Salmon en Papillote has a fancy name and gorgeous presentation, but it is really easy to make, assemble and bake. The salmon turns out incredibly flavorful with gorgeous caper butter, shallots, and lemon topping. The potatoes have crispy edges, and the spinach takes on more flavor from all the layers above it.
There are a few things to this Salmon en Papillote recipe to make it fantastic. Your potatoes need to be thinly sliced, you have to heat your baking tray in the oven prior to putting your packs on and wrapping the packets well.
If you do all these easy steps, then you will have a delicious salmon meal and one to surely impress. Pair this with a Fennel Asparagus Salad or a simple salad with Poppyseed Dressing, and you have a meal everyone will talk about. We also love to cook Potatoes en Papillote too. If you are wondering What are Capers, we have the answers for that too.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll
How to Pronouce Salmon en Papillote?
How do you pronounce en papillote? It is a French term and is pronounced ah~ pah/pee/yoht.
What does Salmon en Papillote Mean?
Papillote is French, meaning parcel. When food is cooked ‘en papillote’, it is wrapped in paper or foil. I prefer parchment paper over the foil for the oven but do use it for the BBQ in making Grilled Caprese Chicken Little Potatoes Foil Packs or Grilled Spiced Chicken Potato Foil Packs.
Using this method of ‘en papillote’ lets you retain the flavor. Using a parchment packet in the oven allows the packet to puff up during cooking, making a little oven within your oven. Serving the packet at the table is also special as everyone gets their own individual present. This method of cooking is perfect for fish.
What is Salmon en Papillote made of?
For our recipe, we use the below ingredients. Nothing hard to find or unusual. Capers are easily found in your grocery store too. Try not to sway too far from this recipe as it really is perfection, and if you are a salmon lover, you will adore this recipe.
Unsalted softened butter
Capers, rinsed and finely chopped
Curly leaf parsley, finely chopped
Garlic cloves, finely chopped
Large russet potato, thinly sliced with a mandolin
Salt and pepper
Shallots, thinly sliced
Baby spinach
Salmon fillets, skinned, wild if possible (ask the butcher to skin them for you)
Lemon slices
How to Cook Salmon en Papillote
This may all look fancy in its preparation, but it is very easy to pull together. We show you step-by-step instructions to make this recipe perfect every time.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cut four pieces of parchment paper 17″ long. Fold each in half and set it aside.
Stir together butter, capers, parsley, and garlic in a small bowl. This can be done ahead of time and refrigerated but brought back to room temperature before use.
Place two sheet pans in the oven to heat.
Divide potato slices between parchment papers on one side of the crease, slightly larger than the salmon fillet. Season with salt and pepper.
Top each of the beds of potatoes using one-quarter of the shallots.
Top the shallots with the baby spinach. Then place the pieces of salmon on top.
Season with salt and pepper, and then divide the rest of the shallots among the packets.
Top the salmon with a dollop of the butter mixture and place two slices of lemon on top.
Fold the parchment paper over, and starting at the top, make small pleats folding inward to seal the packet.
Packages can be made an hour or two ahead of time and refrigerated; if so, cook for 18 min.
Carefully transfer packs to hot baking sheets. Bake the salmon for 15 minutes to 18 minutes.
Transfer packs to plates and serve immediately.
Open the packages at the table. ENJOY!!
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Salmon en Papillote
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted softened butter
- 2 Tbsp. capers rinsed and finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. curly leaf parsley finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 large russet potato thinly sliced with a mandolin
- Salt and pepper
- 4 shallots thinly sliced
- 6 oz. baby spinach about 2 cups
- 4 salmon fillets skinned, wild if possible (ask the butcher to skin them for you)
- 1-2 lemons thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Cut four parchment sheets 17″ long. Fold each in half and set aside.
- Stir together butter, capers, parsley, and garlic in a small bowl. This can be done ahead of time and refrigerated but brought back to room temperature before using.
- Place two baking sheets in the oven to heat.
- Divide potato slices between parchment papers on one side of the crease, slightly larger than the salmon fillet. Season with salt and pepper.
- Top each of the beds of potatoes using one-half of the shallots.
- Top the shallots with the baby spinach. Then place the salmon fillets on top.
- Season with salt and pepper, and then divide the rest of the shallots amongst the packets.
- Top the salmon with a dollop of the butter mixture and place two slices of lemon on top.
- Fold the parchment paper over, and starting at the top, make small pleats folding inward to seal the packet.
- Packages can be made an hour or two ahead of time and refrigerated; if so, cook to the 18 min. mark.
- Carefully transfer packs to hot baking sheets. Bake 15-18 min.
- Transfer packs to plates and serve immediately.
- Open the packages at the table. ENJOY!!
Comments & Reviews
Shelley says
So yum !!!!Presentation incredible and best recipe ever with Salmon !!!Would make again many times over !!!!
Tara Noland says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe and are excited to make it again. Cheers!!
Jill says
Having this for dinner again tonight. Yay!
Tara Noland says
So hope you enjoyed it again!
Noshing with the Nolands says
You are welcome Alex, enjoy!!
Alex says
Thanks so much! Can’t wait for my mom to make it!
Noshing with the Nolands says
You will love it!!!
Jill says
I think you made this once when we were over for dinner.
Jill says
I know what we’re having for dinner one night this week-end!