Cedar-Roasted Salmon with Warm Lentils, Asparagus & Strawberry-Radish Relish
Bright spring salmon with lentils, asparagus, and jewel-like relish.
Daily recipe · May 07, 2026
A little about this dish
This spring-forward main leans Mediterranean while nodding to American seasonal cooking with cedar-roasted salmon, warm lentils, and a lively strawberry-radish relish. It’s fresh, satisfying, and a little unexpected: peppery radishes, sweet berries, herbs, lemon, and toasted pistachios make the plate feel bright and elegant without straying from a strict Mediterranean style of eating.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Skin-on salmon fillet — 4 (6 oz each)
- Dry french green lentils — 1 cup — rinsed
- Asparagus — 1 bunch — trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Strawberries — 1 cup — small-diced
- Radishes — 4 — very thinly sliced
- Small shallot — 1 — finely minced
- Lemon — 1 — zested and juiced
- Plain greek yogurt — 1/2 cup
- Fresh dill — 2 tbsp, plus extra for garnish — chopped
- Fresh parsley — 2 tbsp — chopped
- Fresh mint — 1 tbsp — chopped
- Shelled pistachios — 1/4 cup — toasted and roughly chopped
- Dijon mustard — 2 tsp
- Honey — 1 tsp
- Small garlic clove — 1 — finely grated
- Cedar plank — 1 — soaked in water for at least 1 hour
- Extra-virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp — divided
- Kosher salt — 1 1/4 tsp — divided
- Black pepper — 1/2 tsp — divided
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🔥🐟🍋Preheat the oven to 425°F. If using the soaked cedar plank, set it on a sheet pan. Pat the salmon fillets dry, then season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and half of the lemon zest.
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Step 2 — 🥣🫛⏲️Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rinsed French green lentils and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes until tender but not mushy, then drain well.
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Step 3 — 🥬🫒✨Toss the asparagus pieces with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Spread them on one side of the sheet pan or on a separate pan.
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Step 4 — 🐟🌿🍽️Place the salmon fillets on the cedar plank. Roast for 10 to 14 minutes, adding the asparagus to the oven at the same time, until the salmon is just cooked through and the asparagus is tender and lightly colored.
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Step 5 — 🍓🌸🥄In a bowl, gently mix the strawberries, radishes, shallot, mint, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, honey, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
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Step 6 — 🥣🍋🧄Stir together the Greek yogurt, garlic, Dijon mustard, remaining lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water if needed to make it easy to spoon.
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Step 7 — 🫛🌿🍋Toss the warm lentils with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining parsley, remaining dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with the remaining kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
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Step 8 — 🍽️🐟🥗Spoon the warm lentils onto each plate and arrange the asparagus over and around them. Place a salmon fillet on top, then spoon the strawberry-radish relish over the fish.
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Step 9 — 🥜🌿😋Finish with the toasted chopped pistachios, extra dill fronds, and a spoonful of lemony yogurt on the side. Serve right away.
A final fox tip
This dish captures peak spring produce in a way that feels polished but relaxed. For an even smokier flavor, cook the cedar-planked salmon on a grill instead of in the oven. You can swap asparagus for broccolini or sugar snap peas, and walnuts or almonds work well in place of pistachios. For a more dramatic presentation, slice the salmon slightly before serving and let the relish tumble into the cuts.