Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Asparagus
Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Asparagus is healthy, moist and flavorful. Even better it can be made in minutes in a single pan!
Okay, how many times a day do you hear it? Eat more seafood, especially fatty fish, like salmon.
But of course it’s not quite that simple. And coming up with a collection of recipes that are tasty and practical is no small feat! So I’m here to help you out!
Today I’m sharing a recipe for Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Asparagus. Tasty and weeknight-easy, it’s adapted from one in the Sweet Beginnings Blog.
There the author mentions experimenting to find the right ratio of olive oil–moist but not excessive. This is something that’s especially important if you use wild-caught salmon like I do.
When my husband asked if I’d used King Salmon (a very rich—and expensive– salmon), I knew the ratio was perfect!
Why You’ll Love This!
Healthy. Eat more seafood and get your Omega-3 naturally, without expensive pills!
Easy. The recipe is simple–basically mix an easy topping, set on the fish, add asparagus and bake!
Flavorful. Between the rich salmon and olive oil, the crunchy panko, and the horseradish kick, this Horseradish Crusted Salmon is a sensory delight!
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Dill, Horseradish. These add flavor to the topping. You can use fresh or dried dill.
- Panko breadcrumbs. These add crunch and hold moisture. If you’re doing low carb or keto, you can use crushed fried pork rinds instead.
- Olive oil. This adds moisture and richness.
- Fresh asparagus. This adds nutrition and a flavor contrast.
- Salmon. This is the, um, salmon…
- Salt, pepper. These enhance flavor.
Special Tools
- No special tools required!
How to Source Salmon
One of the bigger challenges in eating more salmon is finding a good quality product. Yes, sadly, sometimes seafood can be raised with antibiotics, expose you to environmental contaminants, or be bad for the planet. In that case, count me out!
So much farmed salmon is raised under questionable conditions that, even though you can find good suppliers, I have decided to forgo it entirely in favor of wild-caught. (see Washington State Department of Health for more information).
I also pay attention to whether my fish was sustainably caught, through certifications such as the (sometimes controversial) Marine Stewardship Council or checking out the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Recommendations.
Thirdly, I look at whether the fish may have high levels of contaminants that are bad for my health, though this is generally not a problem with wild-caught salmon.
Step by Step Directions
Mix the topping.
Wash the asparagus and remove tough stem ends. Discard (compost) the ends and set the rest aside. Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish, skin side down, and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the topping evenly between the fish, then pat on top of each fillet. Press down to secure.
Add the asparagus spears to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, then serve immediately.
How to Serve
I love when a recipe has a vegetable serving included! Then I just need to add a salad to get two servings of vegetables with dinner! You can go with a nice green salad like this Lettuce Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing or with a tasty vegetable salad like my Thai Carrot Slaw or Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad.
Crusty bread might be your easiest starchy side, but rice, buttered noodles would also be lovely.
Tips & FAQs
Wild caught salmon requires just a little more attention to avoid overcooking. An instant read thermometer can be helpful to check the final temperature. Happily, with the olive oil in it, this recipe is pretty forgiving if it does get slightly overdone.
Two large fillets plus asparagus fit nicely into my braiser which I love because it’s so pretty to serve in. If I were cooking a larger quantity, I might consider a 9 x 13 pan.
What are some of your other favorite salmon recipes? I have lots of delicious salmon recipes but some of my favorites are:
- Lemon Tarragon Salmon with Quick Béarnaise (super easy but company good!)
- Easy Salmon Florentine (Poppeye’s favorite!)
- Sheet Pan Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach
- Easy Salmon Melt (like a tuna melt but with canned salmon!)
Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill or 1 Tablespoon dried
- 2 Tablespoons horseradish
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh asparagus
- Salt, pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 lb wild salmon cut into 4 fillets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- In a small bowl, combine the dill, panko, horseradish and oil. Mix with a fork or your fingers until the oil is absorbed. Set aside.
- Wash the asparagus and remove tough stem ends. Set aside
- Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish, skin side down, and season with salt and pepper.
- Place ¼ of the topping mixture on each fillet. Press down to secure. Add the asparagus spears to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake until the topping is golden brown, and the fish is cooked to your liking, about for 4 to 6 minutes per half-inch thickness. (The FDA suggests a final temperature of 145F, I usually go less since my salmon is flash frozen for greater safety).
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Updated from original, published on Apr 16, 2021.
Good luck on your surgery, Inger. I hope you recover quickly. Thanks for reminding me I have asparagus that I forgot about, lol! This recipe sounds delicious, and I love how easy it is to make!
Thanks Thao!
We too sometimes stay out of those frozen farmed fishes, luckily we live in NZ where waters are abundant so most of the fresh fish here are not farmed but caught in the ocean. That salmon looks fantastic BTW
Lucky you on the local salmon! Of course you have all the wonderful lamb in NZ too!
Gosh, this takes me back to a wonderful meal I had in Vancouver – the horseradish coated salmon was wonderful. Thanks for the recipe. Someone recently gifted me with Sitka salmon – so I now know how I will use some of it!
Nice friend on the Sitka gift–I am loving having it around!
I love horseradish and never thought to try it with fish! Good luck with your surgery and hope you heal quickly and well.
Thanks Tandy!