Maple Pistachio Salmon Fillets (Printable)

Oven-baked salmon with a sweet maple glaze and crunchy pistachio crust, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Main

01 - 4 salmon fillets (about 5 oz each), skinless or skin-on

→ Glaze & Topping

02 - 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
03 - 2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
04 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
05 - 1 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
06 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve (optional)

08 - Lemon wedges
09 - Fresh dill or parsley, chopped

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, whole-grain mustard, and lemon juice. Brush the mixture generously over the top of each fillet.
04 - In another bowl, mix the chopped pistachios and thyme. Press the mixture evenly onto the glazed surface of each fillet, gently pressing so it adheres.
05 - Bake for 14–18 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the pistachio crust is golden brown. Cooking time may vary depending on thickness of fillets.
06 - Remove from the oven and rest for 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The maple and mustard glaze tricks everyone into thinking you spent hours on a sauce that literally takes thirty seconds to stir together.
  • Pistachios turn a plain piece of fish into something that looks like it belongs on a magazine cover with almost zero effort.
  • It is genuinely weeknight friendly but elegant enough that you can serve it at a dinner party without apologizing for anything.
02 -
  • Do not walk away during the last three minutes of baking because maple syrup goes from beautifully caramelized to burnt very quickly.
  • If your pistachios are salted, skip the extra salt on the fish or the whole dish will taste like the ocean met a salt shaker.
  • Thicker fillets need closer to 18 minutes while thinner ones are done at 14, so check early rather than late.
03 -
  • Use your hands to press the pistachio mixture onto the salmon because a spoon will just slide around and leave you frustrated with bare patches.
  • Check the salmon a minute before you think it is done because it keeps cooking slightly after you pull it out and nobody likes dry fish.

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