Moist Salmon en Papillote (in Parchment) With Herbs and Tomatoes

baked salmon en papillote in parchment envelope for dinner

Moist Salmon en Papillote (in Parchment) With Herbs and Tomatoes

You've got this easy, 15-minute salmon dinner all wrapped up! The classic French method of cooking in a parchment packet guarantees perfectly moist, flaky salmon every time. Salmon en papillote uses the power of parchment paper to naturally steam the fish and infuse it with concentrated flavors of fresh tomatoes, lemon, and dill. This is a reliable, nourishing dinner that is both fun and elegant, with -- maybe best of all -- zero pan cleanup.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 388kcal

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Ingredients

▢ 24 ounces salmon, skinned and cut into 4 fillets (6 oz. each)
▢ 2 lemons, cut into thin slices
▢ 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
▢ 2 shallots, sliced very thin
▢ 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
▢ 4 tablespoons loosely-packed fresh chopped dill, plus four fronds to garnish
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (1 tsp. for tomato-shallot mixture, 1/2 tsp. for salmon filets) (I use Diamond Crystal; use less for Morton's)
▢ Fresh-ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare the vegetables by tossing the sliced shallots and grape tomatoes together in a mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 12 turns of fresh-ground black pepper. Set aside.
Assemble the parchment and salmon packet. Get four half-sheet rectangles of parchment (about 12" x 16" each). Working one at a time, crease the first parchment sheet in half lengthwise, so it creates a 12" x 8" rectangle. Open it back up. Place one salmon fillet in the center of the left half of the parchment, and tuck a few lemon slices underneath. Sprinkle the salmon with about 1/8 teaspoon salt (a generous pinch), a few twists of black pepper, a tablespoon of butter, and a tablespoon of fresh dill. Spoon a quarter of the tomato and shallot mixture on top.
Seal the parchment envelopes. Fold the right half of the parchment over the fish, like a blanket. Start with the top right corner (the one with the crease), and fold about an inch of the corner down toward you and the fish, and crease it with your finger to make a clean fold. Continue to do overlapping pleats with the parchment all the way around the fish -- fold, crease, fold, crease -- until you reach the bottom. Twist the bottom corner tightly closed and tuck it underneath the fish. Repeat with the additional fillets.
PRO TIP: Your folds will elongate a bit as you go around. That's normal. Just keep making clean, small folds and crease each. (See the photos in the text of the blog post for a helpful visual aid.)
Divide the parchment envelopes on two baking sheets, top with a dill front garnish (optional), and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness.
PRO TIP: If using a thermometer, the fish is done when it reaches 145°F (63°C).
Let the fish rest for two minutes, then transfer to plates, slice open the top and serve with a little more lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt, if desired.
PRO TIP: If you'd like to serve these sealed for each person to open at their place setting, caution guests to open the packet away from their face to avoid the hot steam!

Notes

Prep Ahead: Assemble the packets completely (including the seal) up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerate them. Add 2-3 minutes to the bake time if cooking directly from the refrigerator.
Substitutions: You can easily swap the butter for 1 tablespoon of olive oil to make the dish dairy-free. For a vegetable swap: Asparagus or thin slices of zucchini make nice substitutions for tomatoes. Remember to keep all vegetables sliced thin for quick, even cooking. (Thin asparagus spears can be left whole; just cut off the woody ends.)
Fish Thickness: If your salmon fillets are very thick (over 1.5 inches at the thickest part), you may need to add 3 to 5 extra minutes of cooking time.
Perfect Doneness: The fish is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), or when it flakes easily with a fork.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.