This rich, buttery Pecan Crusted Salmon is an absolute crowd-pleaser. Fresh salmon filets are brushed with a quick sauce made from mayo, Dijon, and honey, then pressed into a pecan and panko breadcrumb coating that gives the salmon its signature crispy exterior. It’s baked at a low temperature, which helps to keep the salmon incredibly moist.
Add fresh herbs and lemon zest to brighten the flavors of the crunchy topping, then enjoy with your favorite potato and vegetable side dishes. This salmon recipe can easily be scaled up to feed a large group. If you’re a seafood lover, you’re definitely going to want to give this a try!
Check out all of our easy seafood recipes, including Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Sheet Pan Salmon with Roasted Broccoli & Potatoes, or our family’s favorite Slow Baked Salmon with Herb Shallot Butter.
What You’ll Need
- Salmon fillets: You can use skin-on or skin-off salmon. Season generously with Kosher salt (and black pepper, if you like). This is Atlantic salmon, though you can check out our salmon guide for more information on the different species.
- For the pecan topping: neutral oil, a chopped shallot, garlic, finely ground pecans, panko breadcrumbs, fresh sage, and lemon zest.
- Sauce for brushing on salmon: mayonnaise (though sour cream, creme fraiche, or Greek yogurt are fine), Dijon mustard, and honey. This gets mixed together and brushed onto the salmon fillets so that the topping will adhere to it.
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
You’ll also need a sheet pan with parchment paper to bake the pecan crusted salmon.
How To Make Pecan Crusted Salmon
This is definitely an easy salmon recipe that can be prepped in 20 minutes or less.
- Prepare the pecan crust. Combine shallot, toasted ground pecans, panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and fresh sage in a small bowl.
- Prep the salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels, then season with Kosher salt.
- Crust the salmon. Brush a quick sauce made with mayo, Dijon mustard, and honey onto each seasoned salmon filet. Press sauce side down into a bowl with the pecan mixture. Repeat with remaining fish filets then place on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Transfer to a preheated oven then cook at 300F for 17-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145F and the salmon flakes easily. Serve with lemon wedges.
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
FAQs
Absolutely! This pecan crust works well with other fish like trout, cod, arctic char, or tilapia.
Yes, simply use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in place of regular breadcrumbs.
The panko breadcrumb and pecan mixture can absolutely be prepped in advance. Store in an airtight container in a fridge for several days, then assemble with fresh salmon before baking.
Yes! Salmon is a great source of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to finely chop the pecans for a uniform crust. I like to pulse them in a food processor until very finely ground.
- Use fresh salmon or flash frozen salmon for the best flavor and texture. If using frozen salmon, be sure to thaw completely overnight in a fridge before cooking.
- Don’t skimp on the Dijon mustard; it enhances the overall taste.
- Adjust the baking time based on the thickness of your salmon fillets. For instance, wild-caught salmon tends to be thinner than farmed salmon, and may require a few minutes less cook time.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: You can prepare the pecan crust mixture ahead of time and store it in an airtight container. When ready to cook, simply coat the salmon and bake as instructed.
- Leftovers and storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. Remember that seafood has a shorter shelf life than other proteins.
- To freeze: While it’s best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze pecan crusted salmon for up to 2 months. Wrap individual fillets tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
How To Serve
This is a really easy salmon recipe to pair with a variety of simple side dishes. We love roasted potatoes or rice and roasted vegetables. Here’s a few of our favorites to try:
- Potatoes: Simple roasted potatoes, duck fat potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes with sour cream, or a baked potato.
- Veggies: Roasted broccolini, blistered haricots verts, Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables, or roasted asparagus.
- Salad: Arugula salad, kale salad with apples and pecans
Substitutions and Variations
- Nuts: In place of pecans, use any variety of nut you like! We adore pistachio crusted salmon!
- Fresh herbs: In place of sage, you can use chopped fresh parsley, oregano, tarragon, or basil. Even dried herbs will work in the topping, we just prefer the brighter flavor and taste of fresh herbs.
- Panko breadcrumbs: While we prefer the coarser texture of panko to traditional breadcrumbs, if you make homemade breadcrumbs, you can control the grind. These are easy and delicious to have on hand for enhancing all recipes!
Rich and buttery with a crunchy texture from the toasted pecan topping — there’s so much to love about this easy weeknight salmon! It has quickly become a Well Seasoned favorite!
If you make this Pecan Crusted Salmon recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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More Salmon Recipes To Try
20-Minute Honey Garlic Salmon 25-Minute Pesto Salmon (with any type of pesto!) 30-Minute Air Fryer Salmon Bites with Hot Honey 30-Minute Creamy Salmon Curry 4 Ingredient Baked Cajun Salmon
Tender, Flaky Pecan Crusted Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 (6oz) salmon fillets skin on or off
- ¾ tsp Kosher salt divided
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil such as grapeseed, avocado, or canola oil
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped, about 1-2 Tbsp
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- ¼ cup pecans very finely chopped or finely ground
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp fresh sage finely chopped, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest the lemon cut into wedges for serving
- 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, sour cream, creme fraiche, or Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the salmon. Preheat an oven to 300F. Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel, then season with ½ tsp Kosher salt.
- Sweat the shallot. Heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add chopped shallot and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Season with remaining ½ tsp Kosher salt. Add chopped garlic clove, then cook 1 minute more.
- Toast the remaining ingredients. To the skillet add ½ cup finely chopped pecans and ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then continue cooking until the pecans are toasted and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl, then stir in 2 Tbsp finely chopped sage and 1 tsp lemon zest.
- Make the quick sauce. Place 1 Tbsp mayo (sour cream, creme fraiche, or Greek yogurt is fine) in a small bowl, then whisk in 2 tsp honey and 1 tsp Dijon mustard.
- Coat with pecans. Brush a little sauce on top of each salmon filet, then press into the pecan breadcrumb mixture so that it adheres to the top of the fish. Repeat with remaining salmon filets.
- Bake the fish. Place salmon filets on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the salmon registers 120F. The temperature will continue to rise as the fish rests. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then serve with a pinch of flaky sea salt and lemon wedges.
Notes
- To make-ahead: You can prepare the pecan crust mixture ahead of time and store it in an airtight container. When ready to cook, simply coat the salmon and bake as instructed.
- Leftovers and storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. Remember that seafood has a shorter shelf life than other proteins.
- To freeze: While it’s best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze pecan crusted salmon for up to 2 months. Wrap individual fillets tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Photography by: Megan McKeehan
Perfect weeknight meal! So delish!
Love that crunchy topping! xo, Ari