Melt-in-your-mouth salmon, baked to perfection, has pistachio with cardamom crust on top, giving it a fantastic flavor and texture.
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This Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes is delicious, easy, and perfect for a weeknight dinner. This sheet pan dinner is ready in 30 minutes and requires a few simple ingredients. And, although it is so simple to prepare, it is elegant and impressive to serve as the main course for a dinner party.
The salmon is covered in a savory, crunchy pistachio crust and baked. The result is a flakey, moist, and flavorful fish that pairs well with a variety of sides. Here, I present it with a salad, but you can find more side dish options below. This recipe can be on the table in less than 30 minutes, making it an ideal option for a busy weeknight. And because it is so simple to prepare, it is also a great choice when you want to impress your guests with a beautiful and tasty meal.
Why this recipe works
Salmon with pistachio crust and blistered tomatoes is a great family-friendly dinner with minimal preparation and short cooking time in the oven.
Adding ground cardamom to the pistachio crust brings the salmon a fantastic aroma, flavor, and texture.
Only a few ingredients are required for this recipe.
You can add more veggies to the pan, like asparagus, which require the same cooking time as the fish.
It is a one-pan meal which makes cleaning up after dinner a breeze.
Best salmon to buy
Since salmon is the star ingredient in this recipe, buying a great piece of fish is essential!
Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes is a very flexible recipe. You can use farmed or wild-caught salmon.
Here are some tips on the best salmon to buy:
Fresh salmon is the best option. You can also buy high-quality frozen salmon.
You should always opt for wild Pacific (Alaskan) salmon versus Atlantic. Alaskan salmon is wild-caught, while Atlantic salmon is almost all farmed. Atlantic farming practices are not that great for the environment. (find more information on the types of salmon in this article <https://www.eatingwell.com/article/75956/which-salmon-should-i-buy/>
Buy wild-caught salmon. It will have a dense, buttery texture and bold flavor compared to farmed salmon. Choose the salmon variety (king, chinook, coho, etc.) according to your preference and within budget.
For example, coho salmon has a milder flavor and is a good middle-of-the-road option budget-wise, while king salmon is more of a splurge.
Ingredients to use for this recipe
- Salmon fillets – If you use previously frozen salmon fillets, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Garlic
- Pistachios
- Ground cardamom*
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mixed salad greens
- Cucumber
- Red onion
- Kalamata olives (pitted)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
*You can omit the ground cardamom if you don’t have it at hand. But it has a unique flavor and aroma that brings this dish to the next level, so buying it is worth it.
How to make the Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
If you use previously frozen salmon fillets, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Check to make sure the salmon fillets are well-thawed before preparing the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 375 °F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place salmon fillets, skin side down, on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Add the mustard, honey, and garlic and whisk to combine. Brush each fillet with the honey-mustard mixture until well coated.
Add chopped pistachios and ground cardamom to a small bowl and stir to combine.
Cardamom is not one of the common spices used in most recipes, so it is probably not in your spice rack. So you can skip it if you don’t have it. But it has a unique flavor and aroma that brings this dish to the next level, so buying it is worth it.
Evenly divide the pistachio mixture among the salmon fillets. Then, gently press the mixture into each fillet to ensure it adheres.
Place the cherry tomatoes in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine.
Arrange the seasoned tomatoes around the salmon fillets and place the pan in the oven to roast until the salmon is flakey and the cherry tomatoes are blistered for approximately 13-15 minutes. (The salmon is ready when it reaches 125 to 130 °F when using an instant-read meat thermometer to check the fish at its thickest part.)
Meanwhile, combine the mixed salad greens, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Set aside.
Once baking time is complete, remove the salmon and tomatoes from the oven. Let salmon rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with the fresh salad on the side.
Notes and Cooking Tips
If you use previously frozen salmon fillets, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Check to make sure the salmon fillets are well-thawed before preparing the recipe.
At 375 °F, you will cook the salmon filets for 13-15 minutes. If you have smaller salmon fillets, adjust the cooking time to fit the size of the filet you are working with.
The salmon is ready when it reaches 125 to 130 °F when using an instant-read meat thermometer to check the fish at its thickest part.
Another way to check the salmon’s doneness is to press down on the filet; if the fish flakes away, it is done. But the safest way to know is a meat thermometer.
Keep in mind that the fish will continue to cook when removed from the oven, so take it out sooner rather than later, and it will come out moist and not dry.
Cardamom is not one of the common spices used in most recipes, so it is probably not in your spice rack. So you can skip it if you don’t have it. But it has a unique flavor and aroma that brings this dish to the next level, so buying it is worth it.
If you don’t have pistachios on hand, use other chopped nuts, like cashews, almonds, or hazelnuts.
How to serve the Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
You can serve this dish with a mixed salad – as in this post – or with another vegetable or starchy side dish.
Here are some options:
- Air Fryer Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Marinated Zucchini Tomato Salad
- Easy Oven-Roasted Asparagus
- Quinoa Tabouli
- Cauliflower Tabbouleh (Grain Free)
- Mayonnaise-Free Potato Salad
Make-ahead tips and Storing leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheat the salmon on a baking sheet, loosely covered with aluminum foil, in the oven preheated at 300 °F until warmed. You can also reheat in the microwave in 20-second increments until heated through.
More Fish Recipes
If you are looking for more fish recipes, check the ones below:
- Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Tomatoes and Potatoes
- Baked Cod with Asparagus and Potatoes
- Baked Monkfish Fillet
- Baked Mediterranean Mahi-Mahi
- Fish Athenian Style (Fish Athinaiki)
More one-pan and sheet-pan recipes
Sheet-pan, one pot, and one skillet recipes are ideal for weeknight dinners. Here are some more ideas for you to try:
- One-Skillet Lemon Chicken with Summer Squash
- Sheet Pan Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs with Vegetables
- Roasted Salmon with Fennel, Tomatoes, and Potatoes
- Baked Cod with Asparagus and Potatoes
- Sheet-Pan Boneless Pork Chops With Broccoli
- One-skillet Chicken and Spinach Orzotto
- Slow Cooker Rosemary Lemon Chicken Thighs
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Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz wild-caught salmon fillets
- ¼ cup extravirgin olive oil divided
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice divided
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic finely minces
- ½ cup pistachios roughly chopped
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 6 cup mixed salad greens
- 1 medium cucumber diced
- ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted and chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- * If you use previously frozen salmon fillets, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Check to make sure the salmon fillets are well-thawed before preparing the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place salmon fillets, skin side down, on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice. Add the mustard, honey, and garlic and whisk to combine. Brush each fillet with the honey-mustard mixture until well coated.
- Add chopped pistachios and ground cardamom to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Evenly divide the pistachio mixture among the salmon fillets. Then, gently press the mixture into each fillet to ensure it adheres.
- Place the cherry tomatoes in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine.
- Arrange the seasoned tomatoes around the salmon fillets and place the pan in the oven to roast until the salmon is flakey and the cherry tomatoes are blistered for approximately 13-15 minutes. (The salmon is ready when it reaches 125 to 130 F when using an instant-read meat thermometer to check the fish at its thickest part.)
- Meanwhile, combine the mixed salad greens, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Once baking time is complete, remove the salmon and tomatoes from the oven. Let salmon rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with the fresh salad on the side.
Notes
Notes and Cooking Tips
If you use previously frozen salmon fillets, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator. Check to make sure the salmon fillets are well-thawed before preparing the recipe. At 375 degrees F, you will cook the salmon filets for 13-15 minutes. If you have smaller salmon fillets, adjust the cooking time to fit the size of the filet you are working with. The salmon is ready when it reaches 125 to 130 F when using an instant-read meat thermometer to check the fish at its thickest part. Another way to check the salmon’s doneness is to press down on the filet; if the fish flakes away, it is done. But the safest way to know is a meat thermometer. Keep in mind that the fish will continue to cook when removed from the oven, so take it out sooner rather than later, and it will come out moist and not dry. Cardamom is not one of the common spices used in most recipes, so it is probably not in your spice rack. So you can skip it if you don’t have it. But it has a unique flavor and aroma that brings this dish to the next level, so buying it is worth it. If you don’t have pistachios on hand, use other chopped nuts, like cashews, almonds, or hazelnuts.Make-ahead tips and Storing leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the salmon on a baking sheet, loosely covered with aluminum foil, in the oven preheated at 300 F until warmed. You can also reheat in the microwave in 20-second increments until heated through.Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although eatmediterraneanfood.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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