Boost the Flavor in Sheet Pan Salmon with Green Sofrito, Miso, and Lemon

When you're looking for a low-lift meal (with an equally quick cleanup) nothing beats a sheet pan recipe. We have ones that range from Spring Onion and Salami Sheet Pan Pizza to a sheet pan quiche — and in this episode of Last-Minute Meals with Paola, Paola Velez has another great addition to the list. Her recipe for Quick-Brined Salmon with Lemon, Miso, and Sofrito — a riff on this one from former Food & Wine Senior Test Kitchen Editor Kay Chun — manages to be both incredibly simple and packed with flavor. The first step is to brine the salmon fillets in a salt and water solution before baking; the second is to top them with a buttery sofrito mixture, bolstered with shiro miso, fresh lemon juice, and grated garlic. The fillets bake on a sheet pan, and pair perfectly with side dishes like rice pilaf or chofán, a fried rice dish popularized by Chinese immigrants in the Dominican Republic.

The best part? It's ready in under an hour. To make the dish at home, read on for Velez's method and follow along with the video above.

Brine the Salmon

First, stir together the kosher salt and water in a medium bowl until the salt dissolves. Place the skinless salmon fillets in a baking dish that just fits them, and pour the brine on top. Let them sit in the brine at room temperature for 30 minutes. The brine gives the salmon extra flavor, and also keeps it from drying out.

Make the Buttery Lemon, Miso, and Sofrito Topping

While the salmon brines, stir together the flavor-packed topping. Grate the garlic clove into a small bowl, and then whisk in the shiro miso. Next, whisk in the melted butter, followed by the canola oil, and then the green sofrito. Finally, add in the fresh lemon juice and mix everything together. Don't forget to season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Bake

Next, take the salmon fillets out of the brine, gently shaking off any excess water, and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spoon the sofrito mixture on top of the salmon, and then bake the fillets in a 450°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. They should be just opaque in the center.

Farrah Skeiky

Serve

Once the salmon is baked, you're ready to go. Spoon the chofán — or fried rice, or rice pilaf — onto plates and then nestle a salmon fillet on top. To finish the dish, garnish the salmon with sesame seeds and sliced scallions, squeeze some lemon wedges on top for a pop of acidity, and lastly, drizzle on some olive oil.