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
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic -peeled
- 1 tbs grated romano cheese
Salmon
- 4 8 oz salmon fillets
- 1 cup pistachio's
- 3 tbsp 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!
Rosemary
You are so right, the way a dish looks does influence how much I like it. Although, I’ve often been surprised:) I love salmon and spinach and this is a wonderful recipe to try, a delicious change from my usual preparation style. Going to have to try it soon!
Catalina
Pistachio and salmon! This is such a fancy dinner. I will definitely make it!
Ruth I
Oh wow. This looks expensive and oh so yummy! I’d love to try this recipe as my sister love salmon!
Chubskulit Rose
This is perfect for Fish Fridays for Lent season. I would love to try your recipe since I love salmon and pistachio.
Ricci
I have been on such a salmon kick lately! I need to try this recipe soon!
Lisa Marie Heath
I have been CRAVING salmon lately – and this looks so good! Sharing this recipe with my boyfriend so he can make it for my birthday dinner this Friday!
Heather
I’m not sure why I never thought to put pistachios on salmon. Those are two of my favorite foods!
Terri Steffes
We’ve made this and love it. Your recipe is similar to the one we tried. Delicious! We do find that fresh salmon, if it is truly fresh, is our favorite way to make it.
Lian Wright
This dish looks amazing! It is so elegant, and I love a good salmon recipe. It would be great to serve on a stay-at-home date night meal.
Melanie
My husband doesn’t like salmon, so I do not cook it very often. I am a big salmon fan, though! i love the sound of this recipe.
Pam
I have been wanting to eat more salmon lately since I heard it was good for your Vitamin D levels. This looks like an awesome way to prepare it.
Ashley
I’ve always enjoyed a good salmon dish. I’ll need to try this out, I think it would be good for our Keto diet.
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I love and eat a ton of salmon. I am always looking for new ways to prepare it. I also love pistachios and will definitely try this. It looks tasty!
Lisa
This looks amazing. I’m a big fan of salmon and I love pistachios. The combo sounds incredible.
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!
Jeanette
Chef, I love the crust on this salmon dish! Coconut oil is a favorite of ours too – great substitute for butter.
Carlo/Carlo At Your Service Productions
I loving this recipe… BIG TIME! Man, does it ever look good. Glad you posted it.
Thanks, Chef.
PS I wrote to you over on Google+ (private message); re: blog tag.
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen
I just bought salmon and was planning to cook it right now. I just stopped in my tracks when I saw your recipe. The pistachio on the fillet looks awesome. Must try this. Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis! See you on the +Plus side 🙂
Dara
Love this. Totally my style. I should try coconut oil, I see it at the store all the time!
Stephanie @ Life Tastes Like Food
This looks delicious! Love salmon, love pistachios, love spinach 🙂 Great combo, and healthy too!
RavieNomNoms
Oh, aren’t pistachios just amazing? Just so tasty!
Lynn
Yep, people eat with their eyes. My friend Julie, a pastry chef/ceramic artist (juliedianeartisan.com) holds that close to her heart as she creates.
I’m curious chef D, when I incorporate coconut oil into items, it imparts a very slight coconut flavor. Do you find this too? I’ve got the Kelapo brand on my list to purchase next so I’m unfamiliar with it.
Chef D
yes it does have a little coconut flavor, so I try to match it up with flavors you won’t notice it as much with.
Lea Ann (Cooking on the Ranch)
What a great looking meal. This is a must try. Pinned. What really caught my attention was that pesto’d spinach.
Kristina
I use coconut oil for everything, even moisturizer… 😉
Dennis this looks stunning and sounds incredible – I love the pistachio crust.
Amanda
What a lovely dish, thanks Dennis. I have a tub of coconut oil in my pantry and very little idea what to do with it, but I think The Husband will really enjoy this dish.
Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb
Love Salmon, in fact I am addicted to the taste and flavors. Yet, I have never tasted it this way, with pistachios and even coconut oil. We have masses on home pressed coconut oil in the house but unfortunately I wont come across salmon so soon, so I ll have to wait. Better show your recipe my friend in germany, she is going to love that! Thanks for sharing chef. =)
Roz
I adore salmon prepared in any fashion….and this is another wonderful way for me to prepare my favorite fish! Thanks Dennis!
Brooks
Chef, This crusted salmon looks so scrumptious and I love the placement on the wilted greens! Coconut oil is surely finding its way into the spotlight and you’ve put it to great use here. Many thanks for sharing the recipe.
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We do love salmon this way. I love using coconut oil, my daughter would have second thoughts on the coconut oil…I have to sneak it in where I can….so I don’t make popcorn with it anymore unless I want to eat it all for myself…no there’s an idea.
Lora @cakeduchess
This looks fantastic. I love baking with coconut oil and now am inspired to do more cooking with it. Great recipe I want to try soon:)