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This Quinoa Crusted Salmon uses quinoa and breadcrumbs for added texture, flavor and nutrition and pairs beautifully with a side salad. It's packed with flavor and ready in under 20 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight meal!
Recipe features
- Fried salmon that's crispy on the outside but buttery on the inside
- Coated in a mixture of seasoned breadcrumbs (regular or gluten free!) and quinoa for flavor and an excellent texture
- An easy dinner recipe that's ready in under 20 minutes!
Ingredient notes:
Salmon - Boneless, but with skin is preferred. Can use fresh or frozen, just be sure it's thawed beforehand.
Quinoa - White or tri-color, and make sure to rinse it first. We're not cooking the quinoa; if we cook it, it'll become mushy when you fry the salmon, and we don't want that. To rinse: pour quinoa into a fine mesh sieve and run water over it for 10 seconds.
Breadcrumbs - Make sure to use seasoned breadcrumbs, and you can easily sub gluten free breadcrumbs if you prefer
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Separate ingredients into bowls. Whisk the egg in one bowl, and in a separate bowl, combine the quinoa, breadcrumbs, salt, garlic, and parsley. At this time, you should also pat the salmon dry.
Step 2: Coat the salmon. Dip each salmon fillet into the egg mixture, then directly into the quinoa mixture, making sure it's completely coated.
Step 3: Fry the salmon. Place salmon skin-side down into a nonstick skillet with 1-2 tbsp of oil. Place a lid on the skillet and cook the salmon over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, then flip it and cook it for 1-2 more minutes.
Tips and FAQs
- Dry off the salmon: You want to make sure the salmon is mostly dry; otherwise, it'll stick to your cast iron/stainless steel skillet. Just use a paper towel to gently pat it dry.
- Rinse the quinoa: This is key any time you're cooking with quinoa! Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and give it a good rinse before transferring it onto a plate. It's ok if it's still wet--it's going to taste delicious. If you don't rinse the quinoa, it could have a bitter taste to it, and we don't want that.
- Cook times may vary depending on how thick your salmon is, so be sure to keep an eye on it while it's cooking.
Can I use skinless salmon?
In my experience, skinless salmon sticks to the skillet a bit more, but yes, you can use it!
More salmon recipes:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Quinoa Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- 12 oz. salmon fillets two 6 oz. fillets
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs gluten free or regular
- 3 tbsp quinoa uncooked, rinsed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- chives for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk egg in a bowl, and in a separate bowl combine the breadcrumbs, uncooked quinoa, salt, garlic, and parsley.
- Next heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Dip each salmon fillet into the egg mixture, and then directly into the quinoa mixture, making sure both sides are coated.
- Place salmon directly into the skillet skin-side down and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook salmon for 5-6 minutes, then clip and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Top salmon with fresh chives and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in October 2018. It was updated with new photos and text in July 2020.
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