Are you looking for a dinner that’s easy to make, delicious, and super impressive for guests? This Pistachio Crusted Salmon is the perfect meal!
You’re going to love how easy this recipe is to make. It’s a creative recipe, and you’ve probably never tasted salmon quite like this before! The pistachios offer a unique flavor and a delicious crunch.
You’ll pair this pistachio-crusted salmon with incredible blistered cherry tomatoes, a super unique and tasty side dish. Even better? This whole meal is SO nutritious!
If you’re looking for an easy, elevated weeknight meal, you’ve got to make this pistachio-crusted salmon.
Table of Contents
How To Make Pistachio Crusted Salmon
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
This dish probably sounds a little intimidating. After all, terms like “crusted” and “blistered” sound pretty gourmet!
But this dish is honestly super easy to make. It’s so good it might become a staple dinner in your household. But it’s also a great dish to impress guests with—no one will suspect how simple it is to make!
To make this dish, you’ll start with 2-3 pounds of fresh salmon fillets. Try to buy salmon with the skin on at least one side—this makes the texture of the fish so much better after baking!
You’ll make a marinade with a base of either stone-ground or whole grain mustard. These are super flavorful and even add fun texture.
The marinade will also include fresh lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and garlic.
Once you’ve coated your salmon with the marinade, you’ll cover the fillets in shelled, chopped pistachios! You’ll also add cardamom, a super floral, fragrant spice that makes this dish even yummier.
To blister your cherry tomatoes, you’ll need to coat them with olive oil and season them generously with salt and black pepper. Add them to a baking dish and bake with your salmon—it’s as simple as that!
Whip up a fresh side salad to serve with the salmon and tomatoes, and you’ve got a delicious, super impressive, gourmet-tasting dish ready to go!
Recipe Tips
Want to make this delicious pistachio-crusted salmon? Here are a few tips to make it an easy process!
- First, crush up your pistachios ahead of time. They’ll keep well if stored in an airtight container, so you can take care of this step in advance!
- On the note of crushing your pistachios, you don’t have to use a blender or food processor. Instead, you can just place them in a Ziploc bag and use a meat tenderizer to “chop” them!
- For extra flavor, consider marinating your salmon for a few hours in advance or overnight. It isn’t necessary, but it does help the marinade soak into the fish better!
- Making pistachio crusted salmon is something you should absolutely try. This recipe is way easier to make than you’re expecting, but has a gourmet feel with layers of flavor! You’re going to love how nutritious and yummy this meal is.
- It’s even easy enough to make for lunch! If you work from home, you’re probably tired of the same old meals….this recipe is a great way to switch it up.
What To Serve With Salmon
Look for a fresh green salad, couscous, rice dish, steamed or roasted vegetables, etc. You can essentially pair with any of your favorite sides.
Recipe FAQs
At 375 degrees F, you will cook your salmon filets for 13-15 minutes. Now, if you have a smaller piece of salmon, then adjust the cooking time to fit the size of filet you are working with.
Salmon needs to be 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit when you use a meat thermometer to check the fish. You can also press down on the filet, and it is done if the fish flakes away. But the safest way to know is a meat thermometer.
Raw salmon can store for 1-2 days in the fridge once purchased unless the package has a different date. For cooked salmon, you will want to store it for around a day. Fish doesn’t store that great once it has been cooked.
I recommend preheating your oven to 275 degrees. Place your salmon on a baking tray, and drizzle lightly with oil. Then cook for 5-10 minutes or until the salmon is warmed.
You will find that salmon is one of the healthiest fish to eat. It is loaded with vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and more. It is a great source of protein as well. Just remember how you prepare the fish alters the healthy component.
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Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 6 oz
- 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 runny honey
- 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
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. Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet and generously season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside.4 salmon fillets
- 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.¼ c extra virgin olive oil, ¼ c fresh lemon juice, 1 t Dijon mustard, 1½ T runny honey, 1 garlic clove
- Add chopped pistachios and ground cardamom to a small bowl and stir to combine. Evenly divide the pistachio mixture among the salmon fillets, gently pressing the mixture into each fillet to ensure it adheres.½ c pistachios
- 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 them in the pre-heated oven to roast until the salmon is flakey and the cherry tomatoes are blistered for approximately 13-15 minutes.1 pint cherry tomatoes, Sea salt and black pepper
- Meanwhile, 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.1 t ground cardamom, 6 c mixed salad greens, 1 medium cucumber, ½ medium red onion, ¼ c Kalamata olives
- Once baking time is complete, remove salmon and tomatoes from the oven. Serve immediately with the fresh salad on the side.
Lynndee says
I love seafood and salmon is one of my favorites. I can’t wait to try this. Looks delicious!
Alita Pacio says
Great recipe here. thanks for sharing. I think I{d like to marinate the salmon for a few hours in advance
Kim Schob says
You are so welcome Alita, thank you for coming by!
Marjie Mare says
I love seafood and salmon is my favorite one. I will give this delicious recipe a try over the weekend.
Kim Schob says
That’s perfect Marjie, Thanks for coming by!
aisasami says
I have to share this my coworker as she loves Pistachios. It is super hard to find Pistachios in Japan, so I have to search for them and make this!
Kim Schob says
Welcome from Japan! Aisasami, I hope it is not too much trouble; the dish is wonderful. Here are some substitutes for Pistachios just in case you can substitute equal amounts of pine nuts or chopped almonds. I hope that helps. Thank you for coming by!
Ivan M. Jose says
I love salmon and pistachios. It’s great to know that I can have both in a single, easy-to-do dish.
Kim Schob says
Yes, this is an easy and healthy dish, so it is a win-win, Ivan. Thank you for coming by!
Fransic verso says
Yummmy, it looks delicious, and never tried it like that haha. Definitely worth a try. thank you for sharing!
Kim Schob says
It is delicious Fransic. Thank you for coming by!
Ramil Hinolan says
I like anything salmon. So, making this dish is in order.
Kim Schob says
Love reading that Ramil, Thanks again for stopping by!
Ramil Hinolan says
There’s plenty of salmon supply in the store where we use to do our weekly groceries. Now, I have reasons to buy some so I can try to make this salmon recipe at home.
Kim Schob says
That’s great Ramil, Thank you for coming by!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN says
This sounds like an interesting dish. My husband loves salmon and pistachio so I should make it for him to try.
Kim Schob says
That would be wonderful Melanie, Thank you for stopping by!
JD Obedoza says
Yep. Baked salmon is amazing. My kid bakes an awesome salmon and it’s always good bye diet for me.
Kim Schob says
That’s fantastic, JD Thanks for stopping by!
Aimee AMALA says
Aww wow, this sounds AMAAAAZING! The picture has made me hungry for teatime. Salmon – super healthy yet nommy choice. Thanks so much for sharing.
Kim Schob says
Yeah! Aimee, It worked lol You’re so welcome. Thanks for coming by!