Roasted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Wild Rice
Roasted salmon fillets rest over nutty wild rice with cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives that blister into a garlicky, lemon-brightened sauce, finished with fresh parsley.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Something that feels restaurant-worthy on a busy weeknight, off a single pan and with almost no fuss behind it. The salmon roasts right alongside the tomatoes and olives, so a single sheet pan carries the whole main course while the wild rice cooks on the side. It suits a cook who wants real flavor and a plate that looks composed without standing over the stove.
Fish, tomatoes, and garlic all go into the same hot oven together. As the cherry tomatoes soften and split, they release their juices, which mingle with the olive oil, sliced garlic, and briny olives to form a light pan sauce that seasons the fish from below. The salmon stays moist because it roasts quickly and comes out while it is still just barely opaque in the center. A final squeeze of lemon and a shower of parsley lift the richness and keep every bite bright.
Three textures share the plate, and all three of them last. The salmon is rich and tender, the wild rice is chewy and nutty and soaks up the tomato juices, and the olives add a salty punch. Together the fish supplies protein, the rice and tomatoes bring fiber, and the olive oil contributes heart-friendly fats, so the plate feels indulgent while leaving you comfortably full rather than heavy.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 5 oz each)
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups cooked wild rice
- 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cook the wild rice: Rinse the wild rice under cold water. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the rice, lower to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the grains are tender and many have split open to show their pale interior, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain off any extra water and keep the rice warm, since a cold bed of grain pulls the heat straight out of everything you spoon over it.
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Roughly chop the parsley and set it aside for finishing, because parsley that goes into a hot oven comes out gray and tasteless. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel so they roast rather than steam.
- Season the sheet pan: On a rimmed sheet pan, toss the whole cherry tomatoes, pitted kalamata olives, and sliced garlic with about half of the olive oil, the dried oregano, and half of the salt. Spread everything in a single layer, so that the tomatoes blister and split rather than slowly stewing in a heap.
- Add the salmon: Tuck the salmon fillets among the tomatoes and olives, skin-side down if the fillets have skin, since the skin takes the direct heat of the pan and shields the flesh above it. Brush the tops with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with the rest of the salt.
- Roast: Roast for 16 to 20 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) at its thickest point, medium-rare rather than the 145°F (63°C) the FDA gives for seafood, and the tomatoes have blistered and collapsed into a loose sauce.
- Finish and serve: Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the whole pan once it is out of the oven, because lemon roasted alongside the fish turns dull and cooked-tasting. Spoon the wild rice onto plates or a platter, top with the salmon and the tomato-olive mixture along with its pan juices, and garnish with the chopped parsley.
Variations
- Swap the grain: Trade the wild rice for farro, brown rice, or pearl couscous. Note that farro and pearl couscous add gluten.
- Add greens: Stir a few handfuls of baby spinach or arugula into the warm rice just before plating so it wilts, or roast a layer of green beans on the pan alongside the tomatoes.
- Brighter and briny: Add a spoonful of drained capers to the sheet pan with the olives, and finish with lemon zest along with the juice for a sharper, more citrusy sauce.
- Warm spice: Sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes over the tomatoes before roasting, or add a little smoked paprika for a gentle heat and smokiness.
- Herb and cheese finish: Swap the parsley for fresh basil or dill, and crumble feta over the top just before serving. The feta adds dairy.
Storage & Leftovers
Store leftover salmon, tomatoes, and wild rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keeping the rice and the salmon in the same container is fine, since the pan juices only make the rice taste better as it sits.
To reheat, warm gently. A covered dish in a 300°F (150°C) oven or a low microwave in short bursts keeps the salmon from drying out and turning tough. Add a splash of water to the rice before reheating so it loosens and steams back to tender. The salmon is also very good cold, flaked over the rice straight from the fridge.
To get ahead, cook the wild rice up to three days in advance and refrigerate it, since it reheats well and takes the longest. You can also slice the garlic and halve nothing else in advance; the tomatoes and salmon are best roasted fresh, so save that step for just before dinner.
Notes & Tips
- Buy even fillets: Ask for center-cut salmon fillets of similar thickness so they finish roasting at the same time. Thin tail pieces cook faster and can overcook while thicker ones catch up.
- Know when the fish is done: Salmon is ready when it flakes with gentle pressure and looks just opaque in the center; an instant-read thermometer should show about 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C). It keeps cooking a little off the heat, so pull it a touch early.
- Do not skip the dry-off: Patting the fillets dry before they go on the pan helps the tops firm up and take on a little color instead of steaming in their own moisture.
- Olives are adjustable: Kalamata olives bring most of the salt to the sauce, so taste before adding extra salt at the end. If you want a milder plate, use fewer olives or rinse them first.
- Make the rice ahead: Wild rice takes the longest of anything here, so it is the ideal component to cook in a bigger batch earlier in the week and simply reheat when you roast the salmon.
- Serve it well: A crisp green salad or a hunk of crusty bread rounds out the plate and is perfect for mopping up the tomato-olive pan juices.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- The salmon, the tomatoes and the rice are one dish because of what runs between them. The fish gives off rich orange fat, the tomatoes split and release their juice into it, and the wild rice underneath soaks up everything that lands.
- Salmon roasts into big soft flakes with a darker, richer layer near the skin, and it is one of the best carriers of long-chain omega-3 fats, which is part of why it tastes as full as it does.
- Wild rice is chewy and faintly smoky, with grains that split open at the ends and stay separate under the sauce, and the fiber in them is why the bowl keeps its structure to the last forkful.
- Cherry tomatoes blister and collapse, olives go soft and briny in the same heat, oregano crumbles over the top, and lemon and parsley at the very end keep a rich plate from turning heavy.
- A plate of this holds you for a long stretch. The protein and fat in the salmon do most of that work, with the wild rice alongside them, and it eats like a full dinner.
- As you eat, notice how the tomato juice has colored the rice and how easily the salmon gives way, and let the meal take the time it deserves rather than disappearing in five minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen salmon?
Yes. Thaw the fillets fully in the refrigerator overnight, then pat them dry before roasting. Cooking from frozen makes it hard to judge doneness and tends to leave the fish watery.
My tomatoes did not burst. What went wrong?
They usually need the full roasting time and a hot oven to split and collapse. Using whole cherry tomatoes rather than larger tomatoes helps, and if a few are stubborn you can press them gently with a spoon at the end to release their juices into the sauce.
Can I make this with skin-on or skinless salmon?
Either works. Skin-on fillets should go skin-side down so the flesh stays protected and moist; the skin can be left behind or eaten. Skinless fillets roast the same way and are easy to lift off the pan whole.
What can I serve if I want to stretch it to feed more people?
Add a green salad, some crusty bread, or a side of roasted or steamed vegetables. Cooking a little extra wild rice also bulks out each plate and soaks up the flavorful pan juices.