Persian Air Fryer Sheet Pan Meal: Salmon and Chickpeas
Introducing the perfect solution for a quick and easy dinner: the air fryer sheet pan meal! This method combines the convenience of an air fryer with the ease of a sheet pan meal, resulting in a delicious weeknight dinner that's ready in no time.
Persian Air Fryer Sheet Pan Meal: Salmon and Chickpeas
I love healthy sheet pan meals for their versatility, nutrition, and flavor. Whether you're a busy parent, a working professional, or just looking for a simple yet satisfying dinner option, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite. With perfectly seasoned salmon, flavorful chickpeas, and a medley of veggies, all cooked on a single sheet pan, clean up is a breeze!
Craving more Middle-Easter recipes? Try out my delicious Persian Chicken.
Why I Like This Recipe
Inspired by my Persian roots: I love that this recipe incorporates flavors and spices commonly found in Persian cuisine. It adds a unique and delicious twist to the dish.
Light and flavorful: The combination of fresh herbs, spices, and lemon juice gives this meal a light and refreshing taste. It's perfect for those who want a healthy meal option full of flavor.
One pan meal: I appreciate how this recipe is a complete meal cooked on a single sheet pan. Cleaning multiple dishes saves time and effort, making clean-up super easy.
Easy clean-up: As mentioned before, the one-pan meal aspect of this recipe makes cleaning much easier! Just wash the sheet pan, and you're done! Sheet pan recipes make busy weeknights so much easier to bear.
Packed with Middle Eastern spices and ingredients: The use of spices like turmeric, paprika, and sumac adds depth and complexity to the dish. It's a great way to explore Middle Eastern flavors.
Served with yogurt sauce on the side: The yogurt sauce adds a creamy and tangy element to the dish, complementing the flavors perfectly. It's a versatile sauce that can be used as a dip or drizzled over the salmon and veggies.
Fiber-filled: With the addition of chickpeas and cauliflower, this meal is packed with fiber, which is important for digestion and overall health, making for the perfect healthy dinner.
Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for those with gluten sensitivities or dietary restrictions.
Can be dairy-free with the yogurt swap: For those who are lactose intolerant or following a dairy-free diet, you can easily swap the yogurt in the yogurt sauce with a dairy-free alternative. There are plenty of dairy-free yogurts available on the market that are made from plant-based ingredients like coconut or almond milk. Just make sure to choose a plain and thick dairy-free yogurt to maintain the creamy texture of the sauce.
Let's Talk About Persian Herbs and Spices
Dill: Dill is commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine, including Persian dishes. It adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor to the recipe and pairs well with seafood, making it a perfect addition to the salmon in this dish.
Turmeric: Turmeric is a vibrant, deep orange spice that is commonly used in Persian cuisine. It has numerous health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties. It adds both flavor and a beautiful golden color to dishes.
Mint: Mint is another herb commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine, including Persian cooking. It has a refreshing and cooling flavor profile and adds brightness and a hint of sweetness to dishes.
Sumac: Sumac is a unique and flavorful spice used in Middle Eastern cuisine, including Persian dishes. It has a tangy and slightly sour taste, adding a depth of flavor and enhancing the dish's overall taste.
Persian Air Fryer Sheet Pan Meal Ingredients
Salmon: I like high-quality wild salmon. Although you can use any fish you prefer. Alternatives are Mahi mahi, bass, cod or grouper.
Cauliflower: You have the choice to buy your cauliflower whole, then chop it into florets yourself OR to save time, buy pre-chopped cauliflower florets, that way you just have to wash & throw them on the pan.
Chickpeas: This adds fiber and complex carbohydrates for energy! If you are not a fan of chickpeas, try swapping for another canned bean like cannellini or kidney beans.
Red onion: This just adds so much flavor. But don’t worry, if you don’t have red onion, swap for any white or yellow onion on hand.
Yogurt: When choosing a yogurt sauce, go for a full-fat, plain, and organic yogurt. When you get a fat-free yogurt, there are other emulsifiers, sugars, and additives added to it to thicken it. So when you use full-fat yogurt, you will need less because the flavor is so rich, and there are no extra ingredients in it.
Mint and dill: Grab the dried version if you cannot find fresh.
Lemon juice: Swap for lime juice.
Instructions for Persian Air Fryer Sheet Pan Meal
Preheat the air fryer to 400 F.
Mix all veggies (except chickpeas) + ingredients into a bowl and toss to combine. Ingredients: 1 red onion, 1 tbsp avocado oil, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, 0.5 tsp paprika powder, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp pepper, black ground.
Add to the air fryer tray, making sure not to overcrowd. You may need to work in batches to ensure even cooking.
Air fry at 400 F for 12 minutes while you prepare the salmon.
Add 0.25 tbsp salt, 0.25 tbsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 2 tbsp dill to the salmon, then place salmon and chickpeas and juice of 1 lemon in the air fryer tray.
Add the salmon and veggies back to the air fryer for another 12-13 minutes. You can place the veggies on one side if you have a duel basket air fryer. And the salmon on the other. If you have a single air fryer basket, just create a small nest in the center of the veggies and add the salmon right in the center. Sprinkle the chickpeas on top. Again, you may need to work in batches.
Add all yogurt sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.
Remove the air fryer tray from the air fryer, and add a sprinkle of fresh parsley and lemon on top.
For more Middle Eastern or Persian-inspired recipes, check out my Substack weekly newsletter! You can check out my Persian Shirazi Salad, Persian Herbed Rice with Fish, Celery and Mint Stew, and Persian Kabob Diggy.
How to Make This Persian Sheet Pan Meal in the Oven
To make this in the oven, the directions and ingredients remain the same.
Preheat your oven's temperature to 425F.
Mix all of the vegetables together and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes while you prepare the salmon.
Prep the salmon, and remove the sheet pan from the oven after 12 minutes of the vegetables cooking. Add the salmon and chickpeas in the center of the sheet pan in the middle of the vegetables. Place back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
Broil on high for the last 2 minutes of cooking time.
FAQ
What ingredients do I need for an air fryer sheet pan meal?
To make an air fryer sheet pan meal, you'll need Norwegian salmon fillet, olive oil, chopped dill, salt, ground black pepper, cauliflower, chickpeas, red onion, avocado oil, garlic powder, turmeric powder, paprika powder, Sumac, and Lemon juice.
You'll need plain, thick yogurt, fresh mint, chopped dill, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt for the yogurt sauce.
How long do I need to cook an air fryer sheet pan meal?
The total cooking time is approximately 24-25 minutes. You'll start by cooking the veggies for 12 minutes, then add the salmon and chickpeas and cook for another 12-13 minutes.
If you have a dual basket air fryer, you can cook the veggies and salmon separately to ensure even cooking. If you have a single air fryer basket, simply create a small nest in the center of the veggies and place the salmon there. Remember to adjust the cooking time based on the thickness of your salmon fillet to ensure it's cooked to your desired level of doneness.
How do I ensure the ingredients of an air fryer sheet pan meal are cooked evenly?
There are a few things you can do:
Avoid overcrowding: Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer tray. If there are too many ingredients packed tightly together, the hot air won't be able to circulate properly, resulting in uneven cooking. Work in batches to ensure even spacing.
Cut ingredients into similar sizes: Try to cut your ingredients into similar sizes so that they cook at the same rate. This will help ensure that everything is cooked evenly and nothing is overcooked or undercooked.
Stir or shake the ingredients: You may need to stir or shake the ingredients halfway through the cooking process. This will help redistribute the heat and ensure that everything cooks evenly. Be careful not to overcrowd the air fryer tray when doing this.
Adjust cooking time and temperature: If you find that certain ingredients are not cooking evenly, you may need to adjust the cooking time or temperature. For example, you could decrease the temperature slightly and increase the cooking time to allow for more even cooking. Keep an eye on your ingredients and make adjustments as needed.
Persian Air Fryer Sheet Pan Meal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Norwegian salmon filet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons dill, chopped
- 0.75 tablespoons salt
- 0.75 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets, stems chopped
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 red onion
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 0.5 teaspoons paprika powder
- Sumac - to serve with
- Lemon juice - to serve with
- 1 cup yogurt, plain thick
- 0.25 cups mint, fresh
- 0.25 cups dill, chopped
- lemon juice
- 0.13 teaspoons garlic powder
- 0.13 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Mix all veggies (except chickpeas) + ingredients into a bowl and toss to combine.
- Ingredients: 1 red onion, 1 tbsp avocado oil, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, 0.5 tsp paprika powder, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp pepper, black ground.
- Add to the air fryer tray, making sure not to overcrowd. You may need to work in batches to ensure even cooking.
- Air fry at 400 F for 12 minutes while you prepare the salmon.
- Add 0.25 tbsp salt, 0.25 tbsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 2 tbsp dill to the salmon, then place salmon and chickpeas and juice of 1 lemon to the air fryer tray.
- Add the salmon and veggies back to the air fryer for another 12-13 minutes. If you have a duel basket air fryer, you can place the veggies on one side. And the salmon on the other. If you have a single air fryer basket, just create a small nest in the center of the veggies and add the salmon right in the center. Sprinkle the chickpeas on top. Again, you may need to work in batches.
- Add all yogurt sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.
- Remove the air fryer tray from the air fryer, add a sprinkle of fresh parsley and lemon on top.
