Parmesan Crusted Salmon

You could be eating this totally divine Parmesan Crusted Salmon in only 20 minutes! With less than 7 ingredients, it’s super easy to make and delicious!

Salmon is my “I could eat it all the time” seafood choice. It’s decadently rich, it flakes beautifully, and you can pair it with just about anything. It’s heaven on a plate. If you ever see me at sushi without salmon nigiri, slap me, because I must be out of my mind. I have that level of love for this fish.

At home, during the week, I like to prepare salmon in simple ways that let its flavor shine through. This Parmesan Crusted Salmon is one of those recipes. It’s quick enough for busy weeknights and tasty enough for having company over or holidays meals paired with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. You’re going to want to print this recipe and keep it for your cookbook.

LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
Follow Bread Booze Bacon on Pinterest

Parmesan Crusted Salmon Ingredients

• Salmon fillet – I like to use a whole fillet, but you can portion your fish before baking or buy the pre-portioned version from the store. There is no wrong answer here.
• Mayonnaise – The perfect conduit for the lemon juice, cheese, and pepper, and it helps the crackers stick to your fish so you get a great crust, instead of the crumbs falling off.
• Parmesan Cheese – Don’t use the shelf stable grated parmesan, buy fresh parmesan and grate it yourself or buy shredded parmesan.
• Cayenne Pepper – Adds a great little kick, don’t skip it! I promise it’s not too much.
• Lemon Juice – Because seafood and lemon are besties, and it helps cut the richness of the mayo a bit.
• Ritz Crackers – These buttery crackers form an amazing crust and add just the right amount of salt to the topping. In a pinch, you could use Townhouse crackers or Club crackers too, but we like the way Ritz comes out best.

The creamy mayonnaise topping adds a little extra lusciousness to the fish, and the buttery crackers put everything over the top. The best part? It’s ready in just 20 minutes! I love love love making this parmesan crusted salmon recipe when we have company over. I can prep the salmon, spread on the topping, and add the crackers just before dinner time. Then when everyone gets here, I pop it in the oven and hang out while it bakes. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

How to Make Parmesan Crusted Salmon

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
   Pro Tip: The foil is my secret weapon. I don’t need to de-skin the salmon. Instead, I run my spatula between the cooked fish and the skin and the fish comes right off. The skin sticks to the foil instead. Then you just toss out the foil after dinner.
2. If you want to pre-portion the salmon, cut it into 4 pieces now, otherwise place the entire salmon fillet, skin side down, onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice until combined. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the fish. Use it all.
4. Next, place the crackers in a Ziploc bag and pound them until you have fine crumbs. Sprinkle the crackers crumbs all over the mayonnaise topping. You want a substantial amount of crackers to form the crust, not just a light sprinkle. Don’t be shy.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and the crust is golden.
6. Remove from the oven and plate salmon pieces or use a spatula to cut the fillet into 4 pieces before serving. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley if you like.

Mike asks for me to make this parmesan baked salmon recipe regularly and I’m happy to oblige! I love serving parmesan salmon with Brown Rice & Apple Salad as a side dish for a quick and easy dinner. You can even make the salad ahead of time to save dinner prep time! Or with Rice Pilaf for a perfectly timed meal combination! While the pilaf rests, the salmon bakes and everything finishes together. You’ll look super coordinated and like you own that kitchen!

More of my favorite seafood recipes!

• Orecchiette & White Clam Sauce
• 15-Minute Shrimp Alfredo
• Shrimp Mango Quesadillas << these are AMAZING!!
• Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Pomegranate Sauce
• Balsamic Shrimp & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

More easy dinner ideas!

• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Beef Burrito Skillet
• Green Chile Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Tomato Beef Stew
• Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
• More dinner recipes…

Parmesan Crusted Salmon

Julie Kotzbach

You could be eating this totally divine Parmesan Crusted Salmon in only 20 minutes! With less than 7 ingredients, it's super easy to make and delicious!

4.78 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 403 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 ½ pounds salmon
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
• 15 Ritz crackers crushed (1/2 sleeve)
• Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

 

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• If you want to pre-portion the salmon, cut the salmon into 4 equal pieces. Otherwise, place the whole salmon fillet on the prepared baking sheet skin side down.
• In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice until combined. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the fish. Use it all.
• Next, place the crackers in a Ziploc bag and pound them until you have fine crumbs. Sprinkle the crackers crumbs all over the mayonnaise topping. You want a substantial amount of crackers to form the crust, not just a light sprinkle. Don’t be shy.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and the crust is golden. Remove from the oven.
• Remove from the oven and plate salmon pieces or use a spatula to cut the fillet into 4 pieces before serving. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley if you like. Serve immediately.

Notes

The foil is my secret weapon. I don't need to de-skin the salmon. Instead, I run my spatula between the cooked fish and the skin and the fish comes right off. The skin sticks to the foil instead. Then you just toss out the foil after dinner.

Nutrition

Calories: 403 kcalCarbohydrates: 7 gProtein: 36 gFat: 25 gSaturated Fat: 4 gCholesterol: 101 mgSodium: 303 mgPotassium: 847 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 1 gVitamin A: 114 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 67 mgIron: 2 mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Keyword seafood

Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe, leave a comment and star rating to let others know how it turned out.