Pescatarian Sunday Roast with Roast Salmon, Crispy Potatoes and Honey Vegetables
A generous Sunday roast built around a buttery herb salmon side, crisp roast potatoes and honey-roast carrots & parsnips.
This is a proper Sunday roast that swaps the joint for a sumptuous salmon side — all the theatre and none of the carving fuss. Crisp roast potatoes and honeyed root veg give the plate the comforting backbone you expect, while a parsley‑dill butter and lemon‑caper sauce lift the fish into Sunday‑special territory.
Make it when you want something a little lighter than meat but still celebratory: perfect for family lunches or a grown‑up weekend supper. The recipe is designed so the oven does most of the heavy lifting; a quick sauté and pan sauce finish keep things fresh and bright.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg salmon side
- 900 g potatoes — Maris Piper or King Edward work best
- 60 ml olive oil
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper
- 300 g carrots
- 300 g parsnips
- 30 ml honey
- 15 ml wholegrain mustard
- 4 garlic cloves — use 1 crushed for the butter, the rest as you like
- 2 lemons
- 25 g fresh parsley
- 15 g fresh dill
- 30 ml capers
- 200 g chestnut mushrooms
- 2 courgettes
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 50 ml white wine — dry white wine for the pan sauce
Equipment
- large roasting tray/tin
- baking tray/tin
- large saucepan
- frying pan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional.
Peel the potatoes and cut into even chunks. Put them into a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add 1 tsp sea salt and bring to the boil. Parboil for 8 minutes until the edges are just soft.
Drain the potatoes well, return to the pan and give them a vigorous shake to roughen the edges. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, spread out on a large baking tray/tin and put in the oven to roast for 45 minutes, turning once halfway for even browning.
While the potatoes start roasting, peel and halve the carrots and parsnips lengthways if large. Toss them in a bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil, the honey, wholegrain mustard, the leaves from the rosemary sprigs (roughly chopped), 1/2 tsp sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. After the potatoes have been in the oven for 5 minutes, add the carrots and parsnips on a separate baking tray/tin and roast for 40 minutes, turning once.
Make the herb butter for the salmon: soften 60 g unsalted butter then mix with finely chopped fresh parsley (15 g), fresh dill (10 g), the zest of 1 lemon, 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 tbsp chopped capers. Season with a pinch of sea salt and a little black pepper. Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper, spread the herb butter evenly over the skinless side, slit a couple of lemon halves and tuck them beside the fish. Leave to rest for 15 minutes so the flavours mingle.
When the potatoes and veg are almost done, reduce the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Place the salmon on a lined baking tray/tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 18–22 minutes (check at 18 minutes). The salmon is ready when the flesh flakes at the thickest part but still looks glossy.
While the salmon cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 15 g unsalted butter in a frying pan over a medium hob. Slice the courgettes and halve the chestnut mushrooms; fry for 6–8 minutes until golden and tender. Season with a little sea salt and black pepper.
Remove the salmon from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes on the tray before carving. This lets the juices redistribute and keeps the fish moist.
Make a quick lemon‑caper pan sauce: return the frying pan to medium heat, pour in the white wine and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Let it bubble for 1–2 minutes, then whisk in a knob of unsalted butter (20 g) and the remaining 1 tbsp capers. Spoon the sauce over the carved salmon.
Carve the salmon into portions, serve with roast potatoes, honey‑roast carrots and parsnips, and the sautéed courgettes and mushrooms. Scatter the remaining chopped parsley over the fish, add lemon wedges and drizzle with the lemon‑caper sauce.
Tips
- Rough up the parboiled potatoes in the pan before roasting — that rough surface is what gets gloriously crisp.
- Soften the butter to room temperature for the herb butter; if it’s too cold it won’t spread and won’t melt over the salmon properly.
- If your oven runs hot, check the salmon 2 minutes earlier than stated — fish overcooks fast.
- Make the herb butter ahead and keep chilled; bring it out 20 minutes before use so it softens slightly for easy spreading.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a low oven (150°C fan/170°C conventional) to avoid drying the fish.
Substitutions
salmon side → large side of trout or 4 fillets of cod (approx. 180–200 g each)
Stays closepotatoes → baby potatoes, halved (900 g total)
Stays closeunsalted butter → olive oil (use extra 30 ml) for a dairy‑free finish
Noticeably differentwholegrain mustard → Dijon mustard (same quantity)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1120
- Calories
- 68 g
- Protein
- 55 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I roast the salmon at the same temperature as the potatoes so everything finishes together?
You can, but salmon does best at a lower temperature to avoid drying. This recipe roasts the potatoes and veg first, then lowers the oven slightly for the salmon so it stays moist.
How can I tell when the salmon is cooked without overdoing it?
Insert a knife into the thickest part — the flesh should flake gently and still be moist and glossy. Check at the earlier end of the time range.
Can I use tinned capers or are fresh better?
Use jarred/tinned capers (rinsed if very salty) — they add briny pops that balance the richness of the butter.
Can I prepare components in advance?
Yes — make the herb butter the day before and keep chilled. Peel and cut the veg ahead too, then roast on the day for best texture.
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