Pistachio-crusted salmon

Boost your seafood intake with tasty nut-crusted salmon

Increasing seafood intake in your diet can not only give an extra boost to your diet by providing nutrients like protein, iodine, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids, but it tastes great, too. 

When it comes to fish and seafood, salmon is one of the tastiest thanks to being a fatty fish, which is why you get all of those good omega-3s. There are a range of easy salmon recipes you can try, but one of the tastiest ways to enjoy the popular fatty fish is a lovely pistachio-crusted salmon like this one. 

When served alongside the baked greens and blistered tomatoes all cooked together on a baking tray, this healthy pistachio-crusted salmon not only provides a delicious lunch or dinner that’s good for you, but it won't leave you feeling like you’ve overindulged. 

This baked healthy salmon dish is easy to throw together making it an ideal weeknight meal for the family, but also fancy enough to enjoy for a special meal. If you like the idea of a crunchy coating but want to avoid nuts, you can try an herb-crusted salmon recipe instead. 

Why this crusted salmon recipe will be your new favourite

Many classic food combinations marry well together – cookies and cream, chips and gravy, peanut butter and chocolate. Another to add is, of course, pistachios and salmon. The flavours and textures complement each other well – the rich and indulgent fish combined with the crunchy nuttiness of the pistachios.

When you bake any salmon with topping, to ensure it all stays together, it’s recommended to press the finely chopped nuts firmly into the flesh. Other recipes using nuts might use honey with the pistachios to help them stick and add a touch of sweetness, however, this healthy salmon recipe relies on the pressure to keep the pistachios stuck. 

How do you keep salmon moist? 

Baking salmon in the oven is a simple solution that can save you some time as you won’t need to hang around the stove while it’s cooking. However, there are a few important factors to remember to ensure your pistachio salmon is cooked perfectly all the way through. 

First, take the salmon out of the fridge early to give it some time to come up to room temperature. This will help the salmon cook all the way through and not have cool spots through the centre. 

The next step you’ll want to consider is your placement in the oven. To ensure the crusted pistachio salmon bakes properly all the way through, it’s recommended to bake it in the centre of a pre-warmed oven. This will allow the salmon to cook through without the pistachios burning. Salmon is best when it’s just cooked in the centre but remains tender, is moist throughout and flakes beautifully as your fork goes through it. 

What to serve alongside this tasty salmon with a crust recipe

This healthy baked salmon dish is great to serve on its own with the vegetables that have been baked alongside it, however, if you would like to add something extra, you could serve this dish with rice, noodles or a side of potatoes.