Salmon fillets are rubbed with a honey mustard mixture, then topped with chopped pistachios, panko, and orange zest. The salmon bakes in the oven on top of a couple of orange slices and is served with an easy spinach and orange salad for a bright-flavoured dinner!
Pistachio-crusted salmon is a classic, and I love this version that adds some bright orange flavours to the mix. Orange zest combines with the pistachio mixture, while orange slices bake under the salmon to infuse the salmon with bright flavours.
The optional spinach and orange salad is a perfect side, and they both come together quickly and easily for a great weeknight salmon dinner.
Love salmon with citrus?
You might like to try my Spicy Orange Salmon or this Coconut Lime Salmon next!
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Salmon – You can start with individual salmon portions or a larger salmon fillet. The preparation is the same for either one.
Pistachios – Ideally, start with raw pistachios for this dish. I only had lightly salted roasted pistachios on hand, and they worked out fine. I just omitted extra salt on the salmon itself. I wouldn’t suggest regular salted pistachios, as they might be just a bit too salty.
Fresh oranges – You’ll need two fresh oranges if you want to make the optional salad; otherwise, one orange is all you’ll need for the salmon. I’ve used navel oranges here as I had them on hand, but if you’re going to add oranges to your shopping list, Cara Cara oranges would be a great choice.
Panko – If you don’t have panko on hand, it is fine to simply omit it.
How to make pistachio orange crusted salmon
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Mix together the pistachios, orange zest and panko in a small bowl.
Step 2: Mix together the mustard rub in a small bowl.
Step 3: Place the salmon on top of a couple of orange slices, then spread the mustard mixture onto the salmon.
Step 4: Press the pistachio mixture onto the salmon. Place into the oven to cook.
Step 5: Place all the spinach orange salad ingredients in a bowl.
Step 6: Toss the salad with the salad dressing, then serve alongside the pistachio orange salmon.
Recipe tip!
To cut the orange slices, trim the top and bottom 1/4 inch of the orange and lay it flat on one end on a cutting board. Using a paring knife, carefully remove the peel by cutting down from the top edge and following the orange’s curve to the bottom, to remove it all.
Once all the peel is removed, cut on the inside of each membrane to remove individual, skinless orange segments. This is called “supreming” the orange.
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Get the Recipe: Pistachio Orange Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- 10 – 12 oz skin-on salmon fillet, about 1 inch thick, patted dry
For the pistachio topping:
- 1/4 cup raw pistachios, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons panko
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
For the mustard rub:
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Spinach orange salad:
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 8 – 10 orange segments, from one orange
For the salad dressing:
- Reserved rub mixture from above
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (non-convection/not fan-assisted) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together the pistachios, panko and 1/2 teaspoon of the reserved orange zest. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, stir together the mustard, honey, garlic, 1 Tablespoon orange juice, and a generous pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Rub the salmon with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Arrange the reserved orange slices in rows on the prepared baking sheet. Place the salmon fillet on top of the orange slices. Spread about 1/2 of the mustard mixture over the top of salmon, and sprinkle with the pistachio mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
- Bake until the pistachio crust is lightly toasted, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the salmon registers 145F, about 12-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the spinach, red onion and orange segments in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir together all the dressing ingredients, then drizzle over the salad. Toss to combine well.
- Cut the salmon into portions and gently lift away from the skin to a plate. Serve with the spinach orange salad.
Notes
More salmon recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
