Dijon and Rosemary Pan-Seared Salmon- This delicious salmon recipe is a huge treat with so many health benefits. Try it with a simple green salad on a busy weeknight for a quick, easy, and very satisfying meal. It's also dairy and gluten free!
As a food blogger, I'm always looking for tasty options for the dinner table. Something with a short cooking time, that will work for a special occasion as well as a simple meal. If you want to cook fish, but have been intimidated, this show stopper is the recipe for you.
If you're looking for a side dish to serve with this, our herb couscous, roasted potatoes, and even the bacon and kale potato hash are all lovely pairings. As mentioned earlier, a simple green salad with our gluten free salad dressing is light and easy.
Salmon is also very versatile, lending itself to all kinds of creative treatments. This is certainly one of my favorites. The mustard provides a lovely counter balance to the richness of the meat, with a little acid and saltiness, while the oils from the fresh rosemary infuse the filet with an herbal and classic flavor combination. Try squeezing just a little lemon juice over it, it really makes the flavors pop!
Jump to:
What You're Going to Need!
- Salmon - we chose a high quality, sustainably farmed Atlantic type, but wild caught, or any fresh variety will work.
- Dijon mustard - the white wine used to create this French delicacy is just perfect for this recipe.
- Fresh Rosemary - we strongly advise against using dry.
- Olive oil - either pure or an olive oil blend. extra virgin will burn and smoke at the medium-high heat of the sear in this dish.
- Sea salt - using salt from the sea just makes perfect sense with any seafood recipes.
- Black pepper - freshly ground, of course.
- Lemon - lemon slices make a great garnish, but lemon wedges to squeeze over are also perfect.
See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe
Dijon and Rosemary Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If purchasing prepared salmon portions, skip this step.
- Using a sharp knife, cut away the belly flap portion of the fish.
- Cut the fillet into even sized pieces.
- Evenly coat each portion with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle chopped rosemary across presentation side of fish pieces
- Smear salmon with a generous coating of the mustard, also only on the presentation side.
- Heat sauté pan on stove over high heat until a drop of water dances across the surface, and evaporates in seconds.
- Add olive oil to pan, allowing it to coat the surface and heat through.
- Gently place salmon in pan, mustard side down. Allow it to sear on high for 15 seconds before reducing heat to medium high.
- Watch the edges of the fish. When they have become opaque almost to the side facing you, it's time to flip, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Work the offset spatula under the fish carefully, so as not to tear the crust formed by the mustard, and then flip over each piece.
- Reduce heat again to medium, cover the pan to allow fish to cook through., about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Using a thermometer, measure the temp at the thickest part. For medium rare, 100 to 110, medium, 120 degrees.
- Remove from pan, plate with lemon slices.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Have a Specific Food Allergy?
Ask your favorite AI Bot how to alter it for your diet!
How to Make Dijon & Rosemary Crusted Salmon
- Remove the belly portion. If the salmon has this thin, fatty bit attached, it should be removed, as it will cook much faster than the rest. Side note: I personally love this little bit of "fish bacon" and will go ahead and sear it up until it's crispy as a little treat! It's not for everyone, but if you've ever had salmon skin sushi, this is the piece that is used typically.
2. Here you can see the filet with the belly removed. Plan on about 7 ounces for each portion, as trimming it up like this and shrinkage from cooking will result in 6 ounce portions.
3. Pick the rosemary leaves from the stem, and rough chop.
4. I love being able to post seasoning like this, mirroring our logo! You can see that we've sliced the fish into portions.
5. Sprinkle on the rosemary evenly and apply a generous smear of Dijon on top of the salmon.
6. Here's where the magic happens! Sear the presentation side in a nice hot frying pan, carefully flip over once the edges start to turn opaque, lower heat, cover and cook through to 120 degrees in the center for medium, 100 if you like your salmon a little more rare. Make sure the pan is good and hot, and be patient, make sure the fish is ready to flip before you start playing with it at all.
Shopping For Salmon
It's the most popular fish sold in American grocery stores and supermarkets, even many folks who don't care for seafood in general eat salmon nowadays I guess it's not really such a surprise then, shopping for this seafood mainstay can get a little confusing, with all of the choices available.
Fresh or Frozen?
Of course, this one seems like an obvious choice, and it is, kind of. While fresh ingredients are always better when you are choosing food to cook and eat, what defines fresh salmon depends on a few factors.
Salmon, like all seafood, is highly perishable. From when it's taken from the water until it reaches your plate, it's quality and edibility decrease every minute. If you happen to be located near enough to a salmon fishery, than you can be assured that what you're buying is within a day or two of it being caught and cleaned. If this is not the case, frozen salmon is still just fine. The majority of what is in the seafood case was previously frozen and carefully thawed anyway.
Types of Salmon
"Which variety is best?", I'm often asked. If only one kind was good, there wouldn't be so many choices. It all depends on what you're looking for. These are the main types to look for, and a little bit about each.
Atlantic salmon, (farm raised), is extremely consistent in size, flavor and fat content. The color is lighter than wild-caught salmon. The flakes of the meat are large, and the flavor is mild, but rich in oils.
Sockeye salmon are also sometimes referred to as red salmon, due to their dark red colored flesh. They are strong in flavor, but also a bit sweet. The fat content is low, giving the meat a dense and firm texture.
Coho salmon have a more orange color to the meat, and are also low in fat. The flavor is very mild, and they are small in size.
Pink salmon are the smallest fish, and the least expensive. The meat is very soft and the flake is very tight and small. They are caught both in fresh and salt water, making the flavor somewhat variable from one catch to the next, but they are in general on the milder side.
King, (aka Chinook), are the most expensive wild salmon variety. They are the most rare, largest, and fattiest of the wild caught fish. The flavor is very rich, and the texture is flaky and smooth. The level of omega 3 fatty acids are the highest. Finding this type of fish is very difficult outside of Alaska, as the catch is highly limited and regulated, due to dwindling populations.
Chef Tip
We harp on this topic a lot, but the best and freshest possible ingredients will always end up being the best on the plate. Almost all salmon is frozen, unless you happen to have the good fortune of living very near a local fishery, or better yet, caught one of these beauties yourself. Look for wild caught if possible, or at least sustainably farmed. The flesh should be firm, and unbruised.
Storage & Helpful Hints
This fish entrée is best when eaten right away, but leftovers will stay fresh tightly sealed in the refrigerator for 2 days. When re-heating, you'll want to make sure that it is covered well to preserve as much moisture as possible. 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave, or 7 to 10 minutes in the oven at 425.
This Dijon Salmon is an item that needs a really hot pan in order to get a nice crusty sear. The mustard it there to provide flavor and juiciness to the finished fish filet, but it primarily is there to give a nice golden brown char to the outside without burning. When you heat the skillet, allow for at least 30 seconds before adding the oil. Once the oil is added, lower the fish into the pan partially and listen for a sizzle. If it doesn't sizzle, wait a little while longer before trying again. Your patience will be rewarded. You'll see the sides of the salmon start to turn opaque before it 's ready to be flipped.
Newest Recipe!
Tender Red Wine Braised Beef Chuck Roast
This Dutch oven pot roast transforms an affordable cut of beef into a fork tender, hearty meal with incredible depth of flavor. The slow cooking method in a covered pot creates a rich sauce that's perfect for the root vegetables cooked with it.
Of course you can use a different herb. We would recommend fresh basil or tarragon.
More Inspiration
- Easy Black Bean & Garden Zucchini Quesadilla Recipe
- White Balsamic Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast
- Spicy Turkey Cocktail Meatballs With Red Pepper Sauce
- Overnight Eggnog French Toast Casserole with Almonds Recipe
cmullenaux says
love this one! Do it about once a month. Good on pork loin too.
Jason Miller says
Mustard really can be the "secret weapon" for getting a tasty crust on something!
Jason says
very French