Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon - quick and easy salmon with crunchy garlic butter Parmesan crust can be baked in your oven or air fryer. This salmon is flavorful, flaky, buttery and delicious!
This is my favorite salmon recipe, right next to my Baked Teriyaki Salmon. Served with roasted or sauteed vegetables, it makes for a simple, healthy and delicious meal!
This salmon may look fancy but it's ready in 15 minutes (or less) and requires only a few ingredients to make. The combination of a tender, flaky fish with the crunchy, cheesy crust is quite irresistible. This Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon is very simple to make. The garlic Parmesan crust keeps the fish moist and adds crunch and a delicious salty, cheesy flavor, like in my Crispy Parmesan Tilapia recipe. This salmon is great even when you are short on time. It's quick to prepare and bakes in less than 15 minutes, depends if you bake it in the oven or your air fryer.
Instructions:
- Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking).
- Place salmon on prepared baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towel.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs (or Panko), Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. In another bowl, melt butter. Add garlic and stir. Add to breadcrumb mixture. Stir well.
- Season salmon with black pepper (no need for salt since Parmesan is pretty salty already). Divide the crust mixture evenly on top of each salmon piece, gently pressing onto the fish.
- Bake salmon for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven or 7 to 12 minutes in the air fryer, depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Serve immediately with vegetable side dishes.
Cooking time in the oven:
It takes 12 to 15 minutes to bake salmon in the oven. The time depends on the thickness of the fish. Check the dish after 12 minutes (the internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees F) and bake more if needed. Do not overbake or the salmon will be dry. The salmon fillets that you can buy frozen in a bag are usually thinner. I used Atlantic salmon, that was much thicker.
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Cooking time in the air fryer:
It takes 7 to 12 minutes to bake salmon in the air fryer. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil, to prevent sticking. Set temperature to 400 degrees F, let it preheat for 4 minutes. Place salmon with crust, skin side down, in the basket and bake. Check the internal temperature to make sure the fish is done. If you are also roasting a vegetable side dish in the air fryer, you can add the salmon to cook in the same basket, in the last 10 minutes. That way everything will be done at the same time!
Side dishes:
I served this Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon with roasted potatoes and garlic sauteed spinach. It was simple and delicious! You can serve salmon with: roasted broccoli, fluffy rice, mashed cauliflower, sweet potato fries, honey balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts, to name just a few. You can also place the divider in your Air Fryer and roast potatoes on one side and add the salmon halfway through baking. This crispy Salmon is also perfect with homemade Tartar Sauce!
More seafood recipes:
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Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon (oven or air fryer version)
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon I used Atlantic salmon
- ¼ black pepper
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking). If baking in air fryer, spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Place salmon on a prepared baking sheet, skin side down. Pat dry with paper towel.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs (or Panko), Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. In another bowl, melt butter. Add garlic and stir. Add to breadcrumb mixture. Stir well.
- Season salmon with black pepper (no need for salt since Parmesan is pretty salty already). Divide the crust mixture evenly on top of each salmon piece, gently pressing onto the fish.
- Baking in the oven: bake salmon for 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F. Baking in the air fryer: Set temperature to 400 degrees F, let it preheat for 4 minutes. Place salmon with crust, skin side down, in the basket and bake. Check the internal temperature to make sure the fish is done. If you are also roasting a vegetable side dish in the air fryer, you can add the salmon to cook in the same basket, in the last 10 minutes. That way everything will be done at the same time!
- Serve immediately with vegetable side dishes.
Jola says
I recommend this recipe to everyone. It's the best. First, it's quick. Second, it's delicious. Third, the crusted garlic and parmesan topping stole my heart in this dish.
Dawn says
Absolutely delicious. I use this recipe often.
Jo Kidd says
The tip measurement for the pepper is missing.
(i.e., teaspoon, tablespoon, cup etc.).
M says
I wouldn’t follow the air fryer recipe at all. Our tops were almost burnt and the salmon was barely cooked.
Twyla says
Appreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.
John says
Super easy, really easy to make and I will make it again! I might try it with cod ahiahi or some other.
Beth says
Turned out great. Definitely will make it again.
Nichelle says
I just tried this recipe using the air fryer. The taste was great but, I think it would have turned out better in the oven as I had to cook the salmon for about 17 min. total; which made the topping turn out a little too hard for my taste.
Melissa says
The salmon was delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe. We used pork rind crumbs instead of bread crumbs, to keep it keto, and it worked perfectly!
Jan says
My family absolutely LOVED it!!! Thank you for sharing this. I did it with an air fryer and it was so easy and quick to prepare.
Regina says
We recently started low carb eating and found this recipe. I made it in the oven, instead of air fryer and it was delicious! My family really liked it - the recipe is a keeper!
Dillon says
SO GOOD. Thank you for this recipe. I recently got an airfryer for Christmas and the salmon comes out perfect. The crust is so good. I’ve made this twice already in the last week.
Anna says
Awesome! I am so glad the salmon was a success! Thanks, Dillon!
Kimmie says
This recipe turned out perfect! But I used cod instead and just increased the cooking time by a few minutes. Definitely will make again!
Jean says
Did you set it to bake or air fry?
Anna says
Thank you so much, Kimmie!
Karis says
The coating is super delicious and takes like 30 seconds to make. So SO good. Mike had about 1/4 cup leftover of the breadcrumb mixture that would be perfect for a 3rd salmon fillet! I used the leftover from mine in a stuffed mushroom recipe and that tasted awesome too!
Anna says
Wonderful! Thank you so much, Karis!
Lorie K says
This was delicious! Restaurant quality! Recipe is easy to follow and was pretty on the plate. Will be a weekly staple!
Anna says
Thank you so much, Lorie! I am so glad it was a hit!
Jennifer Mountjoy says
This is literally the BEST salmon I have ever had. Whole family loved it! Thank you!!
Anna says
Hi Jennifer! I am so glad the salmon was a hit! Thank you for trying my recipe!
Tara says
My husband and I just ate the salmon with a side of white rise and pan fried broccoli (olive oil, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic, and Parmesan). I had an entire filet of salmon so I doubled the “sauce” and it was absolutely delicious! Cooked it for a total of 16-17 minutes and it was flaky and not overcooked. He is picky with fish, so this will be in my back pocket for a fish dinner! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Anna says
That's wonderful! I am so glad it was a success! Thank you for trying my recipe, Tara!