Almond Crusted Salmon

4.50 from 2 votes

This almond crusted salmon has a thick and crunchy coating on the outside with buttery, rich salmon on the inside. View the recipe card above for step-by-step recipe photos.

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Dinner, Healthy, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: 30 minute meal, low carb, salmon

Servings: servings

Author: Molly Thompson

Equipment

Parchment paper or foil
Baking pan or baking dish

Ingredients

4 (5-6 ounce) center cut salmon filets (Note 1)
3/4 cup finely chopped raw unsalted almonds (Note 2)
2 tablespoon olive oil divided
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dijon
2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet or square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix together 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the finely chopped almonds, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large shallow dish, large enough to fit a salmon filet.
Mix the Dijon mustard, honey, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small dish. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and brush the honey mustard mixture on the tops and sides of the salmon filets.
Dip the top flesh-side of the salmon into the almond mixture and press it down firmly to coat the entire top of the salmon. Roll the salmon to each side to coat the sides of the salmon. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining salmon filets.
Bake in the preheated oven for 13-16 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches just below 135-140°F, allowing for 5-10 degrees of carryover cooking (so it reaches 145°F before serving). The cook time will vary depending on how thick the salmon is. The salmon should be firm to the touch and flake easily as you cut. See notes for air fryer instructions.
Serve warm with your favorite sides or on top of greens as a salad or over rice with veggies.

Video

Notes

Note 1. Salmon. We tested this recipe with fresh Norwegian salmon. Sitka Salmon Shares is a great supplier of salmon that ships directly to your door. Use salmon that’s all the same size so they cook evenly. Larger pieces of salmon will take longer to cook.

Note 2. Almonds. Buy whole or chopped almonds and pulse them in the food processor or high-speed blender until ground into small pieces/meal. You can use a knife to finely chop them really small for larger pieces of almonds. The third option is to use almond meal instead of chopped almonds. Almond meal is not blanched, which means the almonds are not peeled prior to grinding them into a meal, so it will have a darker color. You want the color and texture of the almond skin.

Air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. Follow the instructions to coat the salmon in the sauce and almond mixture. Lay the salmon in an even layer in the bottom of the air fryer basket, without them touching. Air fry at 400°F for 10-13 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about 140°F to allow for 5 degrees of carryover cooking.

Nutrition