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This Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Onion Chive Butter recipe is brought to you in partnership with Wonderful Pistachios. We're excited to share this collaboration with you!
It's World Pistachio Day, and with the exciting launch of Wonderful Pistachios' No Shells Unsalted variety, I couldn't resist celebrating by revamping my beloved pistachio recipe - get ready for a delicious twist!
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What makes this dish special
When I was younger, I never cared much about Easter. It was just another holiday when the malls were closed, and I didn't have to go to school the next day. But as soon as I became a professional chef, I started to pay more attention to Easter because of the events I would cater. Now I had to create menus based on the holiday that not only took advantage of spring produce but also highlighted the special occasion.
Most of the time, my clients requested Easter brunch. It was my responsibility to create an elaborate brunch experience, with everything from double lemon chicken to smoked salmon french toast to orange cardamom raisin buns all sitting on one table. To me, salmon and Easter go hand in hand. Since I want to partake in the festivities rather than spend all my time in the kitchen, I'll be whipping up this pistachio crusted salmon with onion chive butter using Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted.
This Unsalted No Shells version is the ultimate game-changer. Inspired by its versatility, I've been finding all kinds of creative ways to use it in cooking and baking, including this pistachio crusted salmon. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this dish is the perfect meal that looks fancy but is very easy to prepare. Easter brunch or not, this recipe is a keeper for when you want a quick meal with great flavors.
Recipe
Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Onion Chive Butter
Ingredients
Pistachio crusted salmon
- 1 pound salmon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted ground
Onion chive butter
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chives finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spread marinade evenly on the salmon. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle ground pistachios on top, gently pressing down to create a crust. Bake salmon for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Remove from the oven.
- Meanwhile, make the onion chive butter. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chopped chives, stirring to combine. Drizzle on the salmon and serve immediately.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare salmon
One of the first salmon dishes I learned to make was a honey mustard salmon. This recipe is a variation of the basic honey mustard combination, adding lemon, onion powder, garlic, and chives to the mix.
First, combine lemon zest with lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard. Dijon mustard is the best for honey mustard, but you can also use stone-ground mustard. Just stay away from the yellow park mustard!
Spread the lemon Dijon sauce on the salmon and sprinkle a generous amount of Wonderful Pistachios on top. The sauce will help the pistachios stick to the salmon while giving it flavor, killing two birds with one stone.
An easy way I like to spread the pistachios is to spread the crushed nuts on a plate. Then, I carefully flip the salmon on the pistachios, making sure to place the marinated side facing down. Press down to make the pistachios stick, and there you go!
Bake the salmon at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Step 2: Make the finishing sauce
While the fish is baking, prepare the onion chive butter. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and onion powder, sauteing until the garlic becomes aromatic. Keep stirring to prevent the garlic from burning.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the chives, stirring to combine. Drizzle the butter over the salmon and serve with extra lemon wedges.
And there you have it! This pistachio crusted salmon with onion chive butter is so easy to put together, but still upholds the flavor and presentation of an expensive salmon dish. It's a win-win all around!
For another amazing spring dish, check out this spring pea and asparagus pistachio pesto pasta and whipped ricotta pasta with asparagus and pancetta!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can marinate the salmon for up to 30 minutes. You can also make the butter sauce the day before.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 2 days.
More salmon recipes
Looking for more salmon dishes? Try these:
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All images shot and styled by Christine Ma. Available for food photography, styling, and recipe development.
Amanda says
I stumbled upon this recipe accidentally and have since made this AT LEAST 4 times. I’ve made a point of preshelling pistachios so I can pick up salmon on a whim - this is my new favourite go to!
Cherry on My Sundae says
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this salmon dish! It's one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon 🙂
Brooke H. says
Really loved the topping!!
Christine Ma says
The topping makes it special!