Easy and Delicious Pistachio Crusted Salmon

Salmon is a favorite in our house hold and this Pistachio Crusted Salmon is without a doubt my favourite fish recipe to make! It takes less than 30 minutes, uses just a few simple ingredients and is incredibly delicious.

Years ago there was a restaurant my family use to go to that served a pistachio crusted salmon and it was my favourite. While it was absolutely heavenly, it was also extremely rich, so I wanted to create a version that was easy to make at home and healthy!

This pistachio crusted salmon has now been a staple recipe of mine for years. It is one of the easiest fish recipes and it turns out perfect every time. You simply start with fresh salmon fillets, top them with a maple dijon sauce, then smother them in a salty pistachio topping. Bake in the oven for no more than 20 minutes and dinner is served!

If you aren’t a fan of salmon you can make this recipe with a white fish like halibut (we have done it many times). As for the topping, Panko bread crumbs work great but if you are gluten free, you can use traditional gluten free bread crumbs. Enjoy this salmon fresh and as leftovers the next day.

Tips for Making Pistachio Crusted Salmon

1. Always use fresh, wild caught salmon. Quality fish is so important. It will give you better color, texture and a nice mild flavour.
2. Be sure to remove any small bones throughout the salmon fillets. Some fish come with bones others without. If it is fresh caught fish, there will be bones in it. Any tweezers will work to help remove these bones.
3. Use a meat thermometer if you have one. Fish cooks pretty fast and can dry out if over cooked. Using a meat thermometer is the best way to get perfectly cooked fish every time. Your fish will be done when it reaches 145F internal temperature.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon Ingredients

Salmon– You can use any variety of salmon you like. Coho, chinook etc. Opt for fresh caught over farmed.

Pistachios– I recommend buying pre shelled ones to save you some time. Salted are best.

Bread Crumbs– As mentioned above you can use bank bread crumbs, traditional bread crumbs or gluten free bread crumbs if you need.

Dijon Mustard– Any non seeded Dijon Mustard will work for this recipe.

Maple Syrup– This could be substituted with honey if that’s all you have, but the flavour from the maple syrup goes really well with the pistachios.

The Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Start by placing the salmon fillets skin side down on the baking sheet and pat dry. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, chopped pistachios and a generous pinch of both salt and pepper.
4. Then, in another small bowl, stir together the dijon mustard and maple syrup until smooth.
5. Spread the dijon mixture evenly over top of the salmon fillets, making sure they are fully coated.
6. Next, you are going to spoon the pistachio mixture over top of the salmon. You want to spread it out so that every bit of the salmon is covered with the topping. Gently press the topping into the salmon to make sure it sticks.
7. Finally, bake the salmon for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145F. The time will just depend on how thick your salmon fillets are.
8. Remove the salmon from the oven, lift the salmon away from the skin and serve over rice. Enjoy!

If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment or review below!

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