Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Citrus Gremolata - An easy and healthy dinner recipe for crispy baked salmon topped with a fresh herb and citrus gremolata sauce.
I received free samples of Wonderful Pistachios mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
Is it me, or is football kinda like the election. It's exciting at the beginning, then as it closes in, you can't wait until it's over so you can stop hearing about it finally. Maybe presidential candidates should have to play major league football to determine a winner. It's a legitimate idea.
But I'm here to talk about food, not solving national crises.
And not just any food, one of my favorite foods. No not peanut butter. Or carrots. No, not salads either. The OTHER favorite food - S.A.L.M.O.N.
I usually feed my weekly craving for the stuff with my quick & easy salmon patties since they cost $3 to make, and are loaded with healthy fats and extra calcium (I'm all about keeping the skin and bones in there!) But it's made with canned salmon, so it's kinda like the Elvis Impersonator of heart-healthy fish.
I usually reserve the real-deal salmon for whenever I go out to dinner, but homegirl needs to try herself once in a while. Some buy shoes, I buy fresh fish. Toe-mato, to-mott-o.
That's why I was excited to combine two blood-pumpin' heart-healthy foods into one epically delicious meal.
Pistachios, meet salmon. Salmon ... pistachios. Now that we got the formalities out of the way, let's get down to bid-ness.
Watch how to make this Pistachio Crusted Salmon Recipe ( 1 min)
These green jewels are one of my fav nuts (only because peanuts are actually legumes) because
1.) They're fun to eat out of the shell ( and can help you keep portions in mind because of it)
2.) That gorgeous color is due to some powerful antioxidants. (yay green!)
3.) Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts,like pistachios, as part of a diet may reduce the risk of heart disease when combined with a low saturated fat and cholesterol diet. (double yay for heart health!)
Not to mention how Bobby Flay I felt making a gremolata for the first time. It's kinda like a pesto that's made of parsley and not still chunky...and delicious. PLUS crusting your salmon in supah healthy nuts gets more of those heart healthy fats in, and makes it easily gluten-free for those who need it.
Money-Saving Tips for this Pistachio Crusted Salmon:
- Buy in bulk. It may cost more upfront, but buying a bigger bag of pistachios is more cost effective than opting for a smaller size.
- Shop the sales. Grab salmon when it's on sale. You can always freeze it if you don't plan on using it right away.
more seafood recipes:

Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Citrus Gremolata
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Description
Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Citrus Gremolata - An easy and healthy dinner recipe for crispy baked salmon topped with a fresh herb and citrus gremolata sauce.
Ingredients
- Salmon:
- 1 ยฝ pound salmon fillet
- ยผ cup salted and shelled Wonderful Pistachios
- ยผ cup fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ยผ teaspoon pepper
- Gremolata:
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- ยผ cup shelled and salted Wonderful Pistachios
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ยผ teaspoon pepper
- zest and juice from one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add salmon fillet. Set aside.
- Combine remaining ingredients for salmon in bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until mixture is a fine crumb.
- Transfer to a small bowl, and press onto top of salmon filet evenly.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, or until flesh is firm and flaky.
- To make gremolata, combine remaining ingredients in bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until combined, but not pureed.
- To serve:
- Cut salmon fillet into 3-4 servings, and top with gremolata sauce.
Notes
- I buy and cook my salmon with the skin still on since it adds more flavor and moisture without drying out. It can easily be removed before or during eating, or even eaten if you're up for it!
- Parchment paper makes for super easy clean-up and prevents the fish from sticking, but aluminum foil will work as well.
- If using parchment, spray the baking sheet lightly with oil first. This helps to keep the parchment paper in place.
- Use the gremolata to top other foods such as baked potatoes, green beans, or even toast!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: main dish, entree, dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Seafood
Keywords: salmon, pistachio, dinner, healthy, seafood, fish, nuts, main dish
[Tweet "#AD A heart healthy dinner full of flavor! Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Citrus Gremolata #GetCrackin #TheRecipeRedux"]
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Make it a great day!
What's your favorite kind of nut?
Fish, chicken, or beef?
Deborah Brooks
The toasty flavor of the pistachios when they are cooked is amazing! This looks like a great family dinner
Liz
What a great way to enjoy salmon! I love the idea of salmon and want to eat it more, I'm sure this would be my ticket!
Laura
We eat a TON of salmon. I bet the rich pistachio flavor is amazing with it. Pinning this one to try!
Deanna Segrave-Daly
Love the cooking tips and you're right - this gremolata would be delish over just about everything!
Nicole from Fitful Focus
This sounds delicious! I can't wait to try it!
Marisa Moore
This looks and sounds amazing! Definitely going to try this one at home ๐
★★★★★
Serena Ball
Ohhh! I heart dill! Reminds me of Scandinavian cooking of my godmother!
luis parsons
woah!this is a super refreshing take on a fish dish...super new to me!will definitely try it out!thank you so much!
★★★★★
Annmarie
Omg, YAS. I LOVE salmon, this looks ah-MAZING.
Samantha Riley
This is making me so hungry! I love Salmon! I don't eat it enough but I love it. The best Salmon I ever had was in Ireland. Their Salmon was always wild caught and so much better ๐ฎ
Abbey Sharp
Awesome way to use pistachios! Looks so fresh and delicious
Rachel
This sounds super yummy. I love salmon AND pistachios. ๐
Jessica Levinson
Love the pistachio crust on this salmon! Looks delicious for dinner!
Chrissy
Incredible! I have done pistachio crusted chicken before but I'm not sure why I never though to do salmon. Love the gremolata on top too - and it's also good tossed with some roasted potatoes ๐
★★★★★
Mikki
I have been seeing pistachio recipes all over the place. It must be a sign i need to try this.
Jill Conyers
I love pistachios. I've used almonds for crust but never thought to try pistachios.
Sara
I love the simplicity of this! Gorgeous!
Amy Gorin
What a creative idea!
Danielle Omar
This looks great I can't wait to try it!
Stacey Mattinson
I'm such a big salmon fan and I'm always looking for new ways to prepare it! Love this idea!
Lindsey Pine
This dish looks so flavorful!
Shannon
I'm totally sold on this combo- salmon and pistachios are 2 of my fav foods!
Katie Cavuto
Love how you incorporated pistachios into a dinner meal! Sounds delish ๐
Catherine Brown
Some of my FAVORITE ingredients! This looks absolutely DELICIOUS!!
★★★★★
Claire
I'm going to keep this recipe. I love salmon., especially after I learned how to cook it properly so the outside is well-seared and the inside is soft and moist without the fishiness.
★★★★★
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does the pistachio part keep long? Could I make a bigger batch of that?
Emily Cooper
I think if you keep it refrigerated it should keep for up to a week.
Sonali- The Foodie Physician
This looks amazing! The pistachio crust and citrus gremolata are the perfect way to dress up salmon!
Emily Cooper
Thanks Sonali! Definitely a great way to change things up.
Deborah Brooks
I also love to use pistachios as a crust! So crunchy and flavorful
Emily Cooper
Right?! Such a great way to add flavor and texture!