Name: Baked Salmon with Pistachio Gremolata
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients: 2.5 lb wild caught salmon fillet; 2 lemons, sliced in thin rounds; 3 tablespoons olive oil; fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 cup pistachios, chopped; 6 dates, pits removed and chopped (about 1/3 cup); 2 heaping tablespoons chopped dill; 3 heaping tablespoon chopped mint; 4 heaping tablespoons chopped basil; 1 large lemon, juiced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; salt to taste

This healthy Baked Salmon with Pistachio Gremolata takes only 20 minutes and will soon become a family favorite! The salmon is baked in the oven until tender and flaky on a bed of lemons, then finished with the most delicious crunchy topping of chopped pistachios, dates, and fresh herbs. It’s the perfect easy recipe for any day of the week, yet elegant enough for those holiday dinner parties!

Salmon is definitely my go-to protein of choice and is on repeat at least once a week in our house. It’s wonderful because not only is it incredibly healthy being chock full of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s also so simple and quick to cook! Plus, it’s super versatile. You can dress it up or down for whatever occasion whether it’s just a quick weeknight dinner or a fancy dinner party.

This Baked Salmon with Pistachio Gremolata is definitely my top favorite way to currently eat salmon. It is SO FREAKING TASTY. Trust me, you will want to go swimming in the gremolata, it’s that delicious.

What is a Gremolata?

So some of you may be wondering, “what the heck is a gremolata?” Well, it’s actually quite simple despite the fancy name. Gremolata is an Italian chopped herb condiment traditionally made with chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest. It’s often served over the classic braised veal dish osso buco, but it is an excellent accompaniment to any meat or seafood. Basically you can serve it with any dish to which you want to give a tangy, fresh citrusy lift. Which in my opinion is ideal for this baked salmon!

For this recipe, I did a twist on the classic Gremolata. Instead of parsley I used chopped dill, mint and basil for the hebs, combined with a little olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt. I also added chopped pistachios and my secret ingredient – chopped dates. Seriously, if you haven’t tried adding dates to a gremolata, you need to. It’s fresh, tangy and sweet all in one!

How Long to Bake Salmon

There are so many ways to cook salmon, all of which I’m a fan. My go-to method though is definitely baking it in the oven. I love how simple and quick it is with minimal clean up, especially if you use tin foil to cover your baking sheet. Seriously no dishes!

Baking the salmon at a high temperature allows it to quickly roast the exterior and seal in all of those yummy juices, resulting in perfectly moist, tender and flaky salmon. If you like a little brown on the top of your salmon, you can cut down the cook time by a few minutes and switch the oven to broil, for the last 2-3 minutes. The times I give in my recipes are for a large 2-3 lb. fillet of salmon. Now the size of your fillet may vary, or you may even be cooking personal sized cut fillets so the the most important thing is to always check the internal temperature to check to see if it’s done cooking.

Here are some general guidelines for baking times:

Bake the salmon at 425 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes (optional)
Check to make sure the internal temperature of the salmon is 145 degrees F before removing from the oven.

How to Choose Your Salmon Fillet

I definitely recommend using wild caught salmon if possible (not farmed). Wild salmon has a significantly better nutritional profile being lower in fat and higher in minerals, including potassium, zinc and iron.

Farmed salmon is much higher in fat content, containing slightly more omega-3s, much more omega-6 and three times the amount of saturated fat. It also has 46% more calories than wild salmon, most of which is from fat. Some good options are: Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, or King Salmon.

Tips for Baked Salmon with Pistachio Gremolata

Make the gremolata fresh, right before serving. It’s still delicious the next day, however it’s best served fresh.
You may be tempted to use the food processor to chop the herbs for your gremolata. DON’T. It will turn them into a wet stringy mess. A cutting board, a sharp knife and 1-2 minutes is all it will take for perfectly chopped herbs. Remember you want them chopped well but not too fine. * See pictures.
In general, it is better to not overcook salmon fillets. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, or if you don’t have one you can use a fork to check the fillet to make sure it’s cooked through.

What to Serve With Baked Salmon

Really the options are endless, however here are some of my favorite side dish which are perfect for any holiday party or family dinner!

I really hope you love this baked salmon with pistachio gremolata as much as we do! It is the perfect easy entree for all of those holiday dinner parties coming up, and I’m planning on making it again for dinner on Christmas Eve! If you make this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment below or take a picture and share it on Instagram using #thesaucyfig. I love hearing your comments and seeing what you are cooking in your kitchen!