This super flavorful baked Pistachio Crusted Salmon is tender and flaky with an amazing crunchy topping. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare, making it perfect for a weeknight meal, yet elegant enough for a dinner party.
There are so many evenings when you just don’t have a lot of time to cook a big meal You need something that can be on the dinner table fast, but you also want it to be healthy, nutritious and something the whole family will enjoy.
That’s where this recipe for flaky salmon with a pistachio crust really rises to the occasion.
The salmon is incredibly tender and loaded with flavor. The blistered tomatoes release the perfect amount of sweetness to compliment the dish. For a fantastic low carb option, this easy recipe is served alongside a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon. But you can serve this with any of your favorite healthy side dishes.
Baked salmon and Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes and these Oven Roasted Asparagus are another perfect pairing to consider.
If you love this salmon recipe, you should also try this Orange Glazed Salmon and this Lemon Dill Salmon.
What You Need to Make Pistachio Crusted Baked Salmon
- 4 6-oz. salmon filets
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- ¼ c. fresh lemon juice, divided
- 1 t. Dijon mustard
- 1½ T. liquid honey (you can also use maple syrup)
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ½ c. pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 t. ground cardamom
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 6 c. mixed salad greens
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ c. Kalamata olives, chopped
How to Make The Salmon with Fresh Salad Greens
For the Salmon
Pre-heat oven to 375°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a Silpat® baking mat.
Using a sharp knife or a food processor, chop then combine pistachios with ground cardamom to a small bowl and stir.
Place fillets on the prepared sheet pan. Take paper towels and blot off any moisture. Generously season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside. If your fillets have skin, you’ll want to place them skin side down.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil with 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the mustard, honey, and garlic and whisk to combine. Brush each fillet with the honey-mustard mixture until coated.
Evenly divide the pistachio mixture among the salmon fillets, gently press mixture into each top of the salmon fillets to ensure it adheres.
Place the cherry tomatoes in a medium bowl and drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.
Arrange the seasoned tomatoes around the salmon fillets and place in the preheated oven to roast until the salmon is flaky and the cherry tomatoes are blistered, approximately 13-15 minutes.
For the Salad
While the salmon is in the oven, it’s time to prepare the salad.
Combine the mixed salad leaves, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives in a large bowl.
Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Set aside.
Once baking time is complete, remove salmon and tomatoes from oven. Serve immediately with the fresh salad on the side and fresh lemon wedges as garnish.
Enjoy you Pistachio Crusted Salmon!
How to Store Leftover Salmon
Store leftover salmon in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze salmon. To ensure cooked salmon keeps its texture wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then place it into a freezer bag before placing in the freezer. Properly stored, cooked salmon will last for 4-5 months in the freezer.
What Temperature Should You Bake Salmon?
The key to tender salmon is to cook it just until done. Salmon cooks really fast so keep a watch on it. The USDA does recommend an internal temperature of at least 145F on an instant read meat thermometer to be considered safe to eat.
What are the Health Benefits of Salmon?
Salmon provides 22–25 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce serving. It’s also a fantastic source of omegy-3 fatty acids which is linked to many health benefits.
If you’d like to read even more about the other health benefits salmon plays in your diet, check out this article on Healthline.com
Add-ins and Variations
- Crust Topping: Crunchy pistachios really make this dish. But you can achieve a similar crust using other nuts like macadamia nuts or pecans. You can make your topping a little cheesy by adding a couple tablespoons of parmesan cheese to the nut mixture.
- Other Vegetables: You can make an entire meal on one sheet pan by roasting additional veggies with this salmon. Some great ideas to consider next time are broccoli, carrots, brussels sprouts, asparagus or cauliflower.
- Seasonings: You can add some lemon zest or for extra spice you can add a few red pepper flakes to the crust. You can also add any of your favorite herbs to this crust. It is an easy and versatile crust that you can easily customize.
Tips for Buying the Best Salmon
There is nothing better than fresh seafood. And fresh salmon is one of the most beautiful fish you can buy, but there are some tips that will ensure it tastes just as good as it looks:
- Fresh salmon should not smell fishy. If the fish counter at your grocery store or fish market has a really strong and unpleasant fish smell, it would be best to look elsewhere.
- Fresh salmon should look moist and shiny. Its flesh should be firm, clean, and evenly colored. If it has a dull appearance, that’s a big indicator it has been sitting there too long.
- When purchasing fresh salmon, whole filet or portions, it is best to freeze it or cook it on the same day for optimal freshness.
- Unless the recipe specifically says otherwise, leave the skin on. Salmon cooks quickly and the skin acts as a fatty barrier to help keep the fish moist.
- If you live in an area without access to fresh seafood, there is good news for you! Frozen salmon can be just as good as fresh if it packaged correctly. You’ll want to look for one that has been vacuum sealed and is labeled as flash-frozen immediately after harvest.
More Healthy Recipes
- Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
- Pan Seared Grouper
- Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Vegetarian Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
Pistachio Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz salmon filets
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive oil divided
- ¼ cup Fresh Lemon juice divided
- 1 t Dijon Mustard
- 1½ T honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup pistachios roughly chopped
- 1 t ground cardamom
- 1 pt cherry tomatoes
- 6 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 med cucumber diced
- ½ med red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a Silpat® baking mat.
- Using a sharp knife or a food processor, chop then combine pistachios with ground cardamom to a small bowl and stir.
- Place fillets on the prepared sheet pan. Take paper towels and blot off any moisture. Generously season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside. If your fillets have skin, you'll want to place them skin side down.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil with 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the mustard, honey, and garlic and whisk to combine. Brush each fillet with the honey-mustard mixture until coated.
- Evenly divide the pistachio mixture among the salmon fillets, gently press mixture into each top of the salmon fillets to ensure it adheres.
- Place the cherry tomatoes in a medium bowl and drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.
- Arrange the seasoned tomatoes around the salmon fillets and place in the preheated oven to roast until the salmon is flaky and the cherry tomatoes are blistered, approximately 13-15 minutes.
Side Salad
- Combine the mixed salad leaves, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Once baking time is complete, remove salmon and tomatoes from oven. Serve immediately with the fresh salad on the side and fresh lemon wedges as garnish.
