Pistachio Encrusted Salmon – healthy and delicious restaurant style dish
Sharing a meal with friends and family makes life better. And I’m always looking for something new to make, something to impress my guests not only with a delicious meal but a beautifully presented meal. My Pistachio Encrusted Salmon is a restaurant style dish your guests won’t soon forget!
The old saying is “we eat with our eyes” and that my friends is the truth! No matter how good a dish may taste, if the appearance is less than stellar, the flavors will not be appreciated. So as you prepare your holiday feast, keep that in mind.
Salmon has never been one of my favorite dishes, so when I prepare it, I challenge myself to make it flavorful and beautiful so that I don’t mind eating it. Although I will admit since I started using Pacific Northwest Salmon I’ve been enjoying salmon a lot more these days.
I hope you enjoy my Pistachio Encrusted Salmon served on a bed of wilted spinach tossed with a sun-dried tomato pesto, it really is a delicious restaurant style dish.
If you like this recipe you might also enjoy these dishes:
- Mediterranean Style Salmon
- Blackened Salmon Salad
- Stuffed Salmon with Cream Cheese and Crabmeat
- Cedar Planked Salmon
Pistachio Encrusted Salmon
Ingredients
Sundried Tomato Pesto
- 1 cup reconstituted sundried tomatoes
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic -peeled
- 1 tbs grated romano cheese
Salmon
- 4 8 oz salmon fillets
- 1 cup pistachio’s
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 12 oz baby spinach leaves
Instructions
Sundried Tomato Pesto
- reconstitute the sundried tomatoes in warm water
- In the bowl of your food processor, add the sundried tomatoes, garlic clove, grated cheese and pine nuts. Pulse until fully blended and finely chopped.
- Add the olive oil, and pulse until well blended*
Salmon
- pulse pistachio’s in a food processor until chopped with some finely ground
- brush the salmon lightly with olive oil
- Press salmon into pistachio’s, covering topside of fillet completely, continue till all four fillets have been finished.
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough cooking oil to saute the salmon
- Gently place salmon, nut side down and sear for about 2 minutes, until nuts have browned.
- Very gently turn salmon over and repeat the process.
- Place salmon in a baking dish with a little water and place in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. (replace any nuts that may have fallen off, making a nice top layer of pistachio’s on the fillet)
- While salmon is finishing cooking, place 4 tablespoons of sundried pesto into a saucepan and warm gently ( add a little more coconut oil if the mixture is not loose enough)
- Right before serving toss sundried pesto mixture with spinach leaves coating very well, until spinach begins to wilt.
- Divide spinach between 4 plates and top with salmon fillet.
- Serve immediately
Notes
Nutrition
Now that was one delicious piece of salmon and it looked as good as it tasted! Whether you’re entertaining or just turning a family meal into a special event, everyone’s going to love this salmon!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
This sounds like a lovely tasty and healthy recipe. Might help encourage me to eat more salmon too as I don’t eat it very often.
Amber Myers
Oo this would make a tasty meal. I know my mom really enjoys her salmon, so I’ll have to show this to her for sure.
Tashena
This recipe looks so flavorful. Love the combination of the two flavors. Looking forward to giving this a try.
Jeanette
I am always looking for a healthy lean protein that’s got a lot of flavor. This definitely fits that bill. Cannot wait to try it.
candy
We miss catching our own fresh salmon when we lived in Alaska. This is a delicious and perfect healthy dish. The taste would be wonderful.
Bec
I can’t believe salmon is not a favorite for you, but I guess that’s a blessing for us, if that’s the reason you invented this amazing pistachio crust – thanks heaps!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Bec! It was always my mission to get myself to enjoy salmon more!
Marilyn
Looks really good – just a minor note, the recipe calls for 4 salmon filets, but says it serves 2.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for seeing that Marilyn, I just changed to a different recipe box on my blog and I’m seeing a few minor glitches on some of the recipes.
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily
Hi Dennis, I just wanted to let you know that I made this last night and it was wonderful, even the kiddos liked it! SCORE! ;]
Chef Dennis
thanks for letting me know Gwen, I’m happy to hear your family enjoyed it!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
Good morning~I have featured this recipe on my blog for my weekly seafood round-up and have also linked this recipe to your original post so that my readers will be forwarded to your site. Thank you for allowing me to share! Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/01/seafood-frenzy-friday-week-44.html
David Crowley
Looks great Chef Dennis! I was just looking for a new salmon recipe this weekend. Too late for this time (I made it pan seared with an olive-lemon relish, via Barbara Lynch’s Stir cookbook). I will save this for next time!
Kristi Rimkus
What a lovely and healthy salmon recipe. I can’t wait to try this!
Rhonda
I love everything about this recipe, well I haven’t tried coconut oil yet but it’s on my list. Salmon, sundried tomato pesto and pistachio, definitely a home run.
Aggie
I totally agree about eating with your eyes, so true! I make salmon a lot, and am always looking for a new way to prepare it. Pistachios are my favorite and I hardly use them in recipes. Need to pick up one of those huge canisters at the grocery store and try this. (I’m also starting to cook with coconut oil more too…)
Great recipe!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious
Pistachio and salmon sound like they belong together! Love the crunch factor 🙂
Muna Kenny
I’ve never had salmon with pistachio, but I trust it will taste great!