Baked Salmon with Honey Mustard and Pecan-Panko Crust
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This baked salmon with a crunchy topping takes just 20 minutes to make, yet it’s elegant enough for company.
This easy salmon dish takes a total of 20 minutes—10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook—yet tastes like something you’d order at a fancy restaurant. It’s perfect for when you have company coming at the end of a long day (and you’re asking yourself, “What was I thinking?!”) or on a busy weeknight when you have to hit the kitchen running. Feel free to substitute another type of fish like cod, trout or striped bass.
To parents of picky eaters: if your kids are lukewarm on fish, I find that a crunchy coating is the best way to entice them, and you can omit the nuts if need be (or try my panko-topped baked salmon recipe with no nuts). Pair the salmon with a green vegetable and a starch (baked potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, couscous, or drop biscuits are all good options).
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Salmon with Honey Mustard & Pecan-Panko Crust
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the mustard, butter, honey, salt, and pepper to make the glaze.
Next, make the topping by mixing together the panko, pecans, and parsley.
Spoon the glaze over the salmon fillets.
Then press the pecan-panko mixture over top.
Bake for 7-10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the salmon flakes when tested with a fork.
Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Baked Salmon with Honey Mustard and Pecan Panko Crust
This baked salmon with a crunchy topping takes just 20 minutes to make, yet it’s elegant enough for company.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup panko
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley (optional, for color)
- 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets
- 1 lemon, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, melted butter, honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, mix together the panko, pecans, parsley (if using), and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Spoon the honey-mustard mixture evenly over the salmon fillets. (Don't worry if it drips down the sides a little.) Sprinkle the panko-pecan mixture over the glaze, pressing it lightly so it adheres.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes per inch of thickness, depending on how well done you like your salmon. (If you find that the topping is browning more than you’d like before the fish is cooked through, loosely cover the salmon with foil.) Serve hot or at room temperature. (Note that if your salmon has skin, it may stick to the foil; to remove the fish from the pan, slide a thin spatula between the skin and the flesh, leaving the skin behind.)
- Make Ahead: The salmon can be glazed, coated with the panko-pecan mixture, and refrigerated up to 3 hours ahead of time.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 482
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Sodium: 467 mg
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I just made this tonight and it was wonderful! The family ate it all up!!
I’ve made this once a week for the past month. So easy and so good. I used a little less butter and have substituted other nuts, depending what I had on hand.
Hi Jenn. Love all that you do. I have made this dish several times but now want to make it for comp. When prepping it beforehand, do I add more cooking time since it will be out of the fridge or would it be better to take out and sit for a bit before cooking?
Thank you!
Hi Mary, You can take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. It may still take another minute or two in the oven but keep a close eye on it. Hope everyone enjoys! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe many, many times. Always turned out perfectly. I don’t add parsley but that’s a personal preference. Tonight it will be served with a mushroom & rice side, garlic potatoes and broccoli. This recipe is perfect for any weather and any occasion.
Wonderful! The best recipe I have found to make salmon at home. My husband raved about it and he is not much of a fish eater! Glad to get more fish in our diet!
HI Jennifer- THANK YOU AGAIN for another “WOW” presentation!!! Served this salmon as part of a New Year’s Day Lunch for 10 friends & PEOPLE WENT INSANE!!! (in a great way)
Looking for a salmon recipe and wanted something a little different. First time making this and it’s a WINNER recipe!
I appreciate that your instructions are so crystal clear. Followed your directions, my only modification was that I doubled your recipe – and served a single 3 pound piece of salmon (rather than 6 oz portioned pieces) – that way as part of a buffet people could choose as much or little as they wanted. The presentation was STUNNING!!! My guests were literally “oohing” and “aahing” and “wowwwwwwwing” when they saw the salmon. It’s so delicious, the honey mustard underneath provides good zing and the crunch is delicious. I served it with an arugula salad with roasted carrots/goat cheese/marcona almonds/dried cranberries … wonderful complement.
Also it’s so easy – which you described- this will now be part of my regular rotation for weeknight dinners.
THANK YOU AGAIN for offering me different twists on recipes. Found your site maybe 10 years ago? Bought your cookbook right away to support you & give back after feeling like a freeloader for years – and I love your cookbook so much I am buying them as gifts for friends….
Thanks SO much for your support (and glad the salmon was a hit)! ❤️
I have been experiencing health problems (with a new boatload of medications) in the last yr, & find I can’t enjoy eating “plain ol’ salmon” anymore — my taster is off. This is the perfect antidote! Since my husband is a cardiac patient, we NEED to eat more fish, so this recipe helps tremendously, thanks!
How long to cook the 3pound salmon?
Hi Pat, if the salmon is cut into fillets, they should take about the same amount of time that the recipe indicates. (If the pieces happen to be particularly thick, you may need to add a few more minutes. Enjoy!
Hi Jen, please help. We are serving this salmon recipe for Christmas and we need a potato/starch dish to serve too. What do you think would be good? Thank you so so much
Hi Barbara, I think this would be nice with my Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, but if you want to browse some other options, see here. Happy holidays!
Hi Jen. Thank you so much for answering questions. My question is we want to serve this on a Christmas buffet so we’ll be getting a large salmon fillet to serve 15. How can I adapt your recipe?
Hi Barbara, to feed 15, you’d need to multiply all of the ingredients by 3 or 4. Making a decision about that will depend on how many other things will be served on your buffet. If you have a lot of other dishes that will be served, multiplying the recipe by three should be plenty. Hope that helps!
I have a bottle of Mailie Dijion Mustard with Honey. Can I use this to replace the mustard and honey?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it will work. Please LMK how it comes out!
I made this recipe for Christmas dinner last year, using both salmon and cod. A huge hit and it will be on my Christmas dinner table again this year! It’s quick and easy to make and tastes special. I served the fish with scalloped potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, and linzertorte for dessert. Merry Christmas Jenn and thank you for another year of inspiring cooking!
Merry Christmas to you, Sally! 🙂
What can I use instead of ‘panko’ please? thanks
Hi Karen, I like the crunch that the panko adds, but you could get away with traditional bread crumbs here. Hope that helps!