Paleo Pistachio-Crusted Salmon

Add some crunch, color and a touch of elegance to your next salmon dinner with this recipe for Pistachio-Crusted Salmon.  Paleo and Whole30 compliant.

This Pistachio-Crusted Salmon has a crunchy crust and pungent flavours of lemon and mustard. It’s a dish that we have frequently because it’s so quick, easy and flavourful.

The inspiration for this paleo Pistachio-Crusted Salmon came from Robert Irvine’s recipe on The Food Network site. I adapted it to make it gluten-free by omitting the Panko crumbs and changing the mustard to one I happened to have on hand. After the first bite, we were both surprised at just how good it was. The lemony-mustard spread not only helped to make the chopped pistachios stick to the salmon, but it added an amazing depth of flavour as well. The crunchy crust kept the salmon moist.

When I was preparing this baked salmon dish today, I was thinking about the first time I saw pistachio nuts. They were in a sack on the sidewalk outside a small store in the Plaka–the old town of Athens. Denis and I bought them, munched on them as we wandered the streets, and then had to deal with our red fingers.

Pistachio shells used to be dyed red, apparently to hide the marks caused by harvesting. Now, most pistachios sold in the west are grown in California and are harvested mechanically. The shells don’t become stained and so there is no need for dye. Red pistachios are now gone, along with the 8-track tape, the Telex and the dial-up modem.

This Pistachio-Crusted Salmon takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.

1. Simply rinse and pat dry your salmon fillet, remove the pin bones if they haven’t already been removed and slice into serving-sized pieces.
2. Season the fish, then spread the lemon-Dijon mixture evenly.
3. Coat with the chopped pistachios, pressing them evenly into the spread.
4. Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 – 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillet.

Can I use other nuts to make this recipe?

Yes! Try finely chopped almonds or walnuts instead, as I used in this recipe for Maple Walnut Crusted Sheet Pan Halibut. Use the same lemon-mustard mixture to help the nuts stick to the fish.

What should I serve with this Pistachio-Crusted Salmon?

We both loved this way of cooking our favourite fish and have made it many times. It is quick and easy to prepare, ready in less than 30 minutes.  Serve it with a flavourful paleo side dish like this Charred Asparagus with Warm Citrus Sauce, Sesame Ginger Green Beans or Easy 5 – Minute Sesame Asparagus or one of my favourite salads:  Cauliflower Lemon Basil Salad with Toasted Capers.

Pistachio-Crusted Salmon

Course: Seafood

Cuisine: West Coast

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Flavour & Savour

An easy but elegant way to serve salmon. The crust on this Pistachio-Crusted Salmon is incredibly flavourful and it keeps the salmon moist.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 oz wild-caught salmon fillet about 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick
• 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• sea salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup raw shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped finely

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Rinse salmon, pat dry, remove pin bones (if not already removed) and cut into serving pieces. Place skin side down on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Brush with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Whisk together Dijon mustard and lemon juice and spread on top of salmon.
• Gently press the chopped pistachios into the mustard spread.
• Bake at 375°F.  for 15 - 20 min.( depending on the thickness of the fillets) or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1.5% | Vitamin C: 2.3% | Calcium: 3.1% | Iron: 7.9%

More salmon inspiration!

If you love wild salmon, you might like these, too!
Crispy Fennel Crusted Salmon
Bourbon Maple Glazed Salmon
Asian Wild Salmon Buddha Bowl
Easy Honey Chili Lime Glazed Salmon
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