sheet pan sticky pomegranate salmon

I am starving while I type this tasty recipe up. Probably a bad combo.

Whenever I go to Trader Joes, I buy salmon. It’s an unspoken rule of the outing – TJs salmon is some of the best to me, in part because it’s pre-portioned so I can be annoying to fellow customers and sift through each tray to find the perfect filets instead of haranguing a fishmonger to cut a slab exactly like this you fucken fool. I’d never say that, but I feel like a fuck being so specific.

So basically, salmon dishes that pop up on FMG are solely because I’ve gone to TJs in the last week, and I want to use it while it’s fresh instead of subjecting the beautiful filets to the freezy weezy.

I’m never writing that again. Hunger makes you think weird shit, yo.

I created a recipe similar to this one several years ago, when FMG was just a sad wee lil concept. The photos are miserable, but the idea was alright, if not more complex than it should’ve been. I’d say this beautiful one-tray wonder is an improvement upon that original concept: it’s simpler, using ingredients that are far more accessible to most of us and easy to repurpose into other shit if you want.

Whip up this beauty during the weekend for lunches, or grab all the necessary grub and make it tonight. Takes about 45 minutes tops, tastes like luxury. I’m staring down the photos now and cannot wait to dive into a portion later. I like being excited about food.

Pom Pom

The pomegranate marinade is a lovely blend of brown sugar, pomegranate juice, apple cider, some aromatics, and a bit of soy sauce. Has, then, a little Asian-inspired flare and a glorious sweetness that compliments the buttery salmon slabs swimmingly.

First, dry your salmon filets very well. Mix up the marinade, then set the salmons into a shallow dish and pour half of the marinade overtop. Reserve the second half for later. Let the salmon hang out for at least 10 minutes – if you have the time, an overnight marinade in the fridge, covering the dish with a lid or plastic wrap depending on what vessel you use, is wonderful, too.

While the salmons hang out, pre-roast your Brussels sprouts. Since we’re using a pretty high heat, the sprouts will need a bit more time than the fish. Just toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and let ’em rip. You can also use broccoli or any other sturdy vegetable instead.

Slammin’ Salmon

After the sprouts have their time in the sun, push them to one side of the pan and add your salmon. I try to scoop up some of the chopped ginger and garlic on top of the filets before I discard the rest of the marinade.

Bake up the fish for 10-15 minutes until your desired doneness is reached. I usually err on the shorter side since I quite like tender fish. If you’re not using parchment paper on your pan (I’m not condoning lighting shit on fire here), crank on the broiler for the last couple minutes for a bit of extra crisp.

While you finish off the roasting, put that other half of the marinade to use by making a nice thick glaze. Pour into a small sauce pan, bring to a boil, and heat until the sauce coats the back of the spoon without dripping right off.

I like to serve my fish and sprouts with rice, and drizzle a fuckton of the glaze overtop each portion. Radical. Sprinkle with fresh pomegranate arils, too, for a pop of texture and a pretty embellishment.

This dish is excellent for meal prep, too, and will last 4-5 days in the fridge. I’d argue, too, that this recipe is a great no-fuss Christmas dinner idea, too, if you want something impressive that doesn’t require a lot of space or time.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Salmon is the sheet:

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