Name: Parmesan Crusted Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds salmon (whole. skinless or skin on); 1/2 cup Parmesan grated; 1/4 cup parsley chopped; 3 cloves garlic minced; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; lemon slices for serving; 1 pound asparagus (optional)

Parmesan, salmon, and the smell of garlic roasting in the oven—It’s crave-able, weeknight night achievable, and our new favorite way to get this healthy fish on the menu. Parmesan crusted salmon is here to save your weeknight rut.

And if it’s salmon ideas you’re after—try this pesto salmon, or Asian salmon.

top view of keto parmesan crusted salmon

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Don’t Let the Name Fool You

It sounds fancy, but this is an easy, delicious, throw-it-in-the-oven and bake situation. Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and a little parsley make up the crispy crust.–which locks in the moisture of the salmon and tastes amazing.

This dinner gets even better because you can cook a veggie on the same sheet pan. This makes cooking and cleanup easier. The salmon doesn’t take long to cook, so pairing it with something like asparagus is perfect. It’ll cook alongside and be ready to serve.

This makes a great simple leftover sandwich or breakfast nibble the next day. No need to reheat. Trust me. Enjoy! – Linds x

Is Parmesan Crusted Salmon Keto? Low Carb? Paleo? Gluten Free?

Keto + low carb – Yes! This keto parmesan crusted salmon is made from high fat ingredients that are all low in carbs. Serve it with veggies and you’ll be good to go.
Paleo – No, parmesan is not paleo. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great paleo swap here.
Gluten free – Sure is! Although many recipes call for panko or breadcrumbs mixed in with the parmesan, this particular pamesan crusted salmon recipe does not, and is gluten free.

What’s in This Baked Salmon?

Five simple ingredients and you’ve got a parmesan crusted salmon that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. Everything here is pretty straight forward, here are some questions you may have:

Skin on vs. Skinless salmon – For this particular recipe, I prefer skinless salmon, as the salmon will not crisp on the baking sheet, and therefore adds an odd texture. That said, salmon skin is loaded with nutrients, so use whatever you prefer.
Frozen vs. fresh salmon – You can use frozen and defrosted salmon or fresh. I always use frozen salmon, as I like to stock up at Costco!
Grated vs. shredded parmesan – Grated all the way–it’s the best way to coat the salmon in delicious garlic parmesan topping and will crisp up better than shredded. The only additional suggestion I have is to splurge on quality parm–it’s worth it!
Veggies vs. no veggies – I always add veggies to the sheet pan, because why not? There’s plenty of room and it’s one less thing you need to make to serve dinner!

How to Make Parmesan Crusted Salmon

If you haven’t made many salmon recipes, this is a great one to get started with. A simple crust and an easy bake (no salmon marinade required)–it’s as hands off as cooking salmon gets! Here’s how:

1. Combine the garlic parmesan topping ingredients.

2. Pat salmon dry with paper towels.

top view of keto parmesan crusted salmon ingredients — combine topping ingredients

3. Place salmon on a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper. Bake until cooked through.

4. Remove parchment paper and sprinkle with the topping. Press to adhere and broil until parmesan is golden.

How Long to Bake Salmon

The trick to baking perfect parmesan crusted salmon is to not overbake it–salmon can dry out easily. Many recipes place parchment paper on top of the salmon to help keep the moisture in, however, I find crusted salmon recipes are protected by the topping and don’t need it.

Bake times will vary based on the size of your filet–start with 15 minutes, check, and increase from there. You want your salmon to flake easily in the center, and be dark pink in color. I like to pull my salmon a little easier, as it will continue to cook as it rests.

What to Serve with this Salmon

I typically like to throw some veggies on the sheet pan alongside my parmesan crusted salmon, however, you can always make a side of veggies if you prefer. Since this bakes in the oven, I like to make…

Stovetop greens, like sauteed spinach, or pan fried green beans.
Simple side salads like this fennel salad or arugula salad.
Squeeze more veggies on the pan: potatoes (as I do when making Chilean sea bass), or keep it cheesy with these parmesan brussels sprouts.

closer view of keto parmesan crusted salmon

How to Store + Reheat

Here’s how to make the most out of your leftovers. Psst–leftovers make for a delicious salmon salad!

Store any leftovers in an airtight container–keep in mind that the topping is fragile, so I prefer to put it in a plastic container rather than a resealable bag.
Reheat in the microwave with damp paper towels on top–keep in mind, this will dry out the salmon a tad, but the paper towels will help.
Your baked salmon will be good for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Expert Tips

Not much to it, but here’s how to make this meal perfectly, every time:

Always pat dry the salmon – this will help the coating to stick.
Press to adhere the topping – this will help it to stick as it bakes, so you get that flavor in every bite.
Use all the topping – even if it seems like a lot, this is where all the flavor comes in.
Don’t over-bake the salmon – this will dry it out, and not taste as good.

More Fish Recipes To Try