Easy Baked Salmon and Cabbage

Recipe

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This Baked Salmon and Cabbage recipe is an easy oven-baked sheet pan meal that's a breeze to make.

Make this delicious baked salmon and cabbage while you cook rice and you’ve got a healthy 30-minute dinner for any night of the week!

salmon, cabbage, rice and cucumber slices on a plate

Sheet Pan Salmon and Cabbage

On nights when I want a whole meal cooked with minimal “supervision” such as stirring or having to keep an eye on the pan, sheet pan dinners like this salmon and cabbage are my answer to “what should I make for dinner tonight?”

While my family isn’t a big fan of raw cabbage -except for my Creole cole slaw– they’ll eat it sauteed and devour it roasted because the oven brings out its sweetness and gives the thinner pieces a divine texture.

Ingredients

The key ingredients of this dish are salmon (with or without skin), purple or green cabbage (or a 5oz bag of slaw mix to save time), and rice. The sauce is made with maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. As a topping, I like to add cucumber tossed with rice vinegar for extra Asian flavors.

How to Make Sheet Pan Salmon and Cabbage

Here are the steps and some tips that make the recipe super easy:

Cook the rice.
Before you start the meal, cook the rice on the stove or in the rice cooker. White rice will take about 20 minutes, and brown rice about 45.
Season the salmon and cabbage.
Patting the salmon dry helps the seasonings stick to the meat. Make the sauce in a small bowl and drizzle it over the salmon.
Bake.
Both salmon and cabbage cook at the same time and they'll be ready in just 15 minutes.
Make the side.
While the salmon cooks, slice up the cucumber and season it for a fresh and crunchy healthy side dish.
Serve.
Serve the rice, salmon, cabbage, and cucumber on a plate or bowl.

baking dish with two pieces of salmon and chopped cabbage

Laura’s Tips for Baking Salmon

How Long to Cook Salmon and Cabbage

At 450F, it will take about 15 minutes for both the salmon and cabbage to be fully cooked. The smaller and thinner you slice the cabbage, the crisper it will become. Thinner salmon pieces might take less, about 12 minutes.

How to Know When Baked Salmon is Done

You know the salmon is fully cooked when the meat at the thickest part, or the middle of the fillet, separates easily with a fork and it’s a soft pink color without that orange translucent look. If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the salmon should read 145F (63C) at the thickest part.

What is the “white stuff” in salmon?

If your salmon has "white stuff" coming out of it after baking, don't worry. It's safe and edible. You can learn more about Albumin, aka the "white stuff," here.

What Else to Serve with Salmon and Purple Cabbage

While marinated cucumbers and cooked rice make a complete meal, roasted root vegetables or roasted fingerling potatoes are other delicious side items to try with this salmon recipe.

Baked Salmon and Cabbage

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

This Baked Salmon and Cabbage recipe is an easy oven-baked sheet pan meal that's a breeze to make.

5 from 38 votes

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Ingredients

4 salmon filets, skin-on (about 4oz each)
½ head red cabbage, core removed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch salt and pepper
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 cucumber, seedless, sliced into half-moons
1 ½ cups rice

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat oven to 450F and place oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray oil over the foil or parchment.
Cook the rice according to package directions. 1 ½ cups rice + 3 cups water for 18 to 20 minutes.
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and place it on one side of the greased baking sheet, skin side down if your salmon has skin.
Place the cabbage pieces on the other side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour this sauce over the salmon fillets.

Bake:

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the salmon separates easily into flakes when separated with a fork.
While the salmon is baking, toss the sliced cucumbers with the rice vinegar in a bowl. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.