Lemony salmon traybake

Why I love a good traybake

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE a traybake. Minimal washing up, maximum flavour, and a smug little sense of achievement when you pull one out of the oven. They’re the weeknight dinner equivalent of winning at life. And this lemon salmon traybake? It’s fresh, vibrant, colourful, and absolutely packed with omega-3 goodness. Basically, it’s the perfect midweek dinner for the fish lover in your life (or the fish convert who still needs a bit of lemony persuasion).

What goes into this salmon traybake

This dish is everything I want from a one-pan wonder. We’re talking crispy-edged baby potatoes, sweet caramelised onions, garlic that softens into little golden nuggets, colourful peppers, and a pop of green from tenderstem broccoli. Then the star of the show: those juicy, flaky salmon fillets, topped with lemon slices that roast away to give you that fresh, zesty hit in every bite. To keep things punchy, I’ve gone in with thyme, oregano, and a dusting of semolina to help crisp up the spuds. Honestly? It tastes like sunshine in traybake form.

The joy of one pot cooking

The beauty of a traybake is that it looks after itself. You chuck everything in, drizzle with olive oil, season it like you mean it, and let the oven do all the heavy lifting. No standing over a hob, no faff with multiple pans, and no tears at the mountain of washing up afterwards. In fact, once you’ve got this in the oven, you’ve got a solid 30–40 minutes of “me time” to pour a glass of wine, scroll TikTok, or pretend you’re finally getting round to folding the laundry.

When to serve this dish

And let’s talk versatility. This lemon salmon traybake is one of those recipes that works for literally any vibe:

Quick weeknight dinner? Done.
Fancy-ish weekend meal without the stress? Sorted.
Meal prep for the week ahead? Hello, office lunch upgrade.
Dinner party where you want to look like you’ve tried harder than you actually have? This is your showstopper.

Also, can we just appreciate how good this looks on a table? Bright salmon, golden potatoes, and those pops of green veg… it’s basically Instagram on a tray.

Tips for the best salmon traybake

If you’re new to traybakes, here are a couple of tips from me, the woman who has roasted half her life away:

Layer smartly. Potatoes and onions need more time, so they go in first. Salmon and broccoli are delicate, so add them later to stop them from overcooking.
Don’t be shy with the seasoning. Salt, pepper, and olive oil are your best mates here. If you think you’ve added enough, add a bit more.
Semolina hack. Tossing your potatoes in semolina gives them the crispiest edges without deep frying. Thank me later.
Use what you’ve got. No tenderstem? Use asparagus, courgette, or even green beans. Salmon not your thing? This recipe works just as well with chicken thighs or a big slab of halloumi.

Healthy comfort food (that’s not boring because nobody wants that)

The best part? This traybake is healthy without being boring. You’ve got your omega-3 from the salmon, vitamins from the broccoli and peppers, fibre from the spuds, and a hit of fresh lemon to tie it all together. Honestly, if you serve this with a dollop of garlicky yoghurt or a spoonful of herby mayo on the side, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with a bland midweek stir fry.

One for the traybake lovers

And if you’re a true traybake enthusiast (or just a bit lazy like me), you’ll want to check out my book Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious One Pot Cookbook. It’s packed with one-pan recipes just like this, minimal faff, maximum flavour. We made the Sunday Times Bestseller list with my Air Fryer book (yes, subtle brag), and I’m praying this one will get us there again.

So go on treat yourself and whoever you’re feeding. Less washing up, more eating. This lemon salmon traybake is basically a love letter to weeknight dinners.

By Poppy Cooks

https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/lemony-salmon-traybake/

Easy lemony salmon traybake with baby potatoes, tenderstem broccoli, peppers, and herbs. A fresh, vibrant, one-pan dinner full of flavour and omega-3, perfect for busy weeknights.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Serves 4

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Ingredients

Metric Imperial

Metric

750g baby potatoes, halved
1 large brown onion, cut into 8ths
3 cloves garlic, bashed in their skins
1 orange pepper, cut into large chunks
200g tenderstem broccoli, stems cut in half
2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
2 tsp semolina
2 tbsp chicken stock
4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
1 tsp dried oregano
4 salmon fillets
Sprinkling of chopped parsley to garnish
Salt, pepper and oil

Imperial

1.6lbs baby potatoes, halved
1 large brown onion, cut into 8ths
3 cloves garlic, bashed in their skins
1 orange pepper, cut into large chunks
7oz tenderstem broccoli, stems cut in half
2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
2 tsp semolina
2 tbsp chicken stock
4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
1 tsp dried oregano
4 salmon fillets
Sprinkling of chopped parsley to garnish
Salt, pepper and oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200ºc fan/220ºc/400ºf. Tip the baby potatoes into a roasting dish with the onion pieces and the garlic, then drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into the oven for 30 minutes to roast.
While the potatoes and onions roast, mix together the lemon juice, semolina, chicken stock, thyme and oregano in a jug with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the potatoes come out of the oven, toss in the pepper, tender stem broccoli and sliced lemons. Pour over the lemony mixture and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, place the salmon fillets on top, skin side down, and season generously with salt and pepper. Pop back into the oven for a final 15 minutes, then sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve up.