Healthy, Fast, Delicious—Meet the Parchment Packet Dinner!
You’ve heard of the sheet pan dinner, and we hope (for your sake!) that you’re quite familiar with one-pot meals, but have you ever made a parchment packet dinner? Baking salmon in parchment paper—also known as cooking en papillote, which just means “in paper” in French— may sound a bit odd, but it’s actually one of the very best ways to cook salmon. Here, we’ve paired this simple, classic cooking technique with our desire to have dinner be as simple as possible, so everything cooks in the parchment packet—the fish, seasonings and veggies! When you serve it, you’ll just slice open that steamy hot parchment pouch, and voila! Perfectly cooked salmon, bok choy, and zucchini noodles—dinner is served!
Why We Love Cooking Salmon in Parchment Paper
Cooking in a parchment packet might sound a little fancy—particularly if we get all francophile on you and call it cooking en papillote, right? But the thing is, it’s actually really easy! And it’s also a very reliable way to cook—food cooks quickly and evenly, and always seems to come out moist, tender and perfect. We love cooking this way for three big reasons:
Cooking salmon in a parchment packet is extremely healthy. No oil needed, beyond what you might want to add for a hint of flavor.
It’s really fast. Moist heat—which is the type of heat that you're creating inside the parchment packet as the fish and veggies release their delicious juices and steam the fish—is a quick heat. It permeates the fish and vegetables, and their lovely flavors will meld as the fish quickly cooks.
Cooking fish en papillote keeps it perfectly moist and tender. Along the same lines, it’s hard to accidentally overcook fish in a moist-heat environment like a parchment packet! It’s still important to pull it out when you think it’s done, but with liquid steaming off the vegetables—bok choy has a fair amount of moisture to it especially—you’d have to work hard to cook the salmon to the point where it would really dry out.
Everything You’ll Need To Make This Veggie-Loaded Salmon Dinner Recipe
Honey
Garlic
Fresh ginger
Soy sauce or tamari
Seasoned rice vinegar
Sesame oil
Zucchini
Baby bok choy
Shiitake mushrooms
Salmon filets
How To Cook Salmon in a Parchment Packet
Baked in parchment with a bed of delicious green vegetables, a humble filet of salmon becomes a meal fit for an elegant dinner party. It’s quick and easy, too, so it’s equally suited to a busy weeknight! Whenever you serve it, you’ll be wild about how simple it is to make. Here’s how to make this lovely, simple salmon dinner:
Whisk together the honey, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar and sesame oil to make a simple, savory sauce for the parchment packets.
Cut a large (about 18 inches long) piece of parchment paper into an oval.
Fill the parchment! Put zucchini, bok choy, mushrooms and salmon onto one half of the parchment.
Drizzle the salmon and vegetables with the sauce.
Close the parchment packet! See the recipe for a complete how-to.
Bake the salmon en papillote on a sheet pan.
Serve! It’s important to serve it right away, because the salmon will continue cooking until you release the steam from the parchment packet.
Tools You’ll Need
More Salmon Recipes to Try
Healthy, Quick and Delicious—The Ultimate Weeknight Combo!
Try this delicious veggie and salmon recipe, and let us know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
