Easy and simple salmon with mashed potatoes

Some nights call for a meal that asks almost nothing of you and gives back plenty. Pan-cooked salmon over basil-and-lemon mashed potatoes is exactly that: two components, one pan and one pot, and a plate that feels far more considered than the effort involved.

Salmon is the weeknight fish for a reason — rich in omega-3s, forgiving to cook, happy with almost any seasoning. And these mashed potatoes are not the gluey diner kind: olive oil, lemon zest and fresh basil keep them bright and Mediterranean.

The finishing drizzle — a few drops of soy sauce or good vinegar — is the small trick that ties the plate together. Dinner for two, twenty minutes of actual work.

Salmon with Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 30 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Servings: 2 · Calories: ~265 per serving

Ingredients

• 7 oz Atlantic salmon (1 to 2 portions)
• 2 medium potatoes (about 10 oz)
• 2 or 3 fresh basil leaves, plus more to finish
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Olive oil
• Soy sauce or good vinegar, to finish
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Boil the whole, unpeeled potatoes until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes depending on size.
2. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the salmon over low heat, covered, about 15 minutes, turning halfway (it can go in straight from frozen).
3. Drain the potatoes, cool slightly, and peel.
4. Mash them with the chopped basil, lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper until smooth.
5. Plate a bed of mashed potatoes, set the salmon on top, and finish with basil leaves and a light drizzle of soy sauce or vinegar.

Recipe Notes

• A 30-minute marinade of soy, honey, garlic and ginger gives the salmon a sweet-savory glaze.
• Roasted garlic mashed into the potatoes is a rich upgrade.
• Steamed broccoli, asparagus or green beans round out the plate.
• A quick lemon-dill sauce (sour cream, lemon, dill) turns it into dinner-party food.