Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
This Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta will level-up your dinner any night of the week. It’s roasted perfection complemented by the saltiness of pancetta, the tartness of Granny Smith apples, and the sweetness of an apple cider reduction sauce. Weeknight sophistication at its finest!
Looking for more sheet pan dinner ideas? Check out this Sheet Pan Salad with Chicken, Pears and Squash, Roasted Salmon and Butternut Squash with Herb-Date Crumble, this Easy Spring Sheet Pan Chicken with Asparagus and Peas, or these Lamb Meatballs with Lemony Yogurt Sauce.
💌 Save This Recipe
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
I'll also send you other recipes I know you'll love. Unsubscribe at any time.
One of my secret weapons for weeknight cooking is mastering the magic that can be a Sheet Pan Dinner. I fully admit that the name doesn’t exactly conjure up colorful images of deliciousness that direct our taste buds to stand at attention or quickly send our salivary glands into motion. And I also admit that before having children, I never really gave the concept the time of day. I may have even turned my nose up at the idea. Boy was I mistaken.
You just have to know what you’re doing!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
These are the ingredients you will need to make this fabulous Roasted Salmon and Brussels Sprouts:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Pancetta – is cured and spiced pork belly, but is not smoked. Bacon is cured and smoked pork belly. If you are not able to find pancetta OR prefer the smokiness of bacon, you can use either interchangeably.
Granny Smith Apples – these really are the preferred apples for this dish. They add a tart flavor profile and hold their shape well when cooked. If you do choose to substitute another variety of apple, I would look for similar characteristics.
Apple Cider – is absolutely crucial to making the reduction sauce. Apple juice CANNOT be substituted, as it is a sweet drink and will only become sweeter when reduced and concentrated.
HOW TO MAKE SHEET PAN SALMON WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND PANCETTA: STEP-BY-STEP
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below in the recipe card
Steps 1 & 2: Make the apple cider reduction by bringing the apple cider and a small bunch of thyme to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook until there is 1/4 cup of liquid left.
Marinate the salmon by combining the salmon, soy sauce, avocado oil and garlic into a bowl. Gently toss everything to coat the salmon well.
Steps 3 & 4: Trim the stems of the brussels sprouts, remove the outer leaves and cut them in half. Add them to the sheet pan with the pancetta and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roast in the oven for 12 minutes.
Steps 5 & 6: While the brussels sprouts are roasting, peel and cut the apples into a large dice and toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper. When the 12 minutes are up, remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the apples and marinated salmon and return to the oven for another 8 minutes.
Steps 7 & 8: At the end of roasting, broil for a couple of minutes to caramelize everything well. Remove from oven and drizzle with apple cider reduction and a generous sprinkling of fresh thyme.
Handy tip: Prepare Ahead!
You can easily make the apple cider reduction sauce ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a small sauce pan over low heat when ready to use.
RECIPE TIPS
Don’t skip the step of making the sauce! The sauce is what really brings this dish together. It’s easy to make, as it sort of just does its thing while you work on the rest of the meal. And if you’re looking for another way to use this delicious sauce, try these Juicy Pork and Apple Meatballs with Apple Cider Reduction!
Be careful not to overcook the salmon. Everyone’s oven temperature runs a little bit different. If you feel like the oven is running too hot, don’t be afraid to turn the temperature down by 25 degrees or to take it out a little earlier. Additionally, your cook time depends on the thickness of your salmon filets. I used center cut filets – the thickest. If you are using something thinner, you will want to adjust your cook time downward.
STORAGE & REHEATING
Storage: You can easily store all of the contents of this dish in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It makes for great leftovers, if you’re lucky enough to have any!
Reheating: You can reheat this in the oven by preheating an oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees and putting everything on a pan with a splash of water and covered in foil for about 15 minutes. Continue to warm it up uncovered for for another 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can also reheat it in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it is warmed through.
Freezing: You can freeze this dish in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat as outlined above.
ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
Additions that might be nice in this recipe:
- Potatoes: they should be about the same size as the brussels sprouts and be added to the sheet pan at the same time as the brussels sprouts and pancetta.
- Other root vegetables: similar to potatoes, you could consider celeriac, rutabaga or parsnips. Like potatoes, they would be added at the beginning of the roasting process.
- Fresh lemon zest: a nice finishing touch to brighten the dish.
Substitutions you could consider in this recipe:
- Bacon: you could easily substitute bacon for pancetta. Use 4-5 strips of thick-cut bacon and cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Cabbage: in place of brussels sprouts, you could substitute small cabbage wedges.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I hope you love this Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta!
If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and rating so I know how you liked it!
Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
Ingredients
- 4 each salmon filets (6 oz. each)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 clove garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts
- 4 Tbsp olive oil (divided in half)
- 2 each Granny Smith apples
- 4 oz. pancetta (diced)
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1/2 bunch thyme (divided in half)
Instructions
- Pour the apple cider into a small sauce pan; add a handful of thyme sprigs and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced to a syrup. You should end up with about 1/4 cup of liquid – it will continue to thicken as it cools. (This can be done ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator)
- Marinate the salmon by placing it in a bowl and add the soy sauce, avocado oil and garlic. Refrigerate until needed.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Prepare the brussels sprouts by trimming the stem, removing the outer leaves, and cutting in half.
- On a sheet pan, toss the brussels sprouts and diced pancetta with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper, and turn the brussels sprouts, cut side down. Place in the oven, reduce the heat to 425 degrees, and roast for 12 minutes.
- While the brussels sprouts are roasting, peel and cut the apples into a large dice. Toss them with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- After the 12 minutes are up, remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the apples and toss everything around. Make space for the salmon filets and add them to the pan.
- Return the pan to the oven, and roast for about 8 minutes.
- Turn the temperature up to broil, and place the sheet pan on the highest rack in your oven and broil for a couple of minutes to let everything get well caramelized (this step is optional).
- Remove from the oven and drizzle the entire sheet pan with the cider reduction and sprinkle everything with a generous amount of fresh thyme leaves. ENJOY!
Notes
- Want to use bacon instead of pancetta? Sure – no problem! This will add a smoky flavor to the dish, which is not a bad thing!
- Don’t have Granny Smith apples? You can easily use a different variety of apple – but I would stick to one that stays firm when cooked and is on the tart side.
- Do I have to marinate the salmon? You don’t have to – but you will be eliminating a layer of flavor in the finished dish.
- Want to make it gluten-free? All you have to do is use tamari in place of the soy sauce.
This looks amazing – so simple but I can imagine the amazing flavour! Can’t wait to make it! Thanks also for the very handy timing chart for different meats – I know I will use that a lot.
Thank you! It’s a great combo, for sure – and the apple cider-thyme reduction is what really elevates it!
I love the recipe, so easy, and I just bought amazing Granny Smith Apples.
Can I substitute the pancetta?
Yes! You can substitute bacon or you can just omit it altogether. You would just need to toss the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (since you won’t have the fat from the pancetta or bacon).