If you want a festive, nutritious weeknight dinner that’s quick to prepare, try this Sheet Pan Salmon with Veggies and Creamy Zhoug. It’s an easy, flavorful meal that combines roasted vegetables and tender salmon with a bright, herb-forward zhoug blended with yogurt for a silky, cooling finish.
The highlight of this sheet-pan dinner is the sauce. Zhoug, a spicy Middle Eastern cilantro sauce, becomes milder and creamier when mixed with Greek yogurt. The result is a versatile sauce that brightens the whole plate—use it as a dip for raw vegetables, a sandwich spread, a sauce for grilled chicken, or simply spooned over the roasted salmon and vegetables on the sheet pan.
I was unsure at first whether my children would enjoy the zhoug, but the yogurt tones down the heat and the fresh herbal flavor won them over. If you prefer a dairy-free option, skip the Greek yogurt and enjoy a more traditional, oil-based zhoug—the flavor is still vibrant and delicious.
This Sheet Pan Salmon with Veggies and Creamy Zhoug comes together easily and makes an excellent choice for busy evenings. It’s balanced, colorful, and the sauce adds a distinctive, aromatic finish that ties everything together.
Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies with Creamy Zhoug
Ingredients
For the Creamy Zhoug Sauce:
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes (or crushed red pepper flakes)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
For the Sheet-Pan Salmon:
- 1 medium sweet potato, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head)
- Four 6–8 ounce salmon fillets, pin bones removed
- 2 teaspoons za’atar seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the Zhoug: In a food processor or a tall jar with an immersion blender, combine the jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, cumin, cardamom, salt, black pepper, Aleppo flakes, olive oil, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning, then set aside.
- Prepare the sheet pan: Arrange the sweet potato slices on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt. Toss to coat and spread the sweet potatoes into a single layer. Roast until tender and lightly golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and push the sweet potatoes toward the edges. In a medium bowl, toss the broccoli florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Arrange the broccoli around the sweet potatoes, leaving space in the center for the salmon.
- Place the salmon fillets in the center of the baking sheet and brush the flesh with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the za’atar evenly over the fillets. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 12 to 15 minutes more.
- Divide the salmon and vegetables among four plates. Spoon or drizzle the creamy zhoug over the salmon and veggies, and serve immediately.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.
Additional Info
Author: Alex Snodgrass
Servings: 4 people
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.