Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon – and it’s glazed with a little honey dijon! This is a play on one of Ina Garten’s popular recipes, & it’s super delicious!!

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

When it comes to fish, salmon is my favorite of all. There was a time when I was purchasing it in the frozen section of the local WalMart – and I did that for quite some time. But then, on a whim, I decided to spend a little more money and try the salmon from my local butcher.  Just from the way it looked, I could tell a difference. The stuff I was buying before had more of a grey-ish pink color while the fillets I purchased from my butcher was pink without a touch of grey.  Not having grey seafood is always a good thing.

So, I took it home and cooked it up for dinner – and upon my family’s very first bite, we just knew we could never go back. So, I implore you – when you purchase salmon, try looking for good quality salmon.  Some may not think there is a difference, but I’m telling you – there is.  A huge difference.

This is the end of my public service announcement of the day.  😉

Now, to the recipe I’m sharing today.  A few weeks ago, I was being lazy – laying in the bed way too late in the morning, while watching cooking shows on Food Network.  (It was awesome by the way) Ina Garten’s show came on, and while I can’t say I make a great many of her recipes – the one she was making that day really got my attention.  Probably the main thing about it was the simplicity of it, and anyone who’s watched Ina Garten’s cooking show knows that sometimes the ingredients just aren’t feasible – even though the finished product always looks delicious.

Ina Garten

Ms. Ina was making salmon fillets crusted in lemon panko bread crumbs, and boy – did it make me salivate! The recipe looked so good, and so simple – I ran out later that day to get the ingredients to make it and it ended up as that night’s dinner.

Now, I did end up adapting it a little – with perfect results.  Oh man – totally yummy!

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon Fillets

Let’s walk through it – here’s what you need…. well, minus the vegetable oil.  I have no idea why there is vegetable oil in this picture.  Maybe it was jealous that the olive oil was always starring in photo shoots, and it wanted to be a model for once.  Poor vegetable oil – we just don’t need it here though.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

First thing is to zest 1 whole medium sized lemon using a zester.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

In a bowl, combine the lemon zest with 2/3 cup of panko crumbs (not regular bread crumbs), 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, & salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil & stir to combine.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Brush your salmon fillets with a 2 heaping tablespoons of dijon mustard.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Cover the salmon with the panko mixture, pressing down to adhere to the fillets.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  At the end of the 10 minutes, turn the oven to broil for about 60 seconds just to brown the panko crumbs on top of the salmon fillets.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool on the baking tray for about 3-5 minutes.  Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Course Main Course
Keyword fish, lemon, salmon, seafood
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 6-8 oz salmon fillets skin removed
  • â…” cup panko not regular bread crumbs
  • 1 medium sized lemon zested - about 1.5 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • lemon wedges for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the panko, lemon zest, parsley, salt, & pepper. Stir in the olive oil.
  • Brush the Dijon mustard evenly on top of the salmon fillets. Cover with the panko mixture, pressing down to adhere to the salmon.
  • Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn the heat up to broil, and allow to cook for 60 seconds for the panko to brown - keeping a close eye as you don't want it to burn.
  • Remove from the oven & allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.
salmon