Baked Salmon with Panko-Dill Crust
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Whip up this restaurant-quality baked salmon with a crunchy dill-specked crust in just 25 minutes, turning any weeknight dinner into a special occasion!
Here’s a new gem for your recipe collection: my baked salmon, perfect for busy weeknights or elegant brunches. It’s topped with a delicious mix of crunchy panko, lemon zest, and fresh dill. What really sets it apart, though, is the garlicky, lemony mayo spread that not only complements the salmon’s richness but also ensures the panko-dill crust adheres perfectly.
This recipe proves that restaurant-quality meals don’t require hours in the kitchen—just a few well-chosen ingredients and 25 minutes of your time. Pair the dish with roasted asparagus and a wild rice blend (go ahead and use one of the microwaveable rice packets to make life easy!) or roasted potatoes.
“This was easy to prepare and so delicious. The dill, lemon, and Dijon added wonderful flavor. Bake time was perfect – the salmon was juicy and so good!”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Salmon With Panko-Dill Crust
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Provide a crunchy texture and golden brown crust to the salmon, adding a delightful contrast to the tender fish.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Infuses both the panko topping and the mayonnaise mixture with a bright citrus flavor that complements the richness of the salmon.
- Fresh Dill: Adds a fragrant herbaceousness that pairs perfectly with salmon.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Helps bind the topping ingredients together and promotes even browning.
- Mayonnaise: Creates a creamy coating on the salmon, ensuring it remains moist and flavorful throughout the baking process.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a tangy kick and depth of flavor to the salmon, and provides a nice balance to the other ingredients.
- Garlic Powder: Imparts a subtle savory note and enhances the overall seasoning of the salmon.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step-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 it with nonstick cooking spray.
For the Topping
In a medium bowl, add the panko, lemon zest, salt, pepper, dill, and olive oil.
Stir until the mixture is evenly blended.
For the Fish
In another medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Stir until blended and smooth.
Place the fish fillets on the prepared baking sheet and spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each piece.
Next, evenly sprinkle the panko-dill topping over the fish.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the topping is slightly golden. (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.)
Note: If your fish fillets have skin, they may stick to the foil. To serve, slide a thin spatula between the skin and flesh, leaving the skin behind on the foil. Serve with lemon wedges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can combine the ingredients for the panko-dill topping in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Sprinkle it over the salmon just before baking.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as the the breadcrumbs may get soggy upon thawing. Enjoy it fresh out of the oven for the best taste and texture.
Sure! If you’re not a fan of salmon or interested in trying something new, arctic char is an excellent alternative. Cod or halibut can also be good choices, though keep in mind that the richness of salmon pairs particularly well with the topping.
Video Tutorial
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Baked Salmon with Panko-Dill Crust
Whip up this restaurant-quality baked salmon with a crunchy dill-specked crust in just 25 minutes, turning any weeknight dinner into a special occasion!
Ingredients
For the Panko-Dill Crust
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salmon
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Four 6-oz salmon fillets
- Lemon wedges, for serving
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 it with nonstick cooking spray.
- For the topping: In a medium bowl, add the panko, lemon zest, salt, pepper, dill, and olive oil and stir until the mixture is evenly blended.
- For the fish: In another medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and stir until blended and smooth. Place the fish fillets on the prepared baking sheet and spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each piece. Next, evenly sprinkle the panko-dill topping over the fish. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the topping is slightly golden. (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.) Note: If your fish fillets have skin, they may stick to the foil. To serve, slide a thin spatula between the skin and flesh, leaving the skin behind on the foil. Serve with lemon wedges.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 539
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 478 mg
- Cholesterol: 101 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 made it today. served with augula salad with grilled mushrooms, and basil paste pasta. It was really easy and wow ~ delicious ! Just right amount of seasoning and very flavorful. Thank you !
Do you think this could be served with your panzanella salad, or would the flavors compete? Thank you!
I think you can get away with it. 😊
Tastes like you spent all day preparing it but it’s really simple! Great flavors! Definitely a keeper!
This looks delicious–I’m wondering if any changes to the recipe or cooking time would be needed to make a 2lb side of salmon instead of individual fillets? Seems like it would work other than a bit longer cooking time potentially?
Hi Sara, The time in the oven may be slightly different, but it also depends on the thickness of the salmon. I’d check it at 10 minutes and see if it needs any more time. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn! I plan on making this recipe tomorrow night and was wondering if I could substitute dried dill for the fresh? If so, how much would you recommend using?
– Thanks
Hi Kristine, Yes you can definitely use dried dill – I’d go with 2 teaspoons. Hope you enjoy!
Another huge hit with the family from OUAC!! As much as we all love your Honey-Mustard Salmon with Pecan-Panko crust, which I’ve made it twice already (yum!), I have to say that my family liked this one even better, myself included.
Personally, I find this one a bit lighter (flavor wise), which I believe allows greater latitude in what you can serve with it. An added bonus was that I used the extra (and VERY tasty!) mayo/lemon/dijon sauce to dip your roasted potatoes into (another yum!).
Based on my many decades of experience in restaurants (front of house, Minneapolis and NYC) I’m going to make one adjustment next time I make this and that is to reduce the baking time to 8 minutes from 10. My personal preference is to have my fish a bit on the underdone side (med rare-ish). 10 minutes ended up being a bit too done for my liking. But, to be clear, it was still extremely delicious (and, for the record, I used wild-caught Sockeye Salmon [from Costco!]).
This is DEFINITELY going into our regular rotation. Thanks, Jenn!
This was phenomenal! Even my fish hating husband liked it! Quick, easy and delicious, thank you Jen!
Amazing recipe! So easy. Will make again and again.
This salmon was delicious!! Loved this recipe.
This was simply awesome. Made it for the wife and she thought I went to the Ocean Club to get high-end takeout!!!