A side of salmon can always feed a big crowd, and this recipe—a staple of mine—works well for guests of all ages and palates. Beautiful salmon topped with crunchy spiralized squash and zucchini ribbons: the colors are gorgeous and the taste is delicious. You just can’t go wrong. I like my crunchies really crunchy, and in order to crisp them up without burning them, once they’ve gotten 75 percent as crispy as I want them to be, I turn the oven off and leave them in there overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
To prepare the crunchies, in a large bowl, toss together the squash, zucchini, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer the squash and zucchini to the prepared baking sheets. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the baking sheets. If you need one more sheet, please use it.
Bake until crisp, 30–40 minutes, tossing the veggies halfway through baking to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and set aside. If the squash and zucchini aren’t as crispy as you’d like them, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and let them bake longer. Check on them every 10 minutes.
To prepare the salmon, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Rub the paprika into the salmon flesh. Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 10–15 minutes per pound. Transfer the fish to a serving dish. Before serving, scatter the crunchies over the salmon. Sprinkle a little sea salt over the top. The dish may be served hot or at room temperature.
Recipe Note
Make-Ahead Tip: The crunchies can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored, uncovered, in a glass Pyrex dish or on baking sheets in a dry place. The salmon can be seasoned and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. After cooking, roasted salmon topped with crunchies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but will be best on the day it is cooked.
How To Reheat: Roasted salmon topped with squash and zucchini crunchies can be reheated, uncovered, in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes. Or, serve at room temperature.
