Cajun Salmon Sheet Pan

This is such an easy to prepare and tasty dish. The salmon is extra delicious served on simple rice or swap out the cauliflower for potatoes

Cajun Salmon is a spiced dish that will appeal to anyone who likes Tex Mex, Mexican or Southwestern flavours. The fact that this recipe is a sheet pan dish is an added bonus making it very quick and easy to prepare. As with all sheet pan meals, the protein is already matched with complimentary vegetable sides. If you wish, you can add a salad to really round things out.

In this particular iteration inspired by a recipe on Wellness.com, I chose to pair green beans with cauliflower for a lower carb option. It would be just as easy to pair the beans with new potatoes sliced in half or even red or yellow potatoes quartered to make sure they cook at the same rate as the beans and salmon. See note below.

As with most of the dishes offered here I like to offer suggestions as to Veteran Moves you can employ while preparing it. These can all be transferred to other dishes… they’re sort of cooking techniques you learn by doing.

A key Veteran Move taught here is how to best slice up a cauliflower. And as a Veteran tool, I use my trusty old mini food processor to whirl together a Cajun Spice Mix that also can be used in a variety of other dishes.

As a final Veteran Move, consider doubling or tripling the Cajun Spice Mix recipe and storing it in something like the empty spice shakers I like to use for such things… find out more about that move here. Also, for more of the health benefits of eating salmon, click here.

CAJUN SEASONING: paprika, chives, thyme, fennel seeds, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper — CAJUN SEASONING
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp dried chives
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Toss into a MINI food processor and…

Toss the spic es into a MINI food processor and grind them together well — …grind ingredients together well

You'll want salmon fillets, green beans, cauliflower or potatoes Cajun Seasoning and freshly squeezed lime juice — INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pound baby potatoes or cauliflower florets
1 pound green beans (or asparagus or broccoli)
1/2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (above for the vegetables)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil (alternate with olive oil)
1 1/2 pounds salmon (2-4 fillets)
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, for the salmon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 medium lime, juiced
pinch salt

To prepare the cauliflower, start by slicing it in half. Cut on the diagonal from each side of the top of the root the length of the head.

Break off the root leaving behind a head of florets

Using your hands or a smaller knife, break or cut the the cauliflower into individual florets

Add half the oil to a large bowl and then toss one or two teaspoons of Cajun spice together with the beans and cauliflower until they are well coated

Preheat oven to 450. Line a shallow baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the vegetables and salmon as pictured. (To satisfy a picky eater at my house I actually toss the beans and cauliflower in oil independently.) — Preheat oven to 450.
Line a shallow baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the vegetables and salmon as pictured. (To satisfy a picky eater at my house I actually toss the beans and cauliflower in oil independently)

Drizzle the remaining oil onto the salmon fillets and sprinkle remaining Cajun spice on both sides. Make sure they are well covered. Drizzle the lime juice over the whole dish before putting it into the oven. Cook for between 12 and 15 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flaky.

NOTE: The salmon, greens and cauliflower will cook quickly in the oven. If you choose to use potatoes instead of cauliflower you’ll need to:

slice new potatoes in half and/or quarter red or yellow potatoes to ensure even cooking.
Parboil them with a little water in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for 3 or 4 minutes or
put them into a small to medium saucepan, just covered in water. Bring to a boil and simmer them for about 5 minutes.
Once parboiled, drain off the water and toss them in oil and Cajun spice before adding them to the sheet pan with the salmon and greens