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 special, this is the one. The salmon is topped with a lemon-garlic mayo, then finished with a crisp layer of panko, lemon zest, and dill. It’s perfect when you’ve got people coming over, but just as good for a weeknight dinner.
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 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. 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 and spread the mayo mixture over the top and sprinkle evenly with the panko topping.
Step 4: Bake. Bake the salmon for about 10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the crust is golden—you’ll know it’s ready when it flakes easily when you poke it with a fork at the thickest part.
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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I am another devoted fan and salmon lover so I will try this recipe next week. My questions are general and not about a specific recipe.
In many of your recipes, you recommend lining a baking pan with aluminum foil to save cleanup. I’ve used parchment paper for many years for the same reason. Is there an advantage to using foil?
How do TV chefs make it look easy to use plastic wrap? For me, it usually ends up sticking to itself!
Hi Paula, Sure—parchment is perfectly fine to use in those situations. I tend to use foil because it can cover the sides of the pan as well, which sometimes makes cleanup a little easier. And regarding plastic wrap, I agree – it can be challenging to work with. I guess TV chefs make it look easy because they’ve had tons and tons of practice working with it, lol. Hope you enjoy the salmon if you make it!
I usually cook sockeye salmon. Are you suggesting king salmon for this recipe? I love your site as your recipes are consistently delicious and manageable—a great combination!
Hi Randi, it’s fine to use sockeye salmon here. And thanks for your kind words – so glad you like the recipes!
This is my favorite way to cook salmon. Always a hit with family and friends and so easy to make. Baking the fish gives me time to finish the side dishes. To me, it tastes very special.
I just purchased Artic Char – could this work as a substitute? Thanks.
Maria
Sure!
Instead of mayo can Greek yogurt be used?
Sure, Pamela, that will work, but I’d reduce or eliminate the lemon juice as the yogurt will add more tartness.
This recipe was AMAZING! Best salmon recipe ive found yet! The crunch from the panko was just delicious! Thankyou so much! Will be putting this in my weekly rotation!
This looks amazing. Any idea how sockeye salmon would bake with this prep? Thanks!
Hi Jen, sockeye salmon will work, but because the fillets are thinner, they won’t take as long to bake, so keep a close eye on them. Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! I did not have dill so I used thyme. I don’t use garlic powder so I minced two large garlic cloves.
I use this recipe on all kinds of fish..it is excellent, I love it!
This was delicious! I used dry dill but can’t wait to try it with fresh.
The mayo mustard lemon mixture makes a nice dip/sauce