Almond Crusted Salmon with Honey Mustard Sauce

Name: Almond Crusted Salmon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 2 lbs wild Alaskan sockeye salmon; 1/2 portion season salt; 1 oz almonds (finely chopped in a food processor); 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed); 2 tbsp butter (melted); 1/4 portion season salt; 1 tbsp dijon mustard; 2 tbsp honey; 1/4 portion season salt; 4 tbsp mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen garlic aioli mayonnaise)

Oven-baked almond crusted salmon with honey mustard sauce is a healthy dinner recipe you can make in under 30 minutes! Crispy crust, tender and flaky fish, and a delicious sauce make this dinner so tasty! Air fryer instructions included.

close up shot of fish flaking off of fork.

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Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
How to Make This Recipe
Serving, Freezing, Storage And Make-Ahead, And Reheating Tips
Other Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Related Recipes
Almond Crusted Salmon

We eat a lot of salmon at my house. Whether it's pesto-crusted, seasoned with Old Bay, in baked feta pasta, in a salmon teriyaki bowl, made into bites, or simply air-fried, it is the base for so many of our favorite healthy seafood recipes.

To mix things up, I decided to adapt HelloFresh's Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe to make this almond crusted salmon. The results were so tasty, it's definitely going to go into regular dinner rotation!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Quick and easy! This almond crusted salmon recipe can be made in just 30 minutes.
Restaurant-quality recipe that is simple to make at home!
Beginner recipe for introducing picky eaters to seafood. They will love the crispy crust.
Can be made in the oven or air fryer.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.

ingredients for this almond crusted salmon on a sheet pan.

Honey: Can be swapped for maple syrup, brown sugar, or keto maple syrup.
Mayonnaise: I made this almond crusted salmon using mayonnaise from Primal Kitchen. You can substitute Greek yogurt or regular mayo like Hellman's if desired.
Season salt: Refer to the recipe card for instructions on how to make season salt for this recipe. Alternatively, you can purchase store-bought season salt.

How to Make This Recipe

Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.

Step 1

Stir together season salt ingredients in a small dish and set aside. You will use this for seasoning the fish, crust, and sauce. Alternatively, you can use store-bought season salt.

Step 2

Place salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season the salmon with ½ of the season salt and rub it in. If air frying, cut fish into 6 fillets after seasoning.

Step 3

In a food processor, process the almonds and breadcrumbs. Mix the almond and breadcrumb mixture together in a small bowl along with the melted butter and ¼ of the season salt to make the crust.

Step 4

Evenly spread the crust over the top of the fillet and press in lightly.

Oven-baked Instructions

uncooked salmon in the oven on a sheet pan.

Place sheet pan in the oven. Turn the oven on to 400F and set a timer for 20 minutes. The oven does not need to be preheated for this recipe.

Air Fryer Instructions

Air fry salmon at 400F for 7 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

Honey Mustard Sauce & Final Instructions

bowl of honey mustard sauce on a white background with a fork in it.

While the salmon is cooking, stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Once the fish is cooked, evenly drizzle it over the cooked salmon. Top with lemon and dill if desired.

Serving, Freezing, Storage And Make-Ahead, And Reheating Tips

How To Serve

Serve almond crusted salmon on top of a quinoa bowl or with salad toppings to make a salad or with green beans, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, or another veggie side dish.

Mashed potatoes, sweet potato wedges, quinoa salad, or rice are also great starchy side dishes to serve with almond crusted salmon.

How to Cook When Using Frozen Salmon

Salmon should be defrosted prior to baking to ensure that the crust sticks. The Kitchn has a fabulous resource for how to defrost salmon quickly.

How to Store

Store leftover almond crusted salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating Tips

Place leftovers on a sheet pan and reheat at 350F for a few minutes or until heated through. This almond crusted salmon can also be reheated in the air fryer or can be eaten cold.

Other Expert Tips

Make it keto: To make this almond crusted salmon recipe low-carb and without bread or breadcrumbs, use almond meal or parmesan cheese in place of panko breadcrumbs. Also, substitute honey in the sauce for keto maple syrup.
For an even crispier crust and tasty flavor: Make the honey mustard sauce before making the crust and put the crust on after seasoning the fish but before adding the crust and before baking. Reserve some extra sauce for dipping.

Recipe FAQs

Is it better to bake salmon with the skin on or the skin off?

It is always better to bake it with the skin on, even if you aren't a fan of the skin. Removing the skin prior to baking can be challenging, so I usually remove it after I bake it.

Is it better to fry or bake salmon?

Although a personal preference, air frying or baking salmon in the oven are both great ways to cook salmon.

Oven-baking salmon is great for larger fillets while the air fryer cooks salmon quickly making it great for individual portions.

Is it better to bake salmon covered or uncovered?

Covering during baking is not necessary, even with this almond crusted salmon.

Why is my salmon oozing white stuff?

According to Refinery29, the white stuff in salmon is a protein called albumin that generally comes out of salmon when cooked at higher temperatures. It is a sign that your fish may be cooked or overcooked so keep an eye on your fish as you cook it.

The protein is not harmful and can just be wiped away. If you have extra time you can try to brine the salmon as Cook's Illustrated describes in their article about tricks for avoiding salmon's "white stuff."

full fillet of salmon with almond crust topped with lemons sauce and dill.

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