If you’re trying to incorporate more seafood into your family’s diet, give this recipe for Teriyaki Salmon, Snow Peas, and Carrot Packets a try.
A flavorful mix of light teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and ginger blanket the fish and the crisp vegetables, and by cooking the fish and veggies in foil packets, this recipes doesn’t even dirty a pan!
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fats, which research shows are good for heart, eye, and brain health, and it’s versatile. You can bake salmon in foil packets like I’ve done here, toss it on the grill, mix into savory salmon cakes, or transform into easy weeknight sheet pan dinners.
Click the PLAY button above to hear all about this recipe, other fish-friendly recipes, and everything you ever wanted to know about omega-3 fats, tune in to this week’s Liz’s Healthy Table podcast on Seafood and the Benefits of Omega-3s with Adam Ismail from the Global Organization of EPA and DHA Omega-3 Fats. {This recipe post and podcast episode are sponsored by GOED. All opinions are my own.}
Love the podcast? Subscribe on iTunes (and post a review while you’re there)!
Nearly 30 thousand studies have investigated the health benefits of omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats (especially the long-chain EPA and DHA omega-3s) can improve the health of your family, and eating seafood is the easiest way to add these beneficial fats to your diet. If you read my blog, you know by now that I’m more ‘apron than lab coat,’ so rather than dig deep into all of the studies, consider these research highlights:
Heart Health: EPA and DHA omega-3s maintain healthy blood pressure, healthy blood vessels, and normal levels of triglycerides, a type of blood fat that can increase heart disease risk.
Eye Health: The body’s highest concentration of DHA omega-3s are found in the retina of the eye. DHA is important for visual development in infants and overall good eye health throughout a person’s life.
Brain Health: Our brains need DHA omega-3 fat for optimal development. Pregnant women and nursing moms need DHA to ensure healthy brain development in the fetus and baby.
Visit AlwaysOmega3s to discover how much omega-3 fats you need each day. And tune in to this week’s show for even more info!
I love these teriyaki salmon packets for so many reasons. For starters, the vegetables retain a bit of crispness after cooking, which is something kids prefer. (Just say no to mushy vegetables.) And the flavor of the slightly sweet, slightly salty sauce offers balance to the richness of the salmon.
To add fun to the meal, have your kids sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. And if eating the cooked fish right out of the packets adds some adventure to the meal, then by all means, go for it!
Steaming fish in foil packets makes for easy cleanup, and this recipe literally takes just five minutes to assemble. Simply slice a carrot into thin “matchstick” strips and arrange on aluminum foil with sugar snap peas (for convenience, I purchased a bag of pre-washed and trimmed snow peas), skinless salmon fillets, and the teriyaki mixture. Eighteen minutes later, dinner is served.
October is National Seafood Month, so now’s the time to focus on fish. Need more ideas? Check out my recipe roundup featuring 57 healthy and delicious seafood recipes from some of my favorite healthy food bloggers.
- Serving size: 1 packet
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- ¼ cup lite teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, or ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups sugar snap peas (about 6 ounces), trimmed
- 1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch long very thin "matchstick" strips (about 1 cup)
- Four 5-ounce salmon filets, skin removed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut four 14-inch square pieces of aluminum foil. In a bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and cornstarch until well blended.
- Lay the snow peas and carrots in the center of each piece of foil. Lay the salmon on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the teriyaki mixture evenly over each piece of salmon. Seal each packet by bringing up the sides and folding the top edge over twice. Seal the edges in the same way.
- Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 18 minutes. Open the packets (be careful of the steam!), place the salmon on individual plates, top with the vegetables and sauce, and serve. Top with toasted sesame seeds as desired.
Have you ever cooked fish in foil packets before? What’s your favorite salmon recipe?
Liz, good recipe and information, I just shared this on Twitter. As someone who has had to start wearing prescription glasses as an adult, eye health has become more of a concern. I like tying the recipe in with eye health information in regards to Omega 3’s. Thanks for the post, I’m going to try this recipe soon.
Fabulous info and deliciously simple recipe I will need to try for me and my family. My girls are crazy for salmon!
Your Teriyaki Salmon Packets were easy and delicious! My two picky little boys even ate quite a bit of the salmon and carrots!
Thanks Liz for another great recipe!
Phew! Two picky boys eating salmon. I’d call that a huge success!! Keep up the great work and please stop by again for more recipes 🙂
Can you use tilapia instead of salmon?
Yes. Absolutely!! It might cook a bit faster, so keep an eye on it.
One more question: I only have some baby carrots. Would that work just as well as the matchstick carrots?
I usually cut up a large carrot or two into matchstick shapes. You can cut baby carrots into thin pieces and that would be great. Just like you see in the picture.