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Greek Lemon Salmon, Potato & Rice Bake

Yield: serves 4

This Greek Lemon Salmon, Potato & Rice Bake is an easy one-pan dinner loaded with bright Mediterranean flavor. Golden potato wedges are roasted first with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano until they begin to caramelize around the edges. Basmati rice and broth are added to the same pan, then everything is topped with juicy salmon seasoned with plenty of garlic, lemon, and oregano.

The potatoes finish cooking alongside the fluffy, flavorful rice while the salmon stays tender and juicy. Finish the whole pan with fresh lemon, dill or parsley, and a generous drizzle of good olive oil for a simple Greek-inspired dinner that's beautiful enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Potatoes

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the Rice

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed very well and drained
4 cups boiling chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

For the Salmon

4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

For Finishing

Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh dill or parsley
Extra-virgin olive oil
Crumbled feta cheese, optional
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Roast the Potatoes

Add the potato wedges to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice and season with oregano, salt, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Toss everything together until the potatoes are well coated.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer, leaving a little space between them when possible.

Roast, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes are beginning to soften and develop golden, caramelized edges. They do not need to be completely cooked at this point because they will continue cooking with the rice.

Add the Rice

Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven.

Add the rinsed and drained basmati rice around the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and fresh dill.

Pour the boiling chicken broth over the rice. Gently move the rice around with a spoon so that it is evenly distributed throughout the baking dish without disturbing the potatoes too much.

Cover the baking dish very tightly with foil. This is important because the trapped steam cooks the rice.

Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Season the Salmon

While the rice begins cooking, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Pat the salmon fillets dry and spoon the lemon-garlic mixture generously over the top of each piece.

Add the Salmon

Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil.

Nestle the salmon fillets over the partially cooked rice and potatoes.

Cover the baking dish tightly with the foil again and return it to the oven.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking, the rice is fluffy and tender, and the potatoes are completely cooked through.

For a little extra color on the salmon, remove the foil during the final few minutes of cooking or place the pan briefly under the broiler. Keep a close eye on it so the salmon does not overcook.

Finish & Serve

Allow the dish to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Squeeze plenty of fresh lemon juice over the salmon, potatoes, and rice. Sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

Serve with lemon wedges and, if desired, crumbled feta cheese.

Notes

Use boiling liquid. Adding boiling broth or water keeps the temperature of the baking dish from dropping dramatically and helps the rice cook evenly.

Cover the pan tightly. The foil needs to create a good seal around the baking dish. The rice relies on trapped steam to cook properly.

Don't fully cook the potatoes during the first bake. You're looking for potatoes that have started to soften and have some beautiful golden edges. They'll continue cooking once the broth and rice are added.

Chicken broth adds the most flavor. Water will work, but chicken broth makes the rice much more savory and complements the lemon, garlic, and oregano beautifully. Use a low-sodium broth if you prefer to control the salt yourself.

Rinse the basmati rice well. Rinse it under cool water until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess surface starch and helps keep the finished rice fluffy rather than sticky.

Add more lemon at the end. Fresh lemon juice added just before serving gives the entire dish that bright Greek lemon flavor without overwhelming the rice while it cooks.

Salmon thickness matters. Thin fillets may be ready closer to 12–15 minutes, while thick center-cut portions can take 15–20 minutes. Check the salmon early if your fillets are on the thinner side.

Potato Options

Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal because they become creamy inside while still developing beautiful golden edges.

Small or medium russet potatoes can also be used. They will be fluffier inside and may absorb a little more of the flavorful cooking liquid.

Cut the potatoes into medium wedges rather than small pieces. The first roasting step gives the wedges enough of a head start to finish cooking with the rice while maintaining that classic Greek lemon-potato appearance.

Try to keep the wedges similar in size so they cook evenly.

Salmon Options

Skin-on or skinless salmon both work.

If using skin-on salmon, place it skin-side down over the rice.

Center-cut salmon portions are especially good for this recipe because their thickness helps them remain juicy while the rice finishes cooking.

You can also substitute a large side of salmon, but the cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on its thickness.

Variations

Add feta: Sprinkle crumbled feta over the finished dish for a salty, creamy Greek finish.

Add olives: Scatter Kalamata olives over the finished pan just before serving.

Add spinach: Stir a few handfuls of baby spinach into the hot rice after removing the pan from the oven. Cover for several minutes and allow the residual heat to wilt it.

Make it spicy: Add additional crushed red pepper flakes to the salmon marinade or serve with Aleppo pepper.

Extra herby: Finish with a combination of fresh dill and parsley.

What to Serve With Greek Salmon, Potatoes & Rice

This is a complete meal on its own, but it's delicious served with a simple Greek salad, maroulosalata, steamed greens, roasted vegetables, or tzatziki.

For an especially simple dinner, serve it straight from the baking dish with lemon wedges, feta, olives, and a crisp salad on the side.

Make Ahead & Storage

The potatoes can be cut several hours ahead and kept submerged in cold water. Drain and dry them very well before roasting so they can develop golden edges.

The lemon-garlic mixture for the salmon can also be prepared earlier in the day and refrigerated.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat gently so the salmon does not dry out. A splash of broth or water added to the rice before reheating will help restore some moisture.

Dimitra's Tip

Don't be shy with the finishing lemon and olive oil! The rice and potatoes absorb all of those delicious pan juices as they bake, and a final squeeze of fresh lemon and drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil wakes everything back up and gives the dish that fresh, bright Greek flavor.

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Greek Lemon Salmon, Potato & Rice Bake

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