Broiled Herb-Crusted Salmon

Watch Chef John make a simple and delicious broiled herb-crusted salmon. See more

READY IN 25 mins

Chef John's Salmon

Read Reviews (21)

"I love the combination of tarragon and Italian parsley, but I've used herbs like basil and thyme, which worked wonderfully as well. As far as the fish goes, a center-cut salmon filet is a perfect thickness for this, but other similarly shaped seafood will work." — Chef John

Directions

Season salmon fillets with kosher salt. Line a baking baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with vegetable oil.
Preheat oven's broiler on high and set the oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source.
Process garlic, tarragon, and parsley in a blender or mortar and pestle to form a loose paste.
Mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper into garlic paste until combined.
Place salmon fillets skin side down on the baking sheet. Spoon herb spread over the top and sides of each fillet.
Cook under the preheated broiler until fillets are well-browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the broiler off and turn the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake until the internal temperature of the salmon is 130 degrees F (55 degrees C) and salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 15 mins
READY IN 25 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Aug 07, 2012

This salmon is delicious! I used a wild salmon filet and was worried that the topping would overwhelm the natural salmon goodness, but it only added to it. I minced the garlic and mixed with the other ingredients (no food processesor necessary, imo). I subbed fresh thyme for tarragon, as I did not have any fresh tarragon. I think fresh dill would be great, too. I ended up baking at 400 for abut ten minutes, according to a similar recipe, and it worked out fine, although, I will broil next time for the added browning effect of the topping. I would definitely try this technique with other fish, too.

—ChiefButtons

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 23, 2012

My family has been trying a lot of different salmon recipes recently - and liking them - but unfortunately, this was a thumbs down from all. We just didn't care for the flavor combo. The texture of the fish was perfect, though.

—Mama Cass

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24 Ratings

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Jul 18, 2012

Excellent! I ended up using thyme instead of tarragon as I didn't have any. It was so good! I rarely have seconds of salmon, even when I cook it, but I totally had seconds of this! My husband and houseguest also loved it. Truly delicious!

—Lilmerch

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Jul 13, 2012

an excellent, yet simple, recipe. My kids (2, 4, and 6) ate it very well. I used basil and thyme for the herbs because that's what I had growing outside

—laurajfrog

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Jul 06, 2012

As a novice cook, this dish seemed like it would be a challenge, but it was pretty easy to put together. Our salmon steak was quite a bit thicker than the 8 oz, so we more than doubled the cooking time before the fish was flaking. As far as taste, both our picky 4 YO and our autistic 8 YO loved it, eating more than an adult serving each. We combined it with a spinach salad with vinegar and olive oil dressing, along with some left over potato salad. I accompanied my dinner with some merlot that our neighbor had to get rid of before it went bad. Over all, a "perfecto" dinner, as my daughter put it.

—Wahiawa Mike

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Nov 29, 2012

This was absolutely delicious! I do not like the taste of mayo, so used non fat plain greek yogurt instead. Very tangy and full of flavor. My whole family loved it and deemed the recipe " a keeper"! Will make many times.....

—ANNRUESCH

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Jul 22, 2012

it is very good :)

—otaceci

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Jul 19, 2012

This recipe is simple and fantastic! I loved using a mortar and pestle, too. I will start doing this more often with more herbs. I do believe the mortar and pestle help extract bold flavors. I recommend this recipe to both the seasoned and novice cook! Your taste buds will thank you!!!!

—kunruh65

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Nutrition

Calories
496 kcal
25%

Carbohydrates
2.3 g
< 1%

Cholesterol
132 mg
44%

Fat
33 g
51%

Fiber
0.1 g
< 1%

Protein
45.1 g
90%

Sodium
520 mg
21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Chef John's Salmon

Serving Size: 1/2 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 496
Calories from Fat: 297

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 33g 51 %
** Saturated Fat 5g 25 %
** Cholesterol 132mg 44 %
Sodium 520mg 21 %
** Potassium 1140mg 32 %
Total Carbohydrates 2.3g < 1 %
** Dietary Fiber 0.1g < 1 %
Protein 45.1g 90 %
** Sugars 0.3g
** Vitamin A 7 %
** Vitamin C 7 %
** Calcium 5 %
** Iron 20 %
** Thiamin 49 %
** Niacin 201 %
** Vitamin B6 113 %
** Magnesium 24 %
** Folate 31 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.