Cinnamon & Pecan Crusted Salmon

This amazing cinnamon and pecan crusted salmon is a simple and healthy dinner recipe that takes less than 30 minutes to make. Flavorful, only 6 ingredients and seriously delicious!

If you've been on the hunt for a quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinner idea, today's recipe is for you! We're making a perfect baked salmon that is ready in less than 30 minutes, uses just 6 ingredients and seriously tastes incredible. One of my team members made it the other day and tested me saying, “I just made this recipe for lunch and it is SO GOOD! My boyfriend kept repeating “this is so delicious”. Gonna be our new go salmon recipe. It took us no time!”

So here's the deal: we're making this simple pecan crusted salmon with a hint of cinnamon and smoked paprika. It's baked until flakey perfection and can also be kept as a great meal prep option.

Sounds like something you need in your kitchen arsenal, don't you think?!

Best Type of Salmon To Buy

First, let's talk salmon. When it comes to buying salmon at the grocery store, there are a few things you need to (or should) keep in mind:

• wild caught or responsibly farmed
• caught in the Atlantic (not Pacific)
• preferable ASC certified (highest rating in the salmon industry)
• ideally fresh, not previously frozen

Ingredients for This Recipe

Now, let's talk about this pecan crusted salmon. Not only does it have this crunchy, flavorful crust on top, but that crust also helps keep the fish moist and flakey. The layer of mustard? Helps make sure the crust stays in place AND it adds another level of flavor. Yum!

Here's what we're using to make this recipe:

• Salmon: make sure to follow my criteria above and scale the crust ingredients according to how big your piece is
• Mustard: this gets put on top of the fish and then the crust goes on top of that
• Pecans: which we'll grind up into a coarse texture and mix with the spices
• Cinnamon: adds warmth!
• Smoked paprika: adds smokiness
• Salt: rounds it all out and makes it taste delicious!

How to make our Pecan Crusted Salmon

Just as simple as the ingredient list is, making this recipe is also a cinch. Here are the steps you'll follow:

STEP ONE: Crust

First, we need to make the crust. We'll blitz our pecans in a food processor, then dump them in a shallow dish or plate and stir in the spices.

STEP TWO: Assemble

Next, we'll assemble the salmon. Spread the mustard directly on top of the salmon. Then dunk the salmon, flesh side down, into the crust. Push the crust around to make sure it's evenly coated. Then place it on a lined baking sheet.

STEP THREE: Bake

Finally, we'll bake it! This cooks for about 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of your filet, and you'll know it's done when the fish easily flakes. Let it rest of a few minutes before serving, but otherwise, just go ahead and dig in!

What To Serve with Our Baked Salmon

One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy it is to pair things with. Whether you want to make a few different sides or pop it on top of a salad, it will still be totally scrumptious.

Here are some ideas for sides that I think would pair really well:

• Sauteed garlic green beans
• Healthy carrot slaw
• Spaghetti Squash Fritters
• Roasted Potato + Red Quinoa Salad
• Best Massaged Kale Salad

Or really just any roasted vegetable would be perfect!

Crusted Salmon for Meal Prep

I don't often have leftover salmon, but this go around, I wanted to so I could test to see if salmon keeps well. The answer is YES!

I had three extra filets after testing this recipe and used them in a few different ways:

• Crumbled it up on top of a salad
• Used it in a taco for lunch
• Turned them into my sweet potato salmon cakes

So…does salmon work for meal prep? Heck yes, it does!

Can You Reheat Salmon?

And yes, if you do want to reheat your leftovers, you can do that also.

I recommend putting it in a baking dish, cover the dish with tinfoil, and let it heat up slowly. The foil should trap the moisture inside and help prevent the fish from drying out.

If you're making tacos, I think just throwing it into a saute pan and heating it up quickly is the way to go!

But even if you don't have leftovers, you're going to LOVE this recipe. It's super simple, but also super flavorful. It's been a go-to for us these past few weeks and I can't wait to hear what you think!

Other Healthy Salmon Recipes to try:

• Honey Almond Crusted Salmon
• Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes
• Healthy Baked Salmon Salad
• Smoked Salmon Spread with Roasted Red Peppers
• Herb & Roasted Garlic Salmon

Cinnamon & Pecan Crusted Salmon

This healthy pecan crusted salmon recipe has a crispy crust, but is moist and tender on the inside. It's a healthy and flavorful dish that takes less than half an hour to make.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 251kcal

Print Pin

4.67 from 6 votes

Ingredients

• 1 pound Atlantic salmon
• 1/2 cup raw pecans
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• In a food processor, pulse the pecans until they are finely chopped and crumbly. Pour them onto a plate and add the cinnamon, paprika, and salt. Mix the spices into the pecans with a fork.
• Spread the mustard evenly over the flesh of the salmon. This will give you a nice "sticky" layer to bind with the pecans. Coat the top of the salmon with the crust by placing the filet skin side up in the pecan crumbs. Make sure to crust all sides of the fish (except the skin) to get the full flavor of the crust.
• Place the filet, skin side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake it in the center of the warm oven for 15 - 20 minutes depending on the thickness, until the fish flakes easily.
• Serve immediately with a side of your favorite veggies – we went with roasted potatoes and a simple salad.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in a baking dish covered in aluminum foil for 12-15 minutes at 275F. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25pounds | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg