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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I used to not be a big fan of baked fish…until I began making Jenn’s recipes! The salmon in this recipe was chock full of flavor and so moist! I will make again, except next time, I will reduce the amount of mustard since my husband doesn’t particularly like mustard. Thanks, Jenn!
This recipe is easy, impressive, and delicious! What I love is you can make it hours ahead of your dinner party and stick it in the oven right before you want to serve dinner. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe.
This was absolutely delicious! I paired it with roasted asparagus and oven-roasted potatoes. Will make this recipe again — so easy to prepare and clean up!
I made this dish recently for Rosh Hashanah and it was excellent! It’s a perfect dinner for that holiday as it has some sweetness to it. The tradition for the Rosh Hashanah meal is to serve something sweet as a symbol for a sweet New Year to come. I served this with a baked carrot ring recipe that I have. The carrot ring also has some sweetness to it so it was a nice complement without being too sweet of a meal.
I have recommended Once Upon a Chef to several friends including a Women’s Healthy Cooking Group that I am in here in my neighborhood. It is my new favorite “go to” website. Thank you Jennifer for your wonderful recipes.
I made this recipe a few days ago it was easy to follow and turned out really delicious. I loved the combination of mustard and honey it gave the salmon a great flavor.
This is sooo yummy. This is the only way I make salmon now. Even my 7 year old niece who would not eat salmon before loves this. I make it just as the recipe says and it turns out perfect every time. The only thing that I have done differently sometimes is if I don’t have any pecans I leave them out and it still is great. Thanks.
One of your easy go to salmon recipes of all time! Always turns out moist, crunchy and flavorful. I always use wild Alaskan salmon. When I am hosting many family members that need Gluten Free, I sub out the panko with crushed Milton’s crackers. GF panko is just too hard unlike the regular panko.
Thanks Jen for your time and talent, I can always count on your recipes…and I’ve made MANY!😊
Can you substitute olive oil for butter?
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tried this with olive oil. I do think the topping would be a bit runnier, but that it would be doable.
Great! Simple, delicious and different.
This is a wonderful recipe. Everyone in my family loved it! It was easy but super elegant. We’re having neighbors over for dinner in a few weeks and this will be the entree.
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! 🙂
Made this for friends today and everyone loved it. “Divine” to quote one of our friends. So easy too. Made it a couple of hours ahead so just had to pop it into the oven.
The honey mustard salmon sounds great so I will make it tonight. My question is how large is the tablespoon measure you use in the metric ingredients please?
I know the US tablespoon is 15 mills and our Australian one is 20 mills. So far I have used 15 mill size in your fantastic recipes.
Hi Patricia, It’s 15 ml so you’ve been doing it correctly. 🙂
Hi Jenn
Can I substitute the pecan with a different nut? My daughter is allergic to pecans and walnuts.
Sure, Helen – anything you like.
Hi Jen! Can you make this kosher for Passover using a panko substitute? Thank you!
Sure, Alana, that should work. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This is my go-to salmon recipe – so good! I make it as is and it is perfect. Unfortunately my newborn has a milk protein allergy so I am cutting all dairy for the next 5 months or so. Do you think I can sub coconut oil for the butter? Any other suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Meagan, I do think that coconut oil would work here (and so glad you like it)!
Absolutely delicious! Made it twice now and put pistachios the second time. Yummy both ways!
I made this dish tonight, and just ate it. It was delicious! I forgot to add the honey, and realized this after the fish had baked. I squirted some honey over the topping and put it back in the oven for 2 mins, and it tasted great! It took about 15 minutes for the fish to cook, (fish about 1.5 inches high), maybe it was too far away from the heat coming from bottom of oven, so after 10 mins, I moved it to a lower rack. Easy to make, delicious!
I was surprised by how well the pecans went with the salmon and added an interesting crunch to the flaky salmon. Simple and a weeknight winner!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was such a great hit. I was amazed that something so good was so simple! The pecans gave it a nice crunch. I omitted the parsley and served it with roasted asparagus and roasted baby potatoes. This dish is a winner! Thanks so much Jenn
I’ve made this numerous times now since my one son, who doesn’t usually eat salmon, loved this recipe! With a nice brown rice mix, asparagus or broccoli, you have a perfect lean, high protein meal! Given I work, as does, my husband, using this recipe is a quick way to produce a meal that tastes like it took longer than it did to create. Absolutely a ‘go to’ recipe for me, I forwarded it to both of my sisters who also now use it whenever they make salmon.
I had a group of 12 ladies coming for dinner. This was perfect. I prepared the salmon 3 hours in advance. I purchased large fillet and cut it into portions. I left the skin on and put it on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Once everyone arrived I baked it for about 15 minutes ( like my salmon cooked through). Could not have been easier to feed a large group. It was a pitch in so the group brought sides and desserts. Everyone raved about how delicious it was.
I try to make this recipe every 1-2 weeks, it is nice enough to make for company or just us. It always feels like a special meal when we sit down and enjoy the salmon.
This was amazing! Delicious flavor and it melts in your mouth. And even better – it’s easy to make. Highly recommend!
I do NOT like salmon at all!!!! Neither does my husband. I’ve cooked it several times, each a different way, and it ended up in the garbage and we called it a pizza night. For this recipe, I had the pizza joint on speed dial. I was all geared up, ready to sink my teeth into a delicious slice of pie!
Unfortunately/fortunately, this recipe knocked it out of the park! We LOVED it! So much so, that my husband actually ate 2 pieces in one sitting and I had a slice the next day!
I ended up following the recipe as written, except I didn’t add the parsley to the mix. The only “issue” I had (and have had all the times I’ve cooked it) is the cooking time – I’ve always had to cook it for anywhere between 10-15 mins. Maybe it’s because I like my salmon a little more done??? Or maybe I didn’t let mine sit on the counter long enough (too cold from the fridge)??? I’m not sure. But other than that, this recipe is fabulous! I just wish I would have found it earlier!
This is now my “go to” salmon recipe. Quick, easy, no unusual ingredients that I won’t have on hand and a restaurant taste and quality. Love all of your recipes, Jen. I am so glad I found this site.
This was a quick and delicious weeknight meal. I made it with asparagus and wild rice pilaf. I made extra and had that over a chopped kale and quinoa salad the next day…it tasted just as great the second day as it did the first day.
This salmon dish was amazing……I have made it both for my family and friends and everyone loves it…….it’s also so easy to make. Thank you
Made it last night. So delicious and easy! Great recipe.
I’ve made this salmon many times! It’s delicious and my entire family loves it. I’m trying to minimize dairy in my diet. If substitute olive oil for the butter, would it change the taste and texture much? Love all your recipes! Thanks!
Hi Jane, I haven’t tried this with olive oil. I do think the topping would be a bit runnier, but that it would be doable.
Quick and easy. The Salmon is so moist. My grandchildren even enjoyed it.
This recipe was INCREDIBLY easy, fast and absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making it again- great weeknight option, but would also make it for guests, it was that good!!
Would it be okay to pulse whole pecans in food processor? Or should it be done by hand?
I have partially dried basil, but no parsley…would that be an acceptable substitute?
Sure, P – that’s fine for both.
Hi Jenn,
I tried this recipe tonight. I grew up n the Oregon and any recipe with seafood I love trying. This is great just a couple of questions:
1. How far in advance can I assemble?
2. Any suggestions in getting the topping a bit brown. I notice one of your reviews they browned the Panko and nuts in butter first. Your thoughts.
Sorry for the lengthy question!
Happy New Years!!
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, I think you could assemble this up to a day ahead of time. And excellent idea to toast the panko ahead of time (I probably wouldn’t toast the pecans though, as they could burn if cooked twice.) Hope that helps!
This salmon recipe was easy and delicious. I paired by putting over sauteed spinach and shallots (inspired by photo), and serving with a side of leftover roasted potatoes and the best carrots/potatoes/onions I ever had from having cooked over a roasting chicken. Outstanding meal.
Would this work with another firm textured fish?
Sure!
This a great recipe
I have made this salmon several times and everyone has loved it !
This is a simple yet delicious recipe! Even my kids loved it. Will be making it again soon.
I needed a new salmon recipe, and this one melts in your mouth! This will become one of my regular dinner recipes. It’s quick and easy but looks fancy.
OMG, I cook salmon frequently but with your few little tweeks it made it a hit !
My husband is not a salmon fan, but he said lets have this again tomorrow !
Thanks Jen, you rock.
Allison
This preparation of salmon is fast, easy and absolutely delicious! I don’t change a thing. Add a bed of spinach and another vegetable and you’re done. Love it!