Sheet Pan Pistachio + Herb Crusted Salmon

This genius recipe came my way from a dear friend Alison who’s inventive in the kitchen. After reading an article about the benefit of pistachios on sleep due to their melatonin content, she channeled the Plants First recipe for Coriander + Flax Roasted Eggplant and came up with this wowzer.

Taking time to season fish before baking is a great strategy for making yummy food, and this nutty herb crust is a great example. Omega-3 rich wild salmon is one of the best fish out there because it stays more moist due to the higher fat content, but you could substitute any fish you’d like! I’m a fan of wild seafood in contrast to farmed, which can make it more expensive and harder to find.

I like sheet pan dinners because they make prep and clean up super easy. After all, who needs dishes after a long day?

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 35 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 cups chopped vegetables for roasting (I like cauliflower, broccoli and butternut squash)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

¼ teaspoon each salt + freshly-grond pepper

Pistachio + Herb Crust

1 finely chopped shallot

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped fresh parsley 

1 teaspoon dried dill

Zest of 1 lemon

¼ teaspoon each salt + fresh ground pepper 

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed 

½ cup chopped raw pistachios 

1 pound filet wild salmon or wild arctic char


Directions

  1. Heat oven to 425 F.

  2. Prepare a sheet pan for roasting. Spread out vegetables on the pan and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to begin roasting, with a total roasting time being about 25-30 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, sauté the shallots in olive oil for a couple of minutes until softened. Then add the rest of the herb crust ingredients and turn off the heat. Spoon these items over the raw fish, lightly drizzling a bit more olive oil over the top. Add the seasoned salmon to the baking sheet when there’s about 10 minutes of time remaining on the roasting vegetables. Roast for an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the flesh is just barely opaque. 

Enjoy!