Salmon with Melting Leeks Is the Ultimate Gut-Healthy Sheet-Pan Dinner

This Salmon with Melting Leeks is sure to be one of your go-to weekday dinners. Omega-3-rich salmon is draped in pungent Dijon mustard and gets a beautiful golden crust from whole-wheat panko that complements the tender, mellow leeks. Probiotic-rich Greek yogurt provides beneficial gut bacteria and gets a flavor spike from garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese that is freshened up with tarragon and parsley and brightened up by a hit of citrusy lemon. Fiber-filled, earthy black lentils not only balance the whole dish out but also act as prebiotics, feeding your gut bacteria. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to choose the best leeks.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Choose leeks that have large white/light green parts. Save and freeze the dark green leek leaves for making soup stock or add them to the compost.
• If your panko crumbs are too big, pulverize them further using a food processor.
• The thinner your salmon pieces, the quicker they’ll cook, so we recommend starting to check on them after 8 minutes. If one end of your salmon fillet is thicker, you can always fold the thin portion underneath to help achieve a uniform thickness.
• Staggering the cooking of leeks and salmon allows you to cook them on one baking sheet without overcooking the salmon or making the panko crust soggy.

Nutrition Notes

• Salmon is rich in brain- and heart-healthy omega-3s. It’s also an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12 and a plethora of minerals, including iodine, selenium and potassium. Salmon, especially wild-caught salmon, provides the inflammation-busting antioxidant astaxanthin, which also gives it its gorgeous pink color. Sockeye salmon is one of the few foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D.
• Coming from the same family as onions, leeks provide gut-friendly fiber to this dish to help keep your digestive tract healthy. They also bring an array of vitamins and minerals, including immune-boosting vitamin C and vision-supporting vitamin A. The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin in leeks also support healthy vision.
• Greek yogurt not only provides calcium and protein for this dish but also probiotics, those beneficial bacteria that live in your gut. Greek yogurt also provides some potassium for healthy blood pressure, and selenium, which acts as a powerful antioxidant and supports many body functions, including your thyroid and immune system.
• Black lentils add gut-supporting fiber to this recipe. Lentils are also rich in plant protein, antioxidants, iron, potassium and magnesium—all of which are necessary for your body to function properly. The vitamin C in the leeks will help your body better absorb the iron in the lentils.