Baked Salmon with Panko-Dill Crust
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This baked salmon recipe feels a little special but couldn’t be easier to make—just the kind of dinner I love!
If you’re looking for a simple baked salmon recipe that still feels a bit elevated, this is the one. The salmon is topped with a garlicky, lemony sauce, then finished with a crisp layer of panko, lemon zest, and dill. It’s perfect when you’ve got people coming over, or when you just want to make an ordinary night feel a little more special.
This recipe proves you don’t need hours in the kitchen to make something delicious—just a handful of good ingredients and about 25 minutes. Serve it with roasted asparagus and a wild rice blend (a microwaveable packet makes it easy) or go with roasted potatoes.
“This was easy to prepare and so delicious. The dill, lemon, and Dijon added wonderful flavor.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Salmon With Panko-Dill Crust
- Panko breadcrumbs: Give the salmon a light, crispy, golden crust.
- Lemons: Brightens up both the mayo mixture and the breadcrumb topping, adding fresh citrusy flavor that balances the richness of the fish. Save some wedges for serving.
- Fresh dill: Adds an herby flavor that works beautifully with salmon.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Helps bind the topping ingredients together and ensures it browns nicely in the oven.
- Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard: This creamy, tangy combo gets spread over the salmon to add flavor and help the panko coating stick.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a savory depth to the mayo mixture
- Salmon fillets: Look for four fillets, about 6 ounces each. They bake up tender and flavorful—they’re also a great source of omega-3s, making this an easy, feel-good dinner. For even cooking, try to use salmon fillets that are similar in size and thickness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step-Instructions
Step 1: Make the panko topping. In a medium bowl, mix the panko, lemon zest, salt, pepper, dill, and olive oil until evenly combined.
Step 2: Mix the mayonnaise sauce. In a separate bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
Step 3: Assemble the salmon. Place the salmon fillets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil (or parchment paper). Spread the mayo mixture over the top and sprinkle evenly with the panko topping.
Step 4: Bake. Bake the salmon in a 450°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through (it flakes easily when you poke it with a fork at the thickest part) and the crust is golden.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy. If the fillets are skin-on, slide a thin spatula between the skin and the flesh to serve with lemon wedges on the side. Leftovers make a great topping for salads or grain bowls the next day—just flake the salmon and serve chilled.
Tips for Buying Salmon
Buying salmon doesn’t have to be tricky—just keep a few simple things in mind:
- Look for vibrant color. The flesh should look fresh and bright—not dull or washed out.
- Check the packaging. If your fish counter has pre-packaged salmon, make sure the packaging is fully sealed with no tears or openings.
- Smell it if you can. Fresh salmon shouldn’t have a strong fishy smell—it should smell clean, like the ocean.
- Watch out for bruising or dry edges. If the fish looks dried out or has brown spots, choose another piece.
Video Tutorial
More Fish Recipes You’ll Love
Baked Salmon with Panko-Dill Crust
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 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
- 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (235°C) 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.
Nutrition Information
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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Absolutely delicious!
Outstanding! The Dijon mustard gives a nice kick and the panko a great crunch. So easy to make.
I’m not a fish eater so that makes me a pretty abysmal fish cooker. It’s always too something or not enough something. I’d mainly given up but my husband likes it and it’s good for him so I do keep trying off and on. This particular recipe jumped out at me for the dill. My husband loves all things dill. If I could find a dill chocolate bar I’d buy it for him.
This recipe was SO freaking effortless and it’s the first time a fish dish was specifically requested to be added to the rotation.
I’m playing with the idea of using chicken for myself. The topping was so delicious.
I made this tonight. My husband was a bit skeptical because neither of us are big dill lovers. We both loved it! The balance of lemon and dill is perfect. I used a one-pound filet and it needed more than 10 minutes, otherwise I followed the recipe. I would make this for company. Thanks for another recipe to add to our rotation Jenn!
I tried this “Baked Salmon with Panko Dill Crust” and it was a HIT. The tangy taste of the Dijon mustard and the crunchy panko crust made the salmon even more tasty. Easy and quick to make and very little clean up was even better! Next time I will throw come asparagus in the same pan to took and it will really be an all in one meal. I didn’t use the dill because my mom has a picky palate (LOL) and I didn’t have a fresh lemon but used a little more lemon juice in it’s place and it worked just fine. Thanks for this great dish. I will use it again!
I was planning to make the slow-roasted salmon for Easter dinner tomorrow along with Spring Risotto, so I have all the ingredients for the French Herb Salsa. One of our guests is gluten intolerant. THEN I remembered how good this recipe is and I prefer a crispier “baked” profile for tomorrow’s dinner. Would it be just “off” to use this recipe but sub the French herbs and leave out the panko for tomorrow’s dinner?
Hi, I’m obviously weighing in too late to help – sorry! That said, for future reference, if you want a crispy topping on the salmon, I wouldn’t recommend the herb salsa.
Hi Jenn,
Are the panko bread crumbs seasoned or plain? Thanks!
Plain 😊
Easy and yummy as always with any recipe you post Jen. We even reheated leftovers and the salmon was still moist. So simple. I didn’t have fresh dill so I just used about a teaspoon of dried which was fine. Company worthy for sure!
Wow, this recipe is righteous!
I mean we’re talking off the charts good.
If you love salmon you HAVE TO make this…
Delicious!! I used cod loin because I’m not a salmon fan, and it was outstanding! Easy to prepare, fresh tasting with the dill, and still let the fish shine. A winner!
Made the Baked Salmon with panko dill crust… absolutely delicious. I used freeze dried dill it worked well. Thank you for posting this recipe I was just about to give up on Salmon.
Hi Jen – was just wondering if you could put a metric version of recipe up please? I know I can convert it myself, just lazy! Thanks
Hi Andrea, I just added them. 😊
Thank you! I’m so impressed with your quick responses, not to mention the recipes! 😀