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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Comments
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I tried this last night and it was delicious and I need to tell you that I am not a salmon lover. This was so wonderful with the crunchy Panko and pecans. There were so many wonderful flavors coming through. I felt like I was in a fancy restaurant. I will try this recipe again and again and especially for company. And it is so easy.
Jen,
I made this for lunch today. What a lovely variation for us!
We usually buy a huge filet of fresh Steelhead at Costco and grill it on the BBQ. We get about 3 meals off of that per week.
This was perfect!
Served the salmon on a small bed of fresh baby spinach with roasted sesame dressing and steamed garlic rice.
Love all of your food work!
What’s the oven setting for the baked panko salmon? Want to try it but not sure of the temperature.
Hi Helene, the salmon gets baked at 450°F/230°C. Hope you enjoy!
Instead of individual salmon fillets can you use a whole salmon – like what you would buy at Costco? – adjusting the topping and the cook time for the size of the fillet?
Sure, Betsy – that’s fine. Enjoy!
Next time I’d lower the temperature to 400 and increase the cooking time a little bit. A few of the pecans got a little too dark. Otherwise it was delicious.
Could this be cooked on a propane grill with the top closed? In the summer, turning the oven to 450 is a bit much.
Sure, Mary – that should work.
My family loved this salmon recipe. Mustard was not overpowering. I had one problem- the pecans for the crust were charred. I think I will toast them separately next time and add them after salmon has baked.
Hi Ana, The key is to chop the pecans finely. Hope that helps!
I can’t believe how simple, fast and tasty this dish is! Even my husband, who doesn’t love fish, really enjoyed it. Will definitely make again.
This recipe is also delicious for steelhead trout! I’ve made it several times and it’s even great the next day served cold.
Forgot to add that I use maple syrup instead of honey. Delish!
This recipe is one of the best “finds” I’ve discovered! It’s easy, delicious, and a great way to dress up a frozen salmon fillet.
My almost weekly routine is to roast cauliflower and place our salmon on the end of the roasting pan about 15 minutes before cauliflower is done. One of our favorites!!! Your cookbook arrived last week. I’m anxious to start trying more recipes!
Glad you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for purchasing the cookbook – hope it becomes an often-used tool in your kitchen! 🙂