Grab The Parmesan And Breadcrumbs To Make Basic Baked Salmon Taste Gourmet

A lovely piece of fresh salmon is just terrific with the standard salt, pepper, and maybe a spritz of lemon. Until, perhaps, it's the umpteenth salmon night of the year or you're working with a frozen filet that may be convenient but you know is just going to taste so-so. That's when easy marinades or the quick addition of things like pesto can make that dull baked salmon really swim. Our recipe for parmesan-crusted salmon is an equally simple way to make it seem like your dinner took half the day. You may even want to use it when you are buying the good stuff.

Any parmesan-crusted salmon will essentially coat the notably fatty, tender fish in a crisp encasement of parm, panko breadcrumbs, the compulsory salt and pepper, and something like butter to hold it all together. You could also add herbs like parsley that you can more or less adapt as you wish. Once the fish is baked, you'll notice the dynamic texture juxtaposition on your first bite. The breadcrumbs give the buttery fish a delightful crunch while the parm in particular also brings a subtle umami note thanks to the hard cheese's natural L-glutamic acid. Our specific preparation includes instructions for creating a rich accompanying sauce on nights when you might have a little more time to spend in the kitchen, but this crusted fish is also great on its own on busier evenings when you still want something particularly delicious.

You can implement the basic principles of parm-crusted salmon with little more than some home cooking common sense. You can lay your salmon on a baking tray and simply sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top before baking. However, to help the crust stick to the salmon better, it's good to use some kind of adherent, which can be butter or a light coat of extra virgin olive oil, or even a thin layer of mayo for a moist and juicy fish. You can apply that culinary glue directly to the protein with a basting brush, a butter knife, or even your hands. It's meant to be an easy application, not a whole breading station. 

You can also eyeball your panko-parm proportions for about a one-to-one ratio. That means you'll want to mix at least about a ¼ cup of parm and a ¼ cup of panko per filet, depending on its size, plus a couple spoonfuls of melted butter as well as herbs and seasonings to taste. You can then dip each piece of fish right into this mixture to fully encase it before arranging on a parchment-covered baking sheet.

Parsley's pretty classic herb addition in the breadcrumb mixture for salmon, but dill will also provide a hint of sweetness. Basil is also parmesan's BFF. You can combine either with the parm and panko, or just finely chop and sprinkle them on top. You don't need to save the citrus kiss for the end, either; you can grate some lemon zest right into the panko-parm blend, too. Parmesan-crusted salmon is wonderfully hands-off once you pop it into a 425-degree-Fahrenheit oven for around 15 minutes. It's also great with your favorite rice side or some rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes.