pita or naan with various vegetables and sauces. I tried chicken shawarma once while I lived in Sweden, since kebab vendors are frequent and usually the only places around there open late.
This dish is a nod to the classic, but leveled up with roasted sweet potatoes and a few little elevated extras like honey and lemon. All of them easy to find in your pantry, most likely, or easy to obtain if not. The whole meal is ready in less than an hour and can be dressed up as much or little as you please, though I will always recommend a big slab of naan for folding slices of salmon in.
Global Sha-warming
Grab your biggest sheet pan. Slice up some sweet potatoes and toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. The potatoes take a big longer to soften than the fish, so a little pre-baking is necessary.
While that goes, whip up the shawarma marinade. I shake everything together in a jar to emulsify the dressing. Olive oil, lemon juice, honey, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic cloves, onion powder, and turmeric; pour it all over the salmon filets and rub it in a bit to really soak the fish. I like to make sure all the chunky garlic cloves are distributed since they get a little crispy in the oven.
Push the taters on one side of the pan and place the salmon filets on the other. Arrange a few lemon slices around: the juices release during backing and infuse everything with a lovely, bright citrus hint.
Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Again, a nice crunchy element. Roast for 10-15 minutes – my sweet spot is usually 12, and after 8 or 9 minutes I switch on my broiler to add a slight blackening to the salmon. Best.
All Dressed Up
And nowhere to go but my mouth, waddup.
The final little touch I enjoy in this dinner is some sesame lemon arugula. Just toss the leaves with sesame oil and lemon juice (as my description implies, I hope) and a little salt and pepper. One of my favorite simple sides is dressed ‘rug, and the sesame oil compliments the shawarma seasoning quite well.
Plate your salmon and potatoes with some arugula, and a slab of naan or pita. I like to wrap chunks of fish in the bread and shove it in my maw like the graceful bastard I am. You can certainly add some feta, olives, tzatziki, tahini sauce, all sorts of shit to your platters. I sliced up a few cucumbers and tomatoes to enjoy as an extra bit of green.
I just realized I have laundry to do that I’m probably going to neglect if I don’t get off my ass within 10 minutes to start it, so I’m done talking. Until tomorrow, ya’ll.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Speaking of sheet pan salmon:
Sheet Pan Hot Honey Balsamic Salmon
Sheet Pan Sticky Apricot Salmon and Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Sheet Pan Chipotle Lime Salmon and Potatoes with Jalapeno Avocado Salsa
Sheet Pan Glazed Coffee Balsamic Salmon and Crispy Brussels Sprouts
sheet pan shawarma salmon and sweet potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into rounds
- 1 lb salmon
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 lemons, one juiced and one sliced
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- naan, for serving
lemony arugula
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the shawarma sauce. In a jar or bowl, shake or whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil with the lemon juice, honey, garlic cloves, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, and onion powder. Pat the salmon filets dry and place into a shallow dish. Pour the sauce over the salmon, rubbing evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Shift the sweet potatoes to one side of the pan. Add the salmon to the other. Arrange the lemon slices around the potatoes and fish. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Roast 10-15 minutes longer until the salmon is done to your preference.
- Toss the arugula with sesame oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Divide the salmon over plates with naan and sprinkle the arugula overtop. Serve!
