Pecan Crusted Salmon (Big Flavor, Easy, 20 Minutes)
This was an absolute DELIGHT. Thank you for … teaching me that salmon and pecans were meant to be together. This was also beyond easy to make! 🙂 Drew
Get mouth-watering pecan crusted salmon on the table in 20 minutes and enjoy the nutty texture on a rich coating of maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and parsley. Simple, delish, fast, and pretty.
What to expect
This recipe is essentially roasted salmon fillets – elevated with a sweet, tangy glaze and a crunchy pecan topping. The extras add big flavor with very little effort.
It comes together in about 20 minutes, making it an easy main dish that looks impressive and tastes delicious. Great for guests, but just as perfect for a busy weeknight. Even non–fish lovers may be swayed by the nutty crust and bold maple-balsamic flavor.
Tip: Use a good-quality balsamic vinegar—it really makes a difference.
Ingredients -tailored to your taste
Salmon: Buy salmon fillets, skin on or off, in individual portions or one larger portion.
Balsamic maple marinade & sauce: includes maple syrup, Dijon mustard, butter, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and parsley.
Substitutions
- For salmon: Use cod, halibut, trout, or sea bass
- For pecans: Try almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or cashews
Variations
- Add lemon zest to the marinade or sprinkle it on before serving.
- Replace 2 tablespoons of the pecans with panko crumbs for extra crunch.
- Add fresh or dried thyme or oregano to the sauce
Step-by-step instructions
Tip
Don’t overcook the salmon! You want it moist and warm pink inside – not dry, white and flaky. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch (2.5 cm) of thickness.
Shortcuts
- Use balsamic vinaigrette or dressing instead of making the maple-balsamic marinade -preferably a maple-balsamic or honey-balsamic dressing.
- Skip the marinating time altogether and just brush the glaze or dressing directly onto the salmon before baking.
- Buy pre-chopped pecans.
Salmon FAQs
Look for salmon that appears moist with no dry spots. It should not smell fishy. If you don’t have access to fresh fish, frozen is a good alternative as it is frozen immediately after being caught. Most Pacific salmon are wild, whereas Atlantic salmon is farmed.
The rule of thumb for salmon is to figure on about 10 minutes of cooking time per inch (2.5cm) of thickness. When pierced with a knife, it should separate easily and still be a warm pink inside (not dry and flaky white). It’s ready when it is just turning opaque. An instant-read thermometer will read 130-135F (54.4-57.2C)
This largely depends on how big your eaters are. A healthy portion is considered to be 3-4 ounces (85-113g), but most adults will eat 6-8 ounces (170-227g).
What to serve with pecan salmon
- Best Green Beans with Panko Crumbs,
- Savory Rice With Roasted Vegetables
- Easy Creamed Spinach,
- Savoury Peach Panzanella Salad
- Roast Pumpkin Salad with Couscous,
- or sliced cucumbers with Japanese Dressing.
Other easy baked salmon recipes
- maple ginger salmon with peach salsa
- citrus maple glazed salmon
- easy maple lime salmon
- sweet and spicy salmon
- sous vide salmon with caper sauce
Or check out our full collection of fish and seafood recipes!
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thanks so much!
Pecan Crusted Salmon (20 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound salmon fillets, with or without skin (about 2 fillets, 6-8 ounces each)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
Marinade/Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar (good quality)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced (or 1/8 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- PREHEAT OVEN to 425F/218C. Line a small rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray.
- MAKE SAUCE/MARINADE AND PREPARE SALMON: Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place all marinade/sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Microwave for 15 seconds until butter is melted. Use half of sauce to coat top and sides of salmon. Reserve remaining sauce for drizzling. (If you have time, to enhance flavor, place half of cooled marinade in ziploc bag and add salmon. Marinate for 15 minutes then discard marinade).
- TOP WITH PECANS: Place chopped pecans on shallow dish and dip sides and top of the salmon in pecan mixture to adhere. Or sprinkle top and sides of salmon with pecans, pressing lightly to adhere.
- BAKE AND SERVE: Place salmon pieces, skin side down, on prepared baking sheet. Bake, with pecan topping side up, for 10-12 minutes depending on thickness of salmon (bake 10 minutes per inch of thickness) until fish flakes but is still warm pink in the thickest part of salmon (not dry and pale light pink). If salmon has skin on bottom, to remove it, slip spatula between skin and flesh. Lift and transfer to plate. Drizzle with remaining sauce. And serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Variations and substitutions
- Sauce/glaze: For more sweetness, add more maple syrup. More tang, add more Dijon and/or Balsamic Vinegar. For heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Try this recipe with cod, halibut, trout or sea bass.
- Swap pecans for almonds, walnuts, pistachios or cashews.
- Add lemon zest to the marinade or sprinkle it on before serving
- Shortcut: Swap in a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette/dressing (preferably with maple or honey in it – and skip the marinade in the recipe.
- Make Ahead
- The sauce can be made a day or two ahead. The pecans can be chopped ahead as well.
- If you want to serve the salmon the next day, cold or at room temperature, you can make the entire dish a day ahead, cool it, then refrigerate it covered. Set it on the counter and bring it to room temperature a half an hour before serving.
Another favorite.
Great!
LOVE this recipe.
I used homemade chive/Balsamic vinegar and homegrown parsley
* I added:
two kinds of ground pepper, ground Grains of Paradise, and a little Ground Rose AFTER marinating
Thanks for sharing your version Rav! I love it when readers adapt our recipes to make it their own.
I love this recipe. I make it every week with salmon.
Fast, easy and delicious!