Walnut Crusted Salmon
on Apr 11, 2022, Updated Jul 04, 2024
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If you love baked salmon then you have to try this Walnut Crusted Salmon! Salmon fillet is topped with a rosemary maple mustard sauce and chopped walnuts then baked until flaky. It’s a delicious and heart healthy dinner!
Salmon is something I try to eat at least a few nights a week. Not only am I a fan of the flavor and texture, assuming it isn’t overcooked (tips on cooking salmon below), but I love the health benefits it provides as well.
Salmon is full of omega 3 fatty acids which are great for reducing inflammation, heart and brain health. It’s also an amazing source of vitamin B12 and selenium.
When the weather is nice I prefer to grill salmon. One of my favorite grilled salmon recipes is this grilled salmon with strawberry jalapeño salsa. Sweet, savory, a little spicy, and so good!
When I’m not grilling salmon, baked salmon is my preferred cooking method. The walnut crusted salmon recipe I’m sharing today takes less than 15 minutes to bake and comes out flaky, full of flavor and perfectly cooked.
Ingredients For Walnut Crusted Salmon
- Salmon – You can use skin on or off salmon for this recipe. Atalantic, Sockeye, Coho, and King salmon all work great.
- Walnuts – Walnuts are full of healthy fat. You’ll want to use unsalted and unroasted walnuts.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a nice tang to the salmon. Don’t replace with yellow mustard, however whole grain mustard would be a good alternative.
- Maple syrup – Adds a slight sweetness to balance the mustard. You can use honey as an alternative.
- Rosemary – I recommend using fresh, finely chopped rosemary for the best flavor.
- Garlic – I like to use a microplane zester to grate garlic. It distributes more evenly into the sauce and you don’t risk biting down into any chunks of it.
- Lemon zest and juice – Always zest your lemon before juicing it. The zest has more lemon flavor than the actual juice, so don’t skip it. Please don’t use bottled lemon juice.
- Smoked paprika – It adds a subtle smoky flavor that goes great with the maple and mustard.
- Cayenne – The small amount used in the sauce doesn’t overwhelm the salmon with spicy flavor. It’s the kind of heat that hits you in the back of the throat just to let you know it’s there.
How To Make Walnut Crusted Salmon
Preheat your oven to 425° F. To avoid having to wash your baking sheet line it with parchment paper or foil. If using foil you’ll want to spray it with cooking spray so the salmon doesn’t stick to it.
In a small bowl combine the dijon, lemon zest and juice, maple syrup, rosemary, garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir or whisk until combined and set aside.
Chop the walnuts fairly fine. If you prefer to pulse the walnuts in a food processor you can do that as well, but it isn’t necessary.
Place the salmon fillet or fillets onto the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands or a silicone brush to spread the mustard sauce all over the top of the salmon.
Take the chopped walnuts and sprinkle it over the top of the salmon. Gently press it down so it sticks. Place the salmon into the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet(s).
When the salmon flakes easily with a fork, remove it from the oven. Let the salmon rest for a couple minutes and then serve. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the salmon if desired.
How To Tell When Salmon Is Done Baking
The easiest way to see if your salmon is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. Salmon should be cooked to temperatures between 110°-140° F. I generally cook mine to about 130° F. which will give you a medium cooked salmon.
If you don’t have a meat thermometer, stick a for into the thickest part of the salmon. It should be opaque around the edges and pink in the center.
Most importantly it will flake apart when it’s ready. Once it reaches that point, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Storing And Reheating Salmon
Store the salmon in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Salmon and fish in general is never as good reheated as the day you make it. However, if you reheat it in the oven it’s generally pretty good.
Place the salmon in a shallow baking dish and cover it with foil. Bake it at 275° F. for about 10-15 minutes or until it’s warmed through.
If you choose to reheat it in the microwave, be sure to cover the salmon with a damp paper towel. This will help keep it from drying out and exploding all over your microwave.
Reheat the salmon in 15 second increments as it tends to warm quickly and can easily dry out the salmon.
What To Serve With Walnut Crusted Salmon
- Roasted vegetables, such as the roasted asparagus shown in the photos. Simply season with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400° F. for 18-22 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp and golden brown on the outside and tender inside.
- Maple Orange Sweet Potato Salad
- Tomato Avocado Pasta Salad
- Lemon Asparagus Risotto
- Roasted Sweet Potato Lentil Salad
More Salmon Recipes
Did you make this Walnut Crusted Salmon? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Walnut Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon filet
- 1/3 cup chopped unsalted walnuts
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon grated or minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray. Place the salmon fillet(s) onto the prepared baking sheet, skin side down.
- In a small bowl combine the dijon, maple syrup, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Spread the mixture over the top of the salmon. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts evenly on top and gently press them down so they stick.
- Bake the salmon on the middle rack of the oven for 8-12 minutes or until the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this salmon tonight. Loved it! So moist and flavorful. Thank you.
Thanks for making the salmon Joan and I’m happy to hear you loved it!