Maple Dijon Panko Crusted Salmon Recipe
A baked salmon recipe that will have you coming back for more? Yes, please! This recipe comes with a panko topping that will go great on anything and everything.
This Maple Dijon Panko Crusted Salmon is my all-time favorite salmon recipe. Actually, I think I could put this panko mixture on anything, and it would become my new favorite recipe for that thing.
I like to think of myself as a bit of a dinner inventor, and this combination of maple syrup, Dijon mustard, melted butter, panko, and parsley is probably one of my best inventions. I wish I could walk you through my inventor process, but it was just luck.
I had the salmon on hand and then opened my fridge, stared for awhile as I often do when I don’t have a plan, and pulled out this random assortment. Luckily the chaos worked and this baked salmon recipe was first featured as part of our meal plan service in December 2013!
“Absolutely loved this recipe and can’t wait to make it again! I really don’t even like salmon that much . . . but this was fantastic. Kid approved too! . . . My favorite part of this recipe is how fast it was to prepare.“
— Lindsay M.
Now this panko crusted salmon recipe is not only my favorite, but has become our cooking community’s favorite as well. Because of this, we keep bringing this recipe back into the meal plan dinner rotation and it’s a total Cook Smarts classic. It even made our Top 10 Meals of 2017 list! In fact, I think if our meal plan service had to pick one signature dish that defines us, it would definitely be this Maple Dijon Panko Crusted Salmon.
The buttery, crunchy crust is so flavorful and a bit indulgent, but pairs nicely with heart-healthy salmon. Really, it’s a dish that goes great with anything – a simple salad, sauteed vegetables, pasta salad, mashed sweet potatoes . . .
Don’t just take my word for it, though. I want to know what you think of my dinner invention! So go ahead and pick up some salmon at the store. The other items you most likely have in your pantry, especially if you follow our Guide to Pantry Essentials.
Enjoy reinventing dinnertime with this simple recipe! And don’t forget to leave me a comment below to let me know what you think of this dish!
Ingredient Smarts:
Panko is a light Japanese breadcrumb. These days you can find it in most grocery stores in the ethnic aisle. I store mine in the fridge after opening. You can also freeze if you don’t think you’ll get back to it for awhile.
Prepping Smarts
- Always give your fish a rinse and then pat it dry with paper towels before cooking, so that excess moisture does not steam up and prevent the panko crust from crisping up. Watch the video below to see how.
- Learn how to efficiently chop fresh parsley with our video below.
How to Rinse and Dry Fish
See how easy it is to quickly get fish ready for cooking.
How to Chop Cilantro or Parsley
Learn how to chop parsley using the 'pivot-and-fan' chopping technique with this short video.
Equipment Smarts:
- Basic ol’ sheet pans are all you need to make this dish. These industrial ones are less likely to warp in heat.
For more kitchen and equipment and tool smarts, visit our Essential Kitchen Cookware and Tools
Ingredients
- Salmon – 1 1/4 lbs
- Parsley – 3 sprigs, chopped
- Butter – 4 Tbsp
- Dijon mustard – 2 1/2 Tbsp
- Maple syrup – 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Soy sauce – 1 tsp
- Panko – 1/2 cup
- Cooking oil – 1 Tbsp
Instructions
Prep
- Salmon – Divide fish up into 4 servings. Rinse and dry fish. Lightly salt and pepper.
- Crust – Chop parsley. Melt butter in the microwave (~1 minute should do). Mix butter with Dijon, maple syrup, soy sauce, panko, and parsley.
Make
A little note:
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This blog post was originally published in January 2014 and has been updated with new and helpful resources.
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