Now that we’re consistently finding ourselves in 80-degree-weather territory, I’m craving simplicity. I want recipes that only take a few minutes to put throw together so I can get out of the kitchen and into the sun, and recipes that feature simple seasonal flavors with fresh produce and protein. (Summer isn’t supposed to be complicated, right?)

Summer Citrus Salmon En Papillote (in Paper). This recipe only takes a few minutes to put together and features fresh seasonal flavors that will knock your socks off. The fish essentially steams itself in a parchment paper packet, and no oil or butter is needed for a healthy, delicious meal! | hostthetoast.com

Oh, and I’ve also been craving lighter and healthier recipes, because being a food blogger is a bit tough on the waist if you know what I mean. The beach is calling my name, my bathing suit is begging to get some wear, and my body is like, “Hey, maybe we can stop pretending that cheese fries count as part of a balanced meal.”

Luckily, it’s easy to make healthier decisions when you’ve got recipes like this one for Summer Citrus Salmon en Papillote as an option.

“Salmon en Papillote” sounds fancy and complicated, but really it’s so easy to make. All you have to do is place your produce and salmon on top of parchment paper, season to taste, seal the parchment paper by making little folds around the edges, and cook.

In this recipe, I used zucchini, summer squash, orange segments, orange juice, lemon juice, garlic, fresh dill, and green onion to flavor the fish (and soak up the flavors from the salmon as it baked), but you can switch it up according to what you have on hand.

Tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, leeks, fennel, bok choy, tarragon, peppers, onions, green beans– heck, almost anything that grows from the ground– would taste great wrapped up in these little parchment packages and cooked with your favorite fish. Feel free to get creative if you’d like!

Summer Citrus Salmon en Papillote (in Paper)

Author: Morgan
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 1x

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 6 oz salmon filets
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8” thick slices (you can easily do this with a vegetable peeler)
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/8” thick slices
2 green onions, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh dill
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large orange
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
2 pieces parchment paper, folded and cut into 2 large heart shapes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut your orange in half and gently remove the sections from one half. From the other half, squeeze out the orange juice into a large bowl. Mix in the lemon juice and 1 clove of minced garlic.
Toss the zucchini and yellow squash in the orange juice mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Remove the zucchini and squash from the orange juice and dab off the excess liquid.
Divide the zucchini and squash among the 2 pieces of parchment paper, placing the strips on one half of the heart shape and keeping them away from the edges.
Place the salmon on top of the squash piles and sprinkle the salmon and vegetables with the remaining garlic, dill, green onion, and salt and pepper. Top the salmon with the orange segments. Drizzle a teaspoon of the remaining orange juice mixture over the top of each piece of salmon.
Fold the bare side of the parchment paper heart over to create a pouch. Starting at the pointed end, fold the parchment paper over in small sections to seal the pouch, much like you would when crimping together the edges of a pie crust. When entirely sealed, place the parchment packets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Do not open the parchment to check on them until the 15 minute wait is up!
Unfold the edges of the package or cut the package open and enjoy!