This Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon makes a perfect post-Thanksgiving lunch or dinner! Snag some yummy leftover cranberry sauce to whip up this sweet and savory salmon!
Please tell me you have a little leftover cranberry sauce taking up real estate in your fridge. In the freezer even?
If not I’m going to go ahead and request you make a teensy bit more so you can whip up this delicious cranberry pecan salmon!
It’s the most delightful blend of flavors with a combination of sweetness and tartness from the cranberries, nuttiness from the pecans, and… ok I have literally no idea how to accurately describe the taste of salmon but it pairs oh-so-well that you might even win over a few salmon-skeptic friends or family members in the process!
Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon
The recipe below yields 2 tasty servings, but feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed to feed your crew!
Cranberry Pecan Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp parsley
- 2 TBSP unsalted butter
- 2 salmon fillets (approx 4-6 ounces each) fresh or thawed if frozen
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- serve atop 2-4 cups fresh baby spinach or with your favorite veggie side!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Combine pecans, panko, salt, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Melt butter and pour over pecan mixture, tossing to coat.
- Pat salmon dry and spread with cranberry sauce, about 2 TBSP per filet, then top with pecan topping.
- Bake 10-15 minutes, until salmon is tender and flakes easily with a fork. The general rule of thumb is 10 minutes of cook time per inch of thickness, which should help you adjust times based on the cut used.
- After removing the skin, plate the steamy salmon atop the fresh baby spinach as a salad, or gently wilt spinach in a skillet with a little butter and a pinch of salt. I typically go the salad route for salmon lunches and the wilted, cooked route with the spinach when serving salmon up for dinner. Choose your favorite method! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Serving it up salad-style? Fabulous! Here’s a super simple and deeeeeelish dressing to drizzle over your baby spinach:
citrus vinaigrette:
- 2 TBSP light olive oil, avocado oil, or grape seed oil
- 1 clove of garlic, smashed and minced (1/4 tsp)
- 1 TBSP fresh lime juice
- 1 TBSP orange juice
- a pinch of salt
- a dash of black pepper
To make the dressing, simply combine the above ingredients in a small mason jar, tightly secure with a lid, and shake well. Easy peasy!
Who says fish can’t be festive too?
Hope you love this snazzed up salmon as much as I do!
If you get a chance to try cranberry salmon recipe, let me know! Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
more scrumptious seafood recipes
Looking to spice things up? Try this spicy Sweet Chili Sriracha Salmon next! I also have the most amazing Shrimp Taco recipe ever featuring spicy seasoned shrimp and a tasty homemade slaw!
No pecans? No problem! Grab some pistachios and panko and whip up this Pistachio Crusted Salmon or go nut-free and make a healthy Salmon Salad.
Looking for a side dish? Pair this scrumptious cranberry pecan salmon with a fluffy Rice Pilaf or a tasty broccoli kale salad.
Questions & Reviews
I don’t usually leave comments, but when my husband says”It’s good” as opposed to “I’d eat it again,. I know we have a winner. Thank you!
GREAT recipe! Such a perfect mix of flavors! We will be making again!
I was a little disappointed. It didn’t have a whole lot of flavor. I could barely taste the cranberry sauce. The crunch of the panko and pecans was nice. Maybe next time I’ll try whole cranberry sauce.
Oh no – It should have a ton of cranberry flavor. Which type of cranberry sauce did you use?
Everyone loved this salmon.
I was looking for a salmon recipe with Thanksgiving flavors and this was it! Added chopped fresh rosemary to the crumb topping but otherwise, made as noted in the recipe. Everyone enjoyed!
Is it fresh parsley are dry
Hi Rebecca! Either works great! You can use 1/4 tsp dried parsley or 1/2 tsp fresh.
I absolutely love this recipe! I always used to make it with salmon when I was vegetarian, but the last 2+ years I’ve been vegan, so I’ve started making it with tofu and it’s still delicious! My kids (2 and 5) also love it 🙂
This evening I’m attempting it with walnuts because I ran out of pecans. So I’ll let you know how it turns out with walnuts and tofu for it NYE supper!
Thanks for a fantastic recipe! ❤
Laura! DUDE! I am trying this with tofu ASAP! What a fun vegan version and I’m so thrilled you’ve loved the recipe both ways!
OMGoodness! I just made this for dinner and we loved it! My husband loved it so much that he wants to add it to this years Thanksgiving menu!
Thanksgiving status is epic! I’m so over the moon excited that you both enjoyed the recipe – thank you Talea!
Oh my goodness this sounds amazing! Salmon is my favorite fish ever! I love anything cranberry and pecans as well! This recipe was totally designed for me lol! Thanks for sharing! Pinning!
Salmon is my favorite and I’m always looking for new ways to make it. Great recipe!
I’m a huge salmon fan and this sounds great! Yummy!
Yumm I know what I’m doing with my sizzlefish! I’ll skip the bread crumbs but everything else is a YES!
Not only does this sound delicious but it looks amazing! Pinned!
This sounds like a Christmas tree in edible seafood form. I’m down.
I love sweet and savory together, especially with salmon. Yum!
yummmm this sounds amazing