Lemony salmon chunks, roasted veggies with pesto, and a refreshing dollop of sour cream.
After several years of “trying”, I’m pleased to announce my husband and I finally grew a full-sized head of romanesco. We spread our seeds in October, and then it took its sweet time: about 8 months of transformation from a enigmatic mini-brassica into a garden giant with 4-foot leaves that looked liked something a stegosaurus might eat. When it finally popped out a head around May, things moved relatively quickly and we harvested in June.
Don’t think that expectant period was idle time—while we were waiting I was prepping a recipe so I could give our bundle of joy the best possible life. That’s just the kind of plant dad I am.
As you might imagine, we are immensely proud of our beautiful creation, so I had to have the best for it. I roasted our precious purple and chartreuse, fractal-shaped cauliflower florets with its sibling (or cousin maybe): red potatoes also from the garden. Then they both got doused in my husband’s basil pesto.
To give them a well-rounded experience, I also included lemon-marinated salmon chunks and a dollop of sour cream. The meal was balanced, wholesome, and had plenty of joy…everything a vegetable parent wishes for their propagations.
Of course, cultivation is not necessary for this dish—adopting veggies from the store is an equally valid option, and just as satisfying.
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In addition raising plant babies, and running this blog, I also work a full-time healthcare job, enjoy other hobbies, and have a family I want to spend quality time with (while still squeezing in some self-care). So trust me, I get the need for easy weeknight meals. I also get the need for variety in meal planning—having the same things week after week ain’t cute after a while.
For recipes that are both snappy and novel, check out my full collection of weeknight meals. Most of them are also what I consider “nutritionally complete”, meaning they have a protein, carb, and veg—the basic necessities. I’m not a huge fan of having to flip between 3 different recipes to piece together a meal (especially after a long day).
Salmon and Roasted Veggies with Pesto
Ingredients
- 32 oz (about 1 medium) cauliflower or romanesco cut into bite-sized florets
- 10 oz (about 10-12 mini or 3-4 medium) red potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 4-oz fillets salmon skinless and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small lemon
- ¼ cup pesto
- Sour Cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F .
- On a large sheetpan, combine cauliflower or romanesco and potatoes. Add ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and and 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss everything together and spread it out evenly on the pan.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until fork tender and lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, in a wide, shallow bowl, combine 1 tbsp olive oil with ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and the zest and juice from lemon. Add salmon, toss to coat, then cover and set aside.
- Remove sheet pan from oven and transfer roasted vegetables to a large bowl. Place salmon on sheet pan. Bake for 5-10 minutes until salmon flakes easily with a fork and internal temperature of at least 130°F.
- While salmon is roasting, add pesto to the bowl of vegetables and toss to coat. Divide into serving bowls.
- Divide salmon into bowls and top each bowl with a dollop sour cream.
