Salmon With Olive Oil-Braised Zucchini and Chickpeas

By Sheela Prakash

Updated December 19, 2025

  • Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
30 min
Rating
5(557)
Comments
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If you slow-cook zucchini in heart-healthy olive oil, it becomes silky and deeply flavored rather than waterlogged. It’s fantastic as is, but stir in can of chickpeas and nestle salmon fillets on top — which steam as the vegetables and beans braise — and you’ll effortlessly turn this quick recipe into a protein-packed, satisfying dinner. Crusty bread is an optional but welcome accompaniment that’ll help you savor every last bit of the garlic and lemon-heavy pan juices.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets

  • Salt and black pepper

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1½ pounds zucchini or other summer squash (about 3 medium), cut into ⅛-inch-thick half-moons

  • 5 garlic cloves, minced

  • Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

  • 1 (15- to 16-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

  • 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

35 grams carbs; 94 milligrams cholesterol; 668 calories; 17 grams monosaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 40 grams fat; 10 grams fiber; 1139 milligrams sodium; 45 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high. Add the zucchini, garlic and crushed red pepper, if using. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini just starts to brown in spots but is not yet completely tender, about 5 minutes. 

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the chickpeas and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. 

  4. Step 4

    Nestle the salmon fillets on top of the zucchini and chickpeas in an even layer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the salmon is just cooked through, 13 to 18 minutes. (It’s done when the flesh flakes easily. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest part should register 120 degrees.) 

  5. Step 5

    Drizzle the lemon juice over the top and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
557 user ratings
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Comments

BKCincinnati

Made this yesterday with chickpeas I cooked from dried earlier in the day. I think I have been cooking zucchini wrong my whole life. That is a lot of olive oil and yet it browned perfectly and wasn't greasy or mushy. Really delicious. I actually would probably just make the salmon in a separate pan next time. I like pan seared salmon better than any method I have tried, but this was an enjoyable method of cooking it and we like it a lot.

Dashmore

This was terrific as written, and so easy! The only thing I did different than the recipe was to to push the zucchini to the side so the salmon would have direct contact with the pan (and because the salmon stood too high for the lid to close otherwise). Halved the recipe for 2 people.

Excellent, easy recipe I will make again

I usually reduce the amount of oil in any recipe I make kept to the quarter cup in this recipe, because it's the holidays and also because that didn't seem like too much given the volume of what was cooking in the oil. turned out fantastic. if I make again, I'm not sure that I would reduce the oil. if I do it would not be by half but maybe just a tablespoon or two. made this after a long work day and an exercise class and was still done eating by 8:00 p.m. And leftovers are great as well. highly recommend.

SnarYWG

Made as written, along with many ppl’s suggestion of adding extra minced garlic cloves (close to dbl). Hubby is not a lemon fan, 21yo son not a fan of soggy bitter zucchini. BOTH of them *really* enjoyed this recipe! Simple & fairly healthy with a hefty amnt of protein! Going into rotation now. Yum!

Dokay

The perfect summer dish. Replaced the salmon with trout, and mixed in a little Italian extra-virign olive oil that was finished in sherry casks that I happened to have, with classic extra-virgin and...all it needed was a cold glass of white wine to accompany.

John in Ohio

Made exactly per the recipe except for the time for the fish which depends on the thickness. The zucchini was delicious and the fish was perfectly tender and very nicely flavored with lemon, garlic and olive oil. I was worried that the garlic would burn and turn bitter but that didn't happen I presume because the zucchini released enough water to prevent that. Also, I cooked the fish on top of the squash as recommended and it was a perfect way to steam the fish.

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