Slow-Roasted Salmon with Walnut-Olive Vinaigrette

4.4

(11)

11 Reviews

A vinaigrette bolstered with chopped olives, toasted walnuts, and fresh parsley is a bold finishing touch for roasted salmon basted with smoked paprika and lemon. The combination of basting and slow roasting yields incredibly tender salmon; the walnut-olive vinaigrette adds a briny, buttery crunch. Source skinless salmon for a prettier presentation. To coax the most flavor from the walnuts, toast in a 350°F oven for about 12 minutes.

By

Justin Chapple

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

6

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 (2 1/2-pound) side of salmon
2 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
¼ cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
¼ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle position. Whisk together 1/2 cup oil and paprika in a small bowl. Set aside 1 tablespoon oil mixture; stir lemon zest and juice into remaining oil mixture in small bowl. Place salmon in a large baking dish; sprinkle both sides with 21/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tuck tapered end of salmon under if needed to fit in dish. Pour lemon-paprika mixture over salmon. Bake in preheated oven until thickest part of salmon flakes easily with a fork, 30 to 35 minutes, spooning lemon-paprika mixture in baking dish over salmon every 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes.
Whisk together parsley, walnuts, vinegar, olives, and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl. Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using 2 large spatulas, carefully lift salmon from baking dish, and transfer to a large platter; discard remaining lemon-paprika mixture in baking dish. Spoon walnut-olive vinaigrette on salmon. Drizzle fish with reserved oil mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis