Why This Recipe Works

We started this vibrant one-pan supper by roasting sliced fennel (the fibrous vegetable needed some solo oven time to soften and develop tasty browning before the other ingredients were added). After that, we stirred in cherry tomatoes, white beans, and garlic and plopped salmon fillets—which we coated with a tasty compound butter—right on top before roasting it all together. By the time the salmon was perfectly cooked through, the vegetables were tender. The cherry tomatoes gave off flavorful juices, which, with the addition of extra compound butter and some lemon juice, made a luscious sauce that tied the whole dish together.

Before You Begin

We purchased fennel with the stalks still attached. If you can find only stalkless bulbs, then look for those that weigh around 10 to 12 ounces each. To ensure uniform pieces of salmon that cook at the same rate, buy a whole 2-pound center-cut fillet and cut it into four equal pieces. For a nonalcoholic version of this recipe, omit the wine.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Halve fennel bulbs through core, then trim away and discard tough outer leaves. Cut away core and slice fennel ¼ inch thick. Toss fennel, 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together on rimmed baking sheet. Spread fennel into even layer and roast until beginning to brown around edges, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss beans, tomatoes, wine, sliced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil together in bowl. Combine butter, thyme, lemon zest, and minced garlic in small bowl. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon butter mixture on top of each fillet.

Remove sheet from oven. Add bean mixture to sheet with fennel, stir to combine, and spread into even layer. Arrange salmon on top of bean mixture, butter side up. Roast until centers of fillets register 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer salmon to serving platter. Stir lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons butter mixture into bean mixture, transfer to serving platter with salmon, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve.