Name: Slow Roasted Salmon with Fennel and Olive Date Salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 lb raw salmon (skin-on); Kosher salt; 1 fennel bulb; 1 large shallot (thinly sliced); 2-3 tbsp olive oil (divided, plus more as needed); 1 tsp Dijon mustard; Freshly ground black pepper; 12-15 Castelvetrano olives (roughly chopped); 2 medjool dates (pitted and chopped); Juice from 1/2 large lemon; Arugula and cooked farro for serving

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This Slow Roasted Salmon with Fennel and Olive Date Salsa is an easy, nourishing dinner made with just a handful of ingredients. The salmon is cooked low and slow over shaved fennel until tender and flaking apart, then served over farro with a sweet and briny Castelvetrano olive date salsa.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor: There are really only about eight main ingredients here. Fennel is the star of the show and gets used two ways: the bulb roasts underneath the salmon while the crunchy stalks and fronds go into the salsa.
Makes excellent leftovers: I like to flake apart the salmon and mix it with the farro, roasted fennel and salsa for a chilled grain salad. It keeps for about three days in the fridge.
Nourishing: Salmon brings plenty of protein and healthy fats, while the farro and fennel add whole grains and fiber. It’s one of those meals that feels satisfying without being too heavy.

Ingredients:

Slow Roasted Salmon

Salmon: I like to roast one big piece of skin-on Atlantic salmon, but you can use smaller fillets to shorten the cook time.

Dijon mustard

Olive oil

Fennel bulb: I like to use a mandoline to get super thin, even slices, but a sharp knife will work well too. The fennel roasts underneath the salmon where it catches all of those juices from the fish and becomes soft and sweet.

Shallot: Thinly sliced shallot roasts with the fennel and adds some extra sweetness and savory flavor.

Olive Date Salsa

Fennel stalks and fronds: While the shaved fennel bulb gets roasted underneath the salmon, the crunchy green stalks and herb-like fronds are perfect for the base of our salsa. I love using the whole fennel bulb instead of throwing them away.

Medjool dates: Add little pops of chewy sweetness that balance the salty olives. Make sure to chop them pretty finely so you get a little bit in each bite.

Castelvetrano olives: These are my favorite olives for this recipe because they’re buttery and mild rather than aggressively briny. Roughly chop them so the salsa still has plenty of texture.

Lemon Juice

Olive oil

How to make Slow Roasted Salmon with Fennel

Step 1: Season the salmon + prep the fennel

Salt the salmon generously and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This gives the salt time to dissolve into the surface of the fish and season it more evenly, rather than just sitting on top.

Trim the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulb, but don’t throw them away! Set them aside for the olive date salsa.

Thinly shave the fennel bulb with a mandoline or sharp chef’s knife and do the same for the shallot.

Step 2: Arrange everything on the sheet pan

Spread the fennel and shallot over a parchment-lined sheet pan or broil pan and toss with olive oil, honey and a pinch of salt.

Place the salmon skin-side down over the fennel. Brush the top with Dijon mustard, drizzle with olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Step 3: Slow roast the salmon

Roast the salmon and fennel at 275°F until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is cooked to your liking, about 30 to 35 minutes. Thicker pieces may take up to 40, while individual filets may be ready at 25.

Step 4: Make the olive date salsa & farro

While the salmon cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the farro according to the package instructions.

For the salsa, finely chop the reserved fennel stalks and fronds. Add them to a bowl with the chopped Castelvetrano olives and dates. Add fresh lemon juice and olive oil and toss everything together. Taste and adjust with another squeeze of lemon or pinch of salt if needed.

Step 5: Assemble

Spoon the cooked farro onto a serving platter or individual plates and add a handful of arugula. Arrange the roasted fennel and salmon over the top, then spoon over plenty of olive date salsa.

I like to finish everything with another squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of good olive oil. Maybe a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Why slow roast salmon?

Most salmon recipes like these Honey Lime Salmon Bowls use high heat to get the salmon crispy and caramelized. But cooking the fish at a low temperature in the oven allows it to cook gently and evenly, giving you a much larger window between undercooked and overcooked. The result is buttery, juicy salmon that flakes easily without becoming dry or tough.

It’s also more of a hands-off method. There’s no searing or flipping required. It also gives the fennel a chance to sweeten and caramelize underneath. Salmon is quite delicate so even a “slow roast” is only around 30 minutes.

How to cook farro perfectly

There are three types of farro: pearled, semi-pearled and whole farro. Semi-pearled is the best type for recipes like this because it cooks much quicker than whole but retains most of that satisfying chew and nuttiness.

The easiest way to cook semi-pearled farro is to treat it like pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil, add your dry grains and boil for about 20-30 minutes. Depending on the brand, it may take more or less time, so check the package instructions.

In my opinion, farro tastes just as good cold as it does warm. So feel free to make the farro in advance or eat it chilled as leftovers the next day.

Storage Tips

To store: Refrigerate leftover salmon, farro, fennel and salsa in an airtight container for up to three days.

To reheat: You can gently reheat the salmon, but I actually prefer the leftovers chilled or closer to room temperature.

For a grain salad: Flake the cold salmon into the leftover farro and roasted fennel. Mix in the olive date salsa, arugula and another squeeze of lemon. The farro absorbs all of the salty-sweet dressing and turns the leftovers into an entirely different meal.