Peanut Butter-Glazed Salmon and Green Beans

By Kay Chun

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(1,695)
Notes: Read community notes

This fast and fun weeknight meal reveals an unexpected use for peanut butter, transforming it into a savory five-ingredient sauce. The pantry favorite is combined with tangy lemon juice, fragrant ginger and toasted sesame oil to create a rich, supernutty glaze that pairs well with fatty salmon. Here the salmon is roasted on a rack of green beans, but a bed of broccoli florets would be an excellent alternative. The sweet-salty glaze can be made a day ahead and brought to room temperature before using.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1pound green beans, trimmed
1bunch scallions (about 6), halved lengthwise then cut crosswise into thirds
1tablespoon minced garlic
3tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
Salt and black pepper
¼cup smooth peanut butter (either conventional or natural works)
2tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1tablespoon grated peeled ginger
½teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4(6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets
¼cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, combine green beans, scallions, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat, then spread in an even layer.
Step 2
Prepare the peanut butter glaze: In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon water. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk until smooth.
Step 3
Rub salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil and season with salt. Arrange salmon on top of beans and spoon half of the peanut butter glaze on top of the fish. Roast for 5 minutes, then spoon over the remaining glaze. Roast until salmon is cooked to medium and beans are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes more, depending on thickness.
Step 4
Divide salmon and beans among serving plates. Top with peanuts and serve with lemon wedges.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,695 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Dora Vizvary Swan2 years ago

Yes, Marilyn! Upstate NY fishmonger, here. Suggestion: If your sheet pan fits onto your grill, prep it just like the recipe, put it on the grill and close the lid.

Daphne2 years ago

This was a nice recipe. I didn’t have fresh chives but the dry ones worked well. I roasted (convection roast setting on my oven). I didn’t measure exactly but used all the ingredients. My salmon was pretty thick so it was about 18 minutes total. I will definitely make again. Had a very Thai like flavor and the green beans were wonderful. Love that it is all made at once. Incredibly convenient.

Marilyn2 years ago

Could one adapt this recipe to prepare on a gas grill?

Half Baked2 years ago

There are some things a person doesn’t do. I’m not putting peanut butter on $35 per lb salmon filets.

Julie2 years ago

I'm thinking about this made with almond butter and chopped almonds as an alternative, since I think it might be an amazing pairing with salmon. I'm also thinking lime juice instead of lemon, and some garlic in there too. I'd also probably up the amount of toasted sesame oil, knowing me.

Julie2 years ago

Thanks for the reviewer's tip to add maple syrup! It rounded out and perfected the flavor profile of the peanut butter glaze. I added about 1 1/2 (maybe two?) tablespoons, and cooked my VERY thick salmon filets for 18 minutes in a 425 degree oven on my convection roast setting. Made a nice lemon rice pilaf to serve with the salmon and green beans - an excellent meal.

Kentfield Barbara2 years ago

Delicious recipe. Served it with Jasmine rice sprinkled with soy sauce and Asian cucumber salad.

melissa mk2 years ago

I think a bit of white miso whisked in with the peanut butter could be a nice touch. I’m trying it next time along with line juice vs. lemon juice. My family loved this!

Jeanne2 years ago

We loved this recipe. No, I might not put this on extremely costly salmon, but for most store bought salmon it's good. Also made extra sauce and I've used it on pork, chicken, and as a salad dressing addition. Also if you don't like crunchy vegetables (we do), start the green beans 5-10 minutes ahead, then add the salmon.

Cindy S2 years ago

This is the grossest recipe I have ever made from the Times. I'm mad I wasted some beautiful salmon fillets on this. Peanut butter has no place on fish! Yuck!

JV1 year ago

I made this twice now. The first time I had the timing issues some readers have mentioned. The second time I used a cast iron skillet, lowered the temperature to 425 and cooked as directed. Everything came out perfect and the beans had a little char to them.

Anne2 years ago

I made this recipe this evening. The peanut butter sauce was delicious, once cooked, and the salmon was moist and tender but not translucent..just perfect for us. But the green beans were a big disappointment- tough as boots. And halving scallions lengthwise isn’t so pretty either. Ill make it again, but with some other vegs.

Claire B2 years ago

I make this on my grill, skin side down. The filet lifts from the skin and it’s heavenly.

Melanie from Canada2 years ago

I was apprehensive, but it exceeded my expectations! I substituted lime juice for lemon, and added about a tbsp of maple syrup. Roasted the coho salmon on the bbq and served with rice. Will definitely make again.

GC2 years ago

Added 1 tbsp miso paste, 1 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp honey, and a large handful of cilantro. Used 2 lbs boneless skinless thighs instead. Delicious!

CJ3 weeks ago

This was absolutely delicious with lime juice instead of lemon. Made a sesame oil/lime/cilantro rice to serve it on. Fantastic.

Amy P1 month ago

Easy and delicious

Lorraine2 months ago

I reduced the lemon juice a bit and added a teaspoon of brown sugar. It improved the flavor and browned more nicely in the oven.

Amy4 months ago

The sauce here is very nice but doesn't go so well with salmon, as other reviewers have mentioned. I would use it for other proteins, particularly chicken. I won't be making this dish again with fish.

Shelley4 months ago

One coating of the sauce would be plenty. Two was too much.

nora4 months ago

- even with low sodium soy sauce it was salty, don’t add salt without tasting - was little lemony - added red pepper flake - added about 1/2 tsp molasses to give sweetness and complexity - didn’t have toasted sesame oil, used regular instead and added roasted sesame seeds - a good heap of ginger brings it together

muedwards4 months ago

To lower fat: Cut peanut butter in 1/2 and use 1/2 T oil for 4 servings. No roasted peanuts.

Alice5 months ago

I found this very one note, it tasted like saltier peanut butter on salmon and could’ve used more depth. Next time I’d add more garlic and ginger and maybe a small amount of maple syrup or honey to balance the salt

Jack in Joisey6 months ago

Made this tonight-some changes, felt the peanut sauce was too peanutty, from comments added miso, maple syrup, and then a bit of mirin (closer to a Thai Peanut sauce). Had asparagus, used that and some sliced onion along with the scallion. Big hit with the family, will make again!

Sabira6 months ago

I wouldn't add any extra salt to the salmon - peanut butter and soy sauce bring plenty

Rebecca6 months ago

This recipe was just okay. I didn’t love the peanut sauce with salmon and the sauce needed some heat or other zing.

Nancy7 months ago

I used a bit less sauce - nervous about the combination - I'll use the full amount next time. Salmon was beautiful soft and flavorful. Beans were a bit undercooked; I plan to give them a head start in the microwave before roasting with the salmon.

Leskap197 months ago

Fast and easy. Veggies turned out yummy, but really didn’t like the peanut butter glaze. Too heavy for the taste of the salmon. I won’t make it again.

KenR7 months ago

I really wanted to like this dish. The flavors just didn’t go well together IMHO. I ended up scraping off the PB topping as much as possible so that I could finish my meal.

Brian Kennedy8 months ago

I made it tonight and it was a hit with the wife and daughter. For anybody who thinks it's weird, it's basically salmon satay, isn't it? The salmon ended up taking longer to cook than the recipe suggests (18 min for me, like Daphne), I probably put a bit too much of the sauce on it and the green beans were a little bland, but otherwise great. The peanut glaze is delicious and would probably be great on chicken too.

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