Lemon Dill Salmon

This fast lemon dill salmon takes just 10 minutes to bake! Mix up the zesty lemon dill sauce as it cooks. It’s the ultimate healthy, easy weeknight meal.

Looking for an easy weeknight meal? Enter: lemon dill salmon. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s even fancy enough for a dinner party. Now: Alex and I are all about whole food plant based meals. But the way we eat is better described as the Mediterranean diet. It’s plant based most of the time, but seafood every once in a while. When we do eat seafood, this is the recipe we go to! The baked salmon is perfectly savory, and doused in a zingy lemon dill sauce it’s pretty irresistible. We just brought it to some friends who just had a baby and it got rave reviews. Here’s how to make it!

How to make lemon dill salmon?

This healthy dinner recipe is so easy and versatile, it could really work anytime. It’s perfect for fast & easy weeknight meals, and it’s also special enough for dinner parties. Alex and I brought it to friends who just had a baby, and it would be great for Christmas dinner. Here are the basic steps for how to make this lemon dill salmon:

• Season with salt and pepper. All you need to do is sprinkle on a bit of salt and pepper! Place it on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake for about 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Bake until it’s flaky and just cooked, about 10 minutes.
• While it bakes, mix up the lemon dill sauce. The sauce takes just 5 minutes to mix up (see below).

5 minute dill sauce works on anything

The hands-down best part of this lemon dill salmon is the sauce! This dill sauce takes only 5 minutes to mix up and is so tasty, you’ll want to use it on just about anything. Many dill sauces for salmon are cooked, but this one is just a matter of stirring it up! Here are the main ingredients you’ll stir together:

• Fresh dill. It’s important to get fresh dill for this recipe. If you’re in a pinch, though: you could substitute 2 teaspoons dried dill for the 2 tablespoons fresh.
• Mayonnaise & Greek yogurt. Dill sauce is traditionally very rich: we’ve cut the richness a bit with Greek yogurt.
• Lemon. Fresh lemon is key for the zingy flavor.
• Garlic powder & onion powder. These spices add big flavor.

Take a taste, and you may want to use this on lots of other things too! This dill sauce would be great with:

• Shrimp
• Trout or other baked fish
• French fries or baked potato wedges!
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower

Buying sustainable salmon: what to look for!

Are you looking at buying sustainable fish for this lemon dill salmon? (If so, kudos!) Here are a few pointers for buying sustainable seafood:

• Look for wild-caught fish if possible. If you live in the US, look for US caught. 90% of the seafood we eat in the US is imported. Imported seafood runs the risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor practices, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways.
• How your fish is caught matters. Look for hook and line as one example of a sustainable gear type. Bottom trawling is considered the most destructive and least sustainable method.

10 ways to serve lemon dill salmon

There are lots of ways to serve this lemon dill salmon to make it a healthy meal! Here are a few simple sides to go with salmon, for weeknights or entertaining:

1. Spinach Apple Salad This salad is so easy, and the tangy apple pairs perfectly with zingy balsamic vinaigrette.
2. Best Steamed Broccoli This easy steamed broccolli takes just 10 minutes to whip up: top with feta crumbles.
3. Lemony Steamed Green Beans A perfect easy side dish with a tangy lemon flavor.
4. Parmesan Truffle Fries Lemon dill salmon would be insanely good paired with truffle fries. Just saying.
5. Farro with Mushrooms & Parmesan A great option for entertaining, this whole grain farro makes for a perfect dinner party side.
6. Quick Baked Sweet Potato Pair salmon with a quick baked sweet potato: this recipe has a time-saving trick.
7. Best Brussels Sprouts Recipe Crispy Brussels sprouts work for an easy weeknight meal: they take 30 minutes total.
8. Best Homemade Cornbread Bake up a pan of this moist and tasty cornbread: you won’t be disappointed!
9. Best Roasted Vegetables Another option for entertaining, these really are the very best roasted veggies.
10. Parmesan Potato Wedges Our favorite way to make potatoes! These crispy wedges take about 45 minutes but are well worth the time.

This lemon dill salmon recipe is…

Pescatarian and gluten-free.

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Lemon Dill Salmon (Fast & Easy Dinner!)

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(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4

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Description

This fast lemon dill salmon takes just 10 minutes to bake! Mix up the zesty lemon dill sauce as it cooks. It’s the ultimate healthy, easy weeknight meal!

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Ingredients

For the salmon

• 4 salmon fillets (skin on or off)
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

For the lemon dill sauce (makes about 3/4 cup)

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons water

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.
2. Generously sprinkle the salmon with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake the salmon for about 10 minutes until flaky and just cooked; test it with a fork to assess doneness. Watch the salmon to make sure not to overcook; the timing can vary based on the thickness of the salmon and variations between ovens.
4. While the salmon bakes, mix together the sauce ingredients, adding the water last. Use the water to bring it to a loose, drizzle-able consistency. (You may need a touch more depending on your yogurt brand.)
5. Serve the salmon and garnish each fillet with 2 tablespoons of the lemon dill sauce. Save leftover sauce refrigerated.

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• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keywords: Lemon Dill Salmon, Baked Salmon

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Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal

Pressure cooker oatmeal is an easy breakfast! The best Instant Pot oatmeal is made with rolled oats, toasted until fragrant then cooked for just 3 minutes.

Here’s an easy, healthy breakfast recipe for weekdays or entertaining guests: Instant Pot oatmeal! Alex and I eat quite a bit of oatmeal over here: it’s one of our favorite whole grains. In fact, most days I eat our best oatmeal recipe as a healthy way to start the day. But if you’ve got a pressure cooker, oatmeal is even easier to make. The oats are toasted in butter until fragrant, then mixed with milk and cooked for just 3 minutes. (Vegan variation is too, below.) What comes out is the creamiest, tastiest, easiest pressure cooker oatmeal you’ll find.

Looking for steel cut oats instead? Go to Apple Cinnamon Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats.

How to make Instant Pot oatmeal (a tutorial)

This is truly one of our easiest Instant Pot recipes! It’s so fast and it makes the creamiest, most delicious pot of oatmeal using rolled oats. Using a pressure cooker to make oatmeal is perfect for whipping up a healthy breakfast when you’re entertaining house guests. Alex and I just had my parents in town for the weekend, and it was the perfect breakfast for house guests because it’s mostly hands off. We made a double recipe: see the section below about scaling up this recipe.

Step 1: Use Saute mode to toast the oats for 3 minutes.

The first step to make the very best Instant Pot oatmeal is to toast the oats. Now, you could just go right into cooking. But we’ve found that toasting oats in butter or coconut oil before cooking makes them taste exponentially better! (We do this in our Toasted Oatmeal & Best Oatmeal recipes.)

To toast the oats, turn on Saute mode on your Instant Pot. Melt 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, then add 2 cups rolled oats and stir often for about 3 minutes. Side bonus: It makes your kitchen smell divine!

Step 2: Cook on High for 3 minutes.

All you need for the perfect Instant Pot oatmeal is 3 minutes! Add 1 1/2 cups milk (or almond milk), 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon and kosher salt. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.

Step 3: Quick release and stir!

That’s it! Remove the steam from the pot by performing a Quick Release (see the recipe below for instructions if you’re an Instant Pot newbie). Then give it a stir and you’re ready to go!

Scaling up Instant Pot oatmeal (x 2, x 3!)

This recipe calls for 2 cups rolled oats, which makes 2 large or 3 moderate servings. Instant Pot oatmeal is perfect for entertaining, so you can easily scale this up. Try doubling or tripling this recipe to make enough for many eaters.

One thing to note: doubling and tripling slightly increases prep time! The Instant Pot requires time to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it cooks. This time takes longer the more ingredients you have in the pot. So doubling and tripling the recipe increases the overall time to make it because of the preheat time. A doubled recipe takes about 10 minutes to preheat and tripled takes about 15 minutes. Of course, it will still take the same amount of time to cook: just 3 minutes! Just make sure to adjust your expectation of the prep time accordingly.

Ideas for oatmeal toppings!

The fun of oatmeal is not so much the oatmeal itself: it’s in the toppings! Here are our best ideas for how to top your Instant Pot oatmeal:

1. Banana slices, toasted walnuts, and maple syrup (shown in the photo!).
2. Peanut butter and healthy strawberry jelly.
3. Fresh blueberries, maple syrup and lemon zest.
4. Almond butter, cinnamon and roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
5. Dried cherries, honey and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

What are your favorite oatmeal toppings? Let us know in the comments below! (Mine is #2, if you’re wondering.)

What type of Instant Pot to use?

All pressure cooker brands vary! The brand we use is an Instant Pot 6 Qt Programmable Pressure Cooker. This recipe is customized for a 6 quart pressure cooker. We also can’t speak to other brands and types of pressure cookers. For example, Instant Pot Mini works differently, so use it at your own risk.

This Instant Pot oatmeal recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free and vegan.

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Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 0 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 2 to 3

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Description

Pressure cooker oatmeal is an easy breakfast! The best Instant Pot oatmeal is made with rolled oats, toasted until fragrant then cooked for just 3 minutes. 

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil*
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk or almond milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Toppings: Milk, maple syrup, banana, toasted walnuts, etc.

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Instructions

1. Turn on Saute mode and add the butter to the Instant Pot. When it is heated, add the oats and toast for 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Add the milk, water, salt and cinnamon.
2. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes: Press the Pressure Cook button, making sure the “High Pressure” setting is selected, and set the time. Note that it takes about 4 minutes (or 10 minutes, if the recipe is doubled) for the pot to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it starts cooking. During cooking, avoid touching the metal part of the lid.
3. Quick release: Vent the remaining steam from the Instant Pot by moving the pressure release handle to “Venting”, covering your hand with a towel or hot pad. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. Open the pressure cooker lid and stir the oatmeal. Serve immediately with desired toppings.

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Notes

*This recipe is easy to double or triple to feed a crowd! Keep in mind that the preheat time increases with more ingredients. A doubled recipe takes about 10 minutes to preheat and tripled takes about 15 minutes.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Instant Pot Oatmeal

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More healthy breakfast recipes

Here are a few more healthy breakfast recipes we love:

• Homemade Acai Bowl This bright, colorful smoothie bowl is full of healthy toppings.
• Best Blender Muffins These banana muffins are easy to whip up in a blender and freeze for instant breakfast.
• Best Instant Oatmeal Recipe Easiest breakfast ever! Make up this mix and throw it in the microwave on busy mornings.

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Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This cheesy baked spaghetti squash casserole is a winner! It stars Italian style flavors: pesto, artichoke, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.

Are you a spaghetti squash fan? But really: who wouldn’t be a fan of those long, nature-made noodles? Spaghetti squash is making it into all sorts of dishes that squash wouldn’t be caught dead in decades earlier. Spaghetti squash mac and cheese. Spaghetti squash pad Thai. And here in Alex and my latest creation: spaghetti squash casserole! This casserole is an Italian style spin on the traditional, featuring basil pesto, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. It’s seriously hearty and satisfying. (Our 2 year old was all over it!) Ready to get started?

Spaghetti squash casserole: Italian style!

There are all sorts of spins on spaghetti squash casserole: this version uses Italian flavors to make a tangy, savory and cheesy version. Here are the major features:

• Basil pesto is swirled into the squash noodles, which brings an overall garlicky savoriness.
• Fresh mozzarella cheese creates gooey pockets and grated Parmesan cheese brings texture and even more savory flavor.
• Artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes bring in a tangy Italian-style element.

Is it a main or a side dish?

One important question before we start: is this spaghetti squash casserole a main or a side? It’s the same question as mac and cheese, really. This casserole would make a stand-out side dish for entertaining. We could imagine it on the table at a pitch in or potluck with other hearty sides. It would be perfect for holiday meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, but it really works anytime that spaghetti squash is in season. It’s a great vegetarian and gluten free casserole option that works for various diets.

However: this casserole does take quite a while to prepare. The full prep time is almost an hour and a half. We’ll be honest: Alex and I don’t spend this much time on a side dish if we’re not entertaining. So, if we were making it just for us, we’d serve it as a main dish! Add a green salad and green beans and suddenly it’s a vegetarian main dish.

This casserole could also be a hearty savory brunch option! It would be perfect for brunch for holiday entertaining, or a baby shower or bridal shower brunch.

Can you speed up prep time on spaghetti squash casserole?

You can! There are some make ahead tips and short cuts we have in mind. Here’s what we’d suggest if you’re running low on time:

• Make the spaghetti squash in advance. One idea to speed up prep time is to make the spaghetti squash in advance! If you meal prep, roast or pressure cook the spaghetti squash up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate, then assemble the casserole. Just bake it a little longer until the squash is warmed through.
• Pressure cook the spaghetti squash. Got an Instant Pot? If so, our Instant Pot spaghetti squash takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s a big time saver versus roasting it!

How to cut spaghetti squash

What involves the most technique in this spaghetti squash casserole? Cutting the squash! Our trick for getting the longest noddles is to cut the squash in half width-wise instead of lengthwise. The strands of the squash actually run around the width of the squash, not the length. It’s also easier to cut this way so the knife doesn’t slip. Here are the basic steps of how to cut a spaghetti squash (and see the video below!):

1. Find a small sharp paring knife. This sounds counter-intuitive! But it’s the safest method because it helps to prevent the slippage that can happen with a large knife.
2. Cut the squash around the middle, width-wise. To cut, pierce the knife into the squash and swing down, making small slices around the squash until it breaks in half. This makes the longest strands or “noodles”.
3. Remove the seeds. Use the knife to cut around the seeds, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

Ways to make it a meal!

This spaghetti squash casserole can be served as a main dish or a side dish. As we mentioned above, with the prep time (1 hour 30 minutes) we’d use it as a side for entertaining. To make it into a vegetarian dinner recipe, here are a few side dishes you could pair with it!

• Favorite Chopped Salad This favorite chopped salad also has an Italian vibe, and is a fan favorite.
• Best Steamed Broccoli This broccoli is quick and easy to make, and tastes great sprinkled with feta.
• Lemon Herb Steamed Cauliflower Cauliflower is mixed with Italian seasoning and lemon to make a tasty Mediterranean style side.
• Lemony Steamed Green Beans These green beans are easy and zesty from the lemon.
• How to Make Quinoa Make a pot of quinoa and season it with olive oil, salt and herbs to make a filling side dish.

This spaghetti squash casserole recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

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Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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(No Ratings Yet)

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 8 as a side, 4 as a main

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Description

This cheesy baked spaghetti squash casserole is a winner! It stars Italian style flavors: pesto, artichoke, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese,  plus additional for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Cook the spaghetti squash: Roasted Spaghetti Squash (takes about 1 hour total) or Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash (takes 30 minutes total). You can cook the spaghetti squash in advance and refrigerate until preparing: just bake it longer in the final step until fully warmed through.
2. Let the spaghetti squash drain for 10 minutes, as instructed in the cooking method above. (This makes sure that the casserole does not have extra liquid.)
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (if not already roasting the squash).
4. While the spaghetti squash cooks, roughly chop the spinach, artichoke hearts, and sun dried tomatoes.
5. In a large bowl, combine the warm squash strands, spinach, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, pesto, salt, mozzarella, and the Parmesan cheese. Stir until thoroughly combined and transfer to a medium casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with additional Parmesan cheese. Bake at 10 to 12 minutes until the mozzarella cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

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• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian Inspired

Keywords: Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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