A fantastic and super quick baked salmon recipe with a sweet-and-savory spice blend and crispy herbaceous panko topping.
Salmon has never been one of my favorite proteins. But since my boyfriend Gabe and I are continuing our mission to eat healthier, we’re putting tons of fish recipes into our weekly dinner rotations. My black garlic and sesame crusted tuna or my honey glazed salmon are great examples of that. And the more I cook salmon, the more I’ve come to realize that I never actually disliked it. I just had rarely had it prepared well. That honey glazed salmon was the first time I actively really loved a salmon recipe. And now I have this weeknight baked salmon recipe to add to that list. It is perfectly balanced in flavor, with brown sugar for sweetness, cayenne pepper for spice, and dijon mustard for tanginess. And best of all, it’s topped with an ultra crispy panko breadcrumb topping, and ready in just about 15 minutes.
As someone who works full time and also shares a kitchen with another couple (my brother and sister-in-law) who are making dinner at the same time, having a quick weeknight recipe that uses minimal pots/pans and kitchen space is key. Much like my sheet tray sausage and pepper pitas, this baked salmon fit that bill perfectly. I choose to serve my salmon with simple sides that also require minimal cooking, like leftover rice or grains and a quick salad.
PERFECTLY BALANCED FLAVOR
While ease and speed are super important to any weeknight recipe, that’s no excuse to skimp on flavor and texture. And this baked salmon most certainly does not do that. I start by spreading some dijon mustard on the salmon. This brings a great tanginess to the final dish but also serves as a “glue” for the salmon’s spice rub. Then comes said spice rub, made up of brown sugar, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and garlic for that perfect sweet-spicy-smoky-umami balance.
And finally there’s the salmon’s crispy topping. A mixture of panko breadcrumbs with parsley and dill. I think that fresh herbs are a must for any fish dish. Parsley and dill are probably my personal favorites for salmon. Salmon’s texture has the tendency to get a bit monotonous for me, so this crispy topping is a perfectly welcome texture contrast. All in all, this salmon is not only quick and easy, but also downright delicious.
My Favorite Weeknight Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 4-6 oz portions of salmon, skin on
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp minced fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400. Place the salmon on a sheet pan or a shallow baking sheet skin side down.
- Make the spice blend by combining the brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder.
- Make the panko topping by combining the panko, melted butter, parsley and dill. Season this mixture with a bit of salt as well.
- Spread the dijon mustard evenly onto the two pieces of salmon. Top with the brown sugar spice mixture, and then the panko mixture.
- Bake the salmon until cooked through and panko is browned, about 15 minutes.
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