Salmon Foil Packets with Vegetables

These salmon foil packets are a summer favorite: each salmon fillet is wrapped in foil with zucchini, red pepper, red onion and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with lemon, garlic and dill, and cooked on the barbecue or in the oven until the fish is flaky and the vegetables are tender. There’s almost no washing up, the parcels can be assembled hours ahead, and everyone gets their own packet. The recipe serves 4, takes about 35 minutes, and gives each person about 33 g of protein and roughly 400 calories.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes
• Total time: about 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets, about 150 g (5 oz) each
• 1 medium zucchini (about 300 g), sliced into half-moons
• 1 red pepper (about 200 g), cut into strips
• 1 small red onion (about 100 g), cut into thin wedges
• 200 g (1⅓ cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 20 ml), plus slices to top
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• A small bunch of dill or parsley (about 5 g), chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil, about 35 cm (14 inches) long

Method

1. Get the heat ready. Heat a barbecue to medium-high, or the oven to 200°C (400°F), or 180°C (350°F) with the fan on.
2. Dress the vegetables. In a bowl, toss the zucchini, pepper, onion and tomatoes with half the oil, half the garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Build each packet. Lay out a sheet of foil, shiny side up, and pile a quarter of the vegetables in the center. Set a salmon fillet on top.
4. Season the fish. Drizzle each fillet with the remaining oil and lemon juice, scatter over the rest of the garlic and half the dill, and top with a lemon slice.
5. Seal. Bring the long sides of the foil together over the fish and fold them down twice, then fold in the ends, leaving a little space inside for steam.
6. Cook. Put the packets on the barbecue grill, or on a baking tray in the oven, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Thicker fillets and a cooler barbecue need longer.
7. Check one packet. Open it carefully, away from your face, as the steam is very hot. The salmon is ready when it’s opaque and flakes easily; it should reach 63°C (145°F), as the FDA advises. Reseal and cook a few more minutes if needed.
8. Serve in the opened foil, sprinkled with the remaining dill.

Tips

• Double-wrap for the barbecue if your foil is thin, so it doesn’t tear on the grill bars.
• Keep vegetables thin so they’re tender by the time the fish is cooked.
• Make them ahead: assemble the packets up to 6 hours ahead and keep them in the fridge, then add 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
• Put the fish on top of the vegetables, so it steams rather than sits in liquid.
• Let people choose their own vegetables and flavorings for each packet.

Swaps and variations

• Other fish: trout, cod, haddock or sea bass.
• Vegetables: asparagus, thin green beans, fennel, sliced new potatoes (parboiled first) or corn kernels.
• Mediterranean: add olives, capers and a sprig of oregano.
• Teriyaki style: use reduced-salt soy sauce, ginger and a little honey, with bok choy and spring onions.
• Pesto: spread a teaspoon of pesto over each fillet before sealing.
• No foil: use baking parchment for oven cooking, folded and crimped into parcels.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is one packet. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for raw farmed Atlantic salmon, zucchini, red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill and salt.

Salmon is an oily fish rich in omega-3 fats, vitamin D and vitamin B12, and the NHS recommends at least 2 portions of fish a week, one of them oily. Each packet also gives you more than two portions of vegetables. The meal is naturally low in carbohydrate, so add new potatoes, crusty bread or a grain salad if you need more energy. Our guide to omega-3 foods compares salmon with other fish.

Contains: fish.

Barbecue food safety

Keep raw fish chilled until it goes on the grill, and use separate plates and tongs for raw and cooked food. Don’t leave cooked food out in the sun for more than an hour on a hot day. Our barbecue guide has more tips.

Storage

Leftover salmon and vegetables can be refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 2 days. They’re good cold, flaked into a salad, or reheated gently until hot.

What to serve with them

• New potatoes or a grain salad, such as our quinoa salad.
• A green salad with a lemon dressing.
• Our watermelon feta salad for a summer spread.

Common questions

Can I cook foil packets from frozen salmon?

Yes, but allow 25 to 30 minutes and check the center carefully. Thawing first in the fridge gives more even results.

Is it safe to cook food in aluminum foil?

Cooking in foil is common and generally considered safe. Small amounts of aluminum can move into food, especially acidic food, but the amounts from occasional use are small.

Should the skin go up or down?

Down, against the vegetables. It protects the fish and peels away easily after cooking.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.