Salmon in Foil

Tanya Eisenwasser

Print Recipe

Fresh salmon baked in a foil packet with olive oil, fresh herbs, and thin zucchini.

Prep 10 min

Cook 18 min

Serves 2

Gluten-freeDairy-freeLow-FODMAP

Ingredients

• 2 fresh salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced into ribbons or rounds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Tear two large pieces of foil, each big enough to fold into a sealed packet.
3. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels.
4. Divide the zucchini between the two pieces of foil, spreading it into a thin bed in the center of each. Drizzle with half the olive oil.
5. Place a salmon fillet on top of each bed of zucchini.
6. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the fish, then sprinkle with dill, parsley, chives if using, and salt.
7. Fold the foil over the salmon and crimp the edges tightly to seal each packet.
8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145°F (63°C) internal temperature.
9. Open the packets carefully, as hot steam will escape, and serve immediately.

Tips & Substitutions

• Buy the freshest salmon possible. It should smell like clean ocean, not fishy, though smell is only a rough guide since fish can carry histamine without an off odor. Prioritize a trusted source and fish kept very cold, and cook it the same day you buy it. Salmon that was frozen right after catch (often labeled "frozen at sea") is another good option, since freezing slows the histamine buildup that happens as fish ages.
• Make it with herb butter. For a dairy version, mash 2 tablespoons of fresh butter with the chopped herbs and dot it over the fish in place of the olive oil. This adds richness, though it is no longer dairy-free.
• Swap the vegetable. Thin asparagus spears or green beans bake nicely in the packet at the same temperature and time. Keep the pieces thin so they cook through with the fish.
• Turn it into salmon cakes. Flake freshly cooked salmon and bind it with cassava flour, egg, and fresh herbs for fresh salmon cakes.
• Garlic-infused olive oil is optional. A small drizzle adds flavor without garlic pieces. Garlic contains quercetin, a compound sometimes discussed in mast cell research, but it can also act as a histamine liberator for sensitive individuals, so use it in moderation and see how you tolerate it.
• Keep the zucchini serving moderate. Zucchini is well tolerated for most people, but larger portions can be higher in FODMAPs. A small zucchini split between two packets keeps each serving on the gentler side.

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Why This Works

Salmon (fresh). Fresh salmon can be a reasonable choice when it is very fresh. Tolerance varies from person to person, and the cold chain and handling tend to matter more than the species. Freshness is critical with fish because histamine builds up rapidly once fish is caught, so buy it the same day you cook it or choose salmon that was frozen immediately after catch.

Zucchini. Naturally low in histamine and generally well tolerated. It cooks gently in the packet and adds fiber and moisture without adding histamine risk, though individual tolerance varies.

Olive oil. Commonly tolerated and a simple dairy-free way to keep the fish moist. It carries the flavor of the fresh herbs without needing butter.

Fresh herbs (dill, parsley). Fresh herbs are commonly tolerated and add flavor without much histamine risk. They are generally a better choice than dried herbs, whose tolerance can vary with age and storage.

Storage

Fish is best eaten immediately after cooking. Seafood accumulates histamine faster than other proteins, so leftovers are not recommended. If you must store some, refrigerate within 30 minutes and eat within 12 hours, keeping in mind that some people react even to refrigerated or frozen fish.