This one-pan salmon and orzo dinner is a perfect weeknight meal that's both delicious and healthy. So much flavor, easy to prepare, and sure to please everyone in the family.
Easy one-pan salmon pasta
My favorite dishes to make for dinner are healthy with a little bit of decadence. This new recipe fits the bill.
The decadence comes from the orzo simmered in a bacon-infused broth. The nutritious factor comes from the fillets of salmon, diced vegetables, and wilted arugula.
You only need one pan for this recipe, which makes for easy clean-up and preparation.
We love this salmon orzo with a simple kale salad on the side for a healthy, filling dinner.
Related recipe: Easy Canned Salmon Patties
Ingredients
This dish only has 9 simple ingredients, but you'd never guess it from the complexity of flavors. It has the perfect blend of salt, fat, acid and heat. (I absolutely love that book, by the way!)
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 lemon, zest and 2 teaspoons juice needed (see ingredient notes below)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander (one of my FAVORITE seasonings!)
- 1.5 lb salmon, cut into four fillets
- 1 cup baby arugula, tightly packed (or use baby spinach)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
You'll also need: a large oven-safe pan.
Related recipe: Baked Rotini Casserole
Ingredient notes
Lemon: I recommend getting a lemon for 2 reasons: lemon juice from a lemon tastes so much fresher and brighter than from a bottle. Also, you'll want to add some lemon zest to this dish, which gives it a lovely lemon flavor without making it more sour. I love using this zester and this citrus squeezer.
Baby arugula/spinach: Arugula has a peppery bite to it, which we love. If you're not a fan, fresh baby spinach works just as well! Feel free to double or triple the arugula or spinach if you want to add more greens to this salmon orzo dish, or sauté some spinach and serve it on the side.
Salmon: Remove the skin from the bottom of the salmon before using it in this recipe. You can also use trout, if you like.
Related recipe: Pesto Pasta with Chicken
Instructions
Recipe overview: To make this one-pot salmon orzo recipe, you'll need a sauté pan that is oven-safe. You cook the bacon, orzo and vegetables on the stovetop, and then nestle the salmon into the orzo mixture before finishing it in the oven.
When the salmon is cooked through, simply add in some arugula, and use a wooden spoon to break up the salmon and stir it into the orzo mixture.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large, oven-safe skillet, combine bacon, onion, and celery over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is beginning to brown.
Step 4: Add orzo and stir to combine. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 3 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is tender and liquid has mostly evaporated (about 10 minutes).
Step 5: Nestle salmon filets into orzo mixture and sprinkle the coriander seasoning mixture (from step 2) over the top of each fillet. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake until fish is just cooked through (about 20 minutes).
Use a wooden spoon to break the salmon into pieces and stir into orzo mixture. Add the arugula and stir until it just wilts. Serve warm.
Related recipe: Orzo Salad with Tomatoes
I hope you love this simple orzo dinner as much as we do!
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
One-pan Salmon and Orzo
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 lemon zest and 2 teaspoons juice needed
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1.5 lb salmon cut into four pieces/fillets
- 1 cup baby arugula or baby spinach tightly packed
Special equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
- In a large, oven-safe skillet, combine bacon, onion, and celery over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is beginning to brown.
- Add orzo and stir to combine. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 3 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is tender and liquid has mostly evaporated (about 10-12 minutes).
- Nestle salmon filets into orzo mixture and sprinkle the coriander seasoning mixture from step 2 over the top of each fillet. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake until salmon is just cooked through (about 20 minutes).
- Use a wooden spoon to break the salmon into pieces and stir into orzo mixture. Stir in arugula until just wilted. Serve warm.
Notes
- If salmon filets have skin, you can either remove it prior to cooking, or after the salmon has cooked in the oven.
- I recommend a fresh lemon instead of bottled lemon juice.
- You can double or triple the arugula or baby spinach if you want to add more nutrients.
- The nutrition facts are an estimate, assuming 4 really hearty portions.