Pistachio Crusted Salmon

This pistachio crusted salmon might seem like a fancy salmon recipe but you will be surprised how EASY it is to make! The salmon crust is perfectly complimented by the sweet and savory maple Dijon glaze.

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When I think of pistachio crusted salmon, I am thinking romance! It is just a sexy dish. The best part is that it is super easy to make and only takes a few ingredients.

This pistachio crusted salmon elevates boring salmon with olive oil and lemon juice to a whole new level. Speaking of amazing salmon, be sure to check out this Faroe Island Salmon.

If you are looking for other romantic recipes, be sure to check out my Lobster Ravioli Sauce which is made with fresh lobster and is delicious on any kind of ravioli! You will also love this Honey Smoked Salmon, Air Fryer Tilapia and Wild Sockeye Salmon.

There are so many ways to prepare pistachio salmon. Pistachio crusted salmon on the grill, pistachio crusted salmon with lemon cream sauce,  maple pistachio crusted salmon and pistachio crusted salmon with brown sugar are all delicious gourmet salmon recipes.

However, I would argue that this healthy pistachio crusted salmon with maple syrup is the BEST!

If you have dietary preferences for no mustard or keto, you can omit the mustard or substitute a keto maple syrup.

Why This Recipe Works

• Salmon with pistachio crust is a great family friendly recipe with minimal preparation time that you can pop right in the oven. If you want fast and delicious, be sure to check out my Blackened Cod and Wagyu Burger.
• The pistachio salmon crust makes for the perfect rich and buttery crunch to this dish.
• Only a few ingredients required for this baked salmon with pistachio crust.
• You can add veggies into the pan or skillet for a one pan meal, so cleanup is a breeze!

What nuts make the best crust for salmon?

The beautiful part about this recipe is that you can substitute pistachios for other nuts. Some of my other favorite nut crusted salmon dishes are:

• Pecan crusted salmon
• Walnut crusted salmon
• Almond crusted salmon
• Hazelnut crusted salmon

Head on over the Dinner at the Zoo for a delicious Almond Crusted Salmon with Honey Garlic Sauce!

Baked salmon side dishes

Looking for some great salmon side dish ideas? I love to serve baked salmon with something hearty like a rice or potato, as well as something light and healthy like a grilled vegetable or dinner salad.

For some delicious veggie options, check out my Best Roasted Asparagus. You can even throw the asparagus right on the same pan for a one pan meal!

I also love serving this baked salmon recipe with my Roasted Beets (with herbs and garlic) which is another easy one pan meal option.

Lastly, you MUST head on over to Kylee Cooks for her amazing Sautéed Green Beans recipe. These fresh green beans are delicious served with salmon!

For a delicious rice accompaniment, if you want to get super fancy (ie: deceivingly easy) you can check out my Forbidden Black Rice recipe (with instant pot or stove top instructions).

This salmon is also delicious served with my Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto. Talk about a set it and forget it meal!

Best Salmon to use for this recipe

Pistachio crusted salmon is a very flexible recipe and you can use farmed or wild caught salmon.

Wild caught salmon is going to have a dense and buttery texture and big bold flavor whereas farmed salmon will be more mild tasting and softer in texture.

If you love wild caught salmon and want to order wild sockeye salmon from my favorite seafood company, you can click on any of my links in this post to receive $15 off your first order at Wild Alaskan Seafood Company!

I am envious of those who live close to the sea and can obtain sustainable, responsibly sourced fresh seafood and wild caught salmon. For me, trying to find good seafood and salmon at local grocery stores in Arizona can be challenging to say the least.

The top reason why I love Wild Alaskan Company out of many online fish markets that I tried was because their seafood was simply the freshest and tasted the best.

They also offer an excellent variety of fish, including wild sockeye salmon, coho salmon and various whitefish, such as cod, halibut and pollock and free shipping with some of their best deals.

How long to bake salmon at 350

Cook time is always the trickiest question because the answer is – it depends! It depends on the type of salmon.

Wild salmon tends to be lower in fat content than farmed salmon which is fattier. It also depends on the thickness of the fish.

It also depends on your oven. Not only the type of oven (regular oven vs convention oven) but also your oven’s personality, meaning, ever oven is a little different.

That being said, salmon tends to be a very forgiving fish due the fat content, making it rich, buttery and less likely to dry out. However, if you are looking to get the perfect cook on your salmon, using a meat thermometer is best so you can measure the internal temperature.

Depending on how thick your fish is, the cook time will vary. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of about 145 degrees Fahrenheit for Salmon.

You will want to measure from the thickest part of the filet. However, you will typically want to pull at about 135 or 140 as the carryover cooking will often bring you up to 145. The fish should be opaque and flake when cut with a fork.

How to make this recipe

Salmon Selection: You can prepare this dish with or without skin. It is personal preference. If you like more pistachio crust then you can prepare without skin and coat the pistachios on both sides, top and bottom of the salmon.

With skin, you only need to coat the sides and the top. This recipe is for skin on. If you chose skinless, I recommend an extra ¼ cup of pistachios.

Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pistachio Preparation: Pulse pistachios in food processor. You don’t want whole chunks but you don’t want meal (like powder) – about in the middle.

You want it to stick to the salmon but still have good crunch. You can also use a meat tenderizer/meat mallet to crush the pistachios. First put them in a ziplock bag and then you can crush them on a cutting board.

Dijon Maple Preparation: M=In a small bowl, mix course ground Dijon and maple syrup. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

If you like it a little sweeter you can add more maple syrup. Note: The course ground Dijon mustard tends to be milder in flavor.

If you use regular Dijon mustard I would start with less. I used Trader Joe’s Whole Grain Dijon Mustard, if you are fortunate enough to be near a Trader Joe’s. I love Trader Joe’s!

Coating the Salmon: Coat the salmon filet top, bottom and sides with your Dijon maple mixture. Place pistachios on plate or wide bottom bowl.

Gently place salmon on top of pistachio mixture (top down). Push gently so that the pistachio mixture sticks to the salmon.

Coat sides of salmon by hand or gently turn to press sides down. Place salmon in a Pyrex baking dish or on an over pan or lined baking sheet.

Baking: Pre-heat oven on 350 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes. My cook time was 20 minutes but ovens can vary so better to err on the side of less and you can always throw it in for longer. Let rest five (5) minutes. Enjoy!

Is this pistachio crusted salmon keto?

This pistachio crusted salmon recipe can be modified to suit a keto lifestyle. There are carbohydrates in pistachios so double check that they will fit within your daily carb allowance. You can modify the maple syrup by selecting a keto maple syrup. 

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