Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon

This Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon recipe is a healthy, tasty, and easy baked salmon that is ready in only 20 minutes and made with just a handful of simple ingredients.  Coat the salmon with dijon mustard and add the perfect topping made with parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, Italian Seasoning, and lemon zest.  Serve it with Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Roasted Baby Red Potatoes for a perfectly healthy dinner.

If you love parmesan crusted fish, also try my Parmesan Panko Crusted Halibut or Lemon Pepper Parmesan Tilapia.

Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon

This Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon is the perfect healthy dinner.  Flavorful and vitamin-rich salmon is topped with a bright, zesty, and crunchy parmesan panko topping.  It might look like a fancy dish, but you'll be surprised to learn this all comes together with pantry staples including dijon mustard, lemon, parmesan, panko, and Italian Seasoning, in less than 20 minutes.

Yes, this restaurant-quality meal is actually fast and healthy enough for you to make for your family for a weekday dinner.  Plus, the rich parmesan topping adds so much flavor pop to the fish that this is the kind of salmon recipe that even those who aren't crazy about fish will like.

The crunchy topping combined with the tender, flaky salmon is a dream team of textures and flavors.

You'll love this healthy salmon dinner and it's versatile enough to be prepared with wild-caught, farm-raised, or whichever type of salmon you prefer.

Why You'll Love this Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon...

• This Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon is super moist and tender because the moisture is sealed in by the combination of the dijon mustard and parmesan panko topping.  No dry salmon here!
• It's really easy to make, even if you aren't that comfortable cooking fish.
• This oven-baked salmon recipe is cooked hands-off in the oven.
• It's super healthy!  Only 300 calories with 40 grams of protein.
• Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, potassium, and iron.
• Did I mention that it's really tasty and delicious?

Salmon Selection Tips

Picking out salmon for this Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon recipe doesn't have to be hard! Salmon is widely sold and available in most grocery stores these days.  Here are a few types you might find, that can work for this recipe.

• Atlantic
• Pacific Sockeye
• Pacific King (Chinook)
• Pacific Pink
• Pacific Coho

Any of these types of salmon including wild-caught or farm-raised can be used for this recipe.  When buying fresh fish look for one that is kept on ice and doesn't have a fish smell.  It should look moist and not dried out.

Don't be afraid to buy frozen salmon either.  Frozen salmon is now usually flash frozen right after catching the fish and in many cases can be a fresher option if you don't live near a coast.

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make the Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon.  Keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

• Salmon: You'll need two salmon fillets.  An average fillet is between 5-7 ounces.  Look for fresh salmon at your local grocery store or thaw out frozen salmon in the fridge the day before.  You can have salmon with the skin on or off.
• Dijon Mustard: Use your favorite type of dijon mustard as the topping or glue that gets the parmesan panko crust to stick to the fish.  It also locks in the moisture of the salmon and replaces any olive oil needed in this recipe.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: You'll need Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs to get the crusty fish.  They are lighter and crunchier than standard breadcrumbs.  They are widely available in grocery stores these days near the regular breadcrumbs.  If you can't find them, you can order them here.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese brings lots of flavor to the fish topping, without a lot of fuss.  You can use freshly grated, or even the old-fashioned type you already have in the fridge.  Either will work!
• Italian Seasoning: You can use your favorite Italian Seasoning blend or my Homemade Italian Seasoning which includes basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
• Lemon: You'll need one lemon for this recipe.  To prepare the lemon, zest half of it.  You'll need about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.  Then cut the lemon in half and cut the half you didn't zest into wedges.  Use the lemon juice from the zested half to squeeze over the fish before you add the topping.
• Salt and Pepper: To taste

Instructions:

Here's an overview of how to make Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon, but keep scrolling for the printable recipe.

1. First, you'll need to preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking pan with cooking spray.  For easy clean up you can also line your dish with aluminum foil or use a baking sheet.
2. Prepare your lemon as described above including getting 1 teaspoon of lemon zest from the lemon.
3. In a small bowl, mix the panko mixture topping including the parmesan, panko, Italian Seasoning, and lemon zest.
4. Put the salmon on a plate and squeeze half of the lemon juice on it. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush the dijon mustard on the top of the fillets. 
5. Carefully spoon the topping on the salmon and lightly press it into the salmon. Transfer the fish to the baking dish, skin side down.
6. Bake the salmon for 10-12 minutes or until it's opaque and the salmon flakes with a fork.
7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pro Tips:

Most fish, including salmon, needs to cook for about 10 minutes for each inch the fish is thick.  A standard piece of salmon is around an inch, so most salmon needs to cook for around 10 minutes. Sometimes wild salmon is thinner, so it might cook quicker.  To not overcook your fish, keep an eye on it.  Overcooked fish dries out quickly!

Variations

I love this Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Mix Up the Spices: You can change out the Italian Seasoning Blend for another spice like basil, dill or parsley.
• Make it Garlic: Add some garlic powder to your breadcrumb mixture.
• Kick it Up a Notch: Use spicy or grainy mustard for a bit of a kick.
• Make it with Mayo: You can swap out the mayonnaise for dijon mustard.
• Make it Sweeter: Use honey mustard instead of dijon mustard.
• Prepare a Side of Salmon: If you have an entire side of salmon you can still use this preparation to cook it.  Just double or triple the topping size, depending on how big your piece of salmon is.

FAQ

How do I store leftovers?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare the entire recipe including assembling and putting on the topping the morning or day before.  Store the raw fish in the fridge overnight or for the day (I wouldn't let it sit for more than a day) and then you'll just need to cook it when you are ready to eat.

What temperature do I cook salmon to?

Technically the FDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees for food safety.  Keep that in mind when cooking your salmon to any other temperature.  I find that 145 degrees to dry out the salmon and I prefer slightly undercooked salmon because it has more moisture, which would be around 130-135 degrees.  That is medium to medium rare salmon. But make your own choice with food safety preferences.

Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon - The Perfect Healthy Dinner!

This Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon is the perfect healthy dinner! I love the delicious flavors in this dish and how simple it is to prepare.  Plus, you can't beat a restaurant-quality meal that comes together in around 20 minutes.

The crunchy topping is the perfect addition to the tender, flaky salmon.  You'll just love the crunchy texture.  I just love this salmon dish.

I hope you like it as much as my family does.  Here are a few of the side dishes I love to serve with it to round out the meal.

Make it a Meal:

• Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
• Lemon Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Kale Ceasar Salad
• Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables
• Oven Roasted Green Beans with Garlic
• Oven Roasted Mushrooms and Broccoli

More Healthy Salmon Recipes to Try:

• Easy Baked Salmon with Rosemary
• Easy Lemon Pesto Salmon
• Teriyaki Salmon
• Everything But the Bagel Salmon
• Baked Lemon Salmon with Creamy Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce
• Salmon Foil Packets with Rainbow Vegetables
• Salmon Asparagus and Tomato in Foil
• Balsamic Glazed Salmon
• Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon with Peach Salsa
• Pistachio Crusted Salmon

If you make this Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon

Julie Wunder

This Parmesan Panko Crusted Salmon recipe is a healthy, tasty, and easy baked salmon that is ready in only 20 minutes and made with just a handful of simple ingredients.  Coat the salmon with dijon mustard and add the perfect topping made with parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, Italian Seasoning, and lemon zest.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Calories 316 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup parmesan
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper , to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking pan with cooking spray.
• Prepare the lemon by zesting half of it to get 1 teaspoon of zest. Cut the other half into wedges for garnish. Use the juice from the zested side for the salmon.
• Put the salmon on a plate and squeeze half of the lemon juice on it. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush the dijon mustard on the top of each peice of fish.
• In a small bowl mix together the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian Seasoning, and lemon zest.
• Carefully put the topping on the fish and lightly press it into the salmon. Transfer the fish into the baking dish.
  
• Bake the salmon for 10-12 minutes until it turns opaque and flakes with a fork.
  
• Serve with the leftover lemon wedge.

Notes

Fish cooking time can vary due to your oven temperature, but it is a good general rule to cook fish for 10 minutes per inch it is thick.  A standard piece of salmon is about 1 inch thick, so most salmon will take about 10 minutes to cook.

Store any leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 40gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 359mgPotassium: 950mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 214mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Panko Crusted Salmon, Parmesan Panko Salmon

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