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A whole herb stuffed baked salmon filled with bread crumbs and herbs and tied with kitchen twine.
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5 from 1 vote

Herb-Stuffed Baked Salmon

This easy, healthy herb-stuffed baked salmon is filled with sourdough bread crumbs, fresh herbs, chile flakes, and lemon slices.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 387

Equipment

  • Kitchen string

Ingredients

For the stuffing

  • 2 thick slices sourdough bread, torn into chunks
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • Handful mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano, and thyme leaves, chopped
  • Pinch dried chile flakes

For the baked salmon

  • One (3-to 4-pound) side of wild salmon, skin on, pin bones removed
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for the roasting pan
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch dill
  • 2 large lemons, thinly sliced
US - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).

Make the herb stuffing

  • In a food processor, combine the bread, pine nuts, garlic, mixed fresh herbs, and chile flakes until you end up with coarse bread crumbs.

Prepare the baked salmon

  • Rinse the salmon and pat it dry. Trim the thin ends and sides to create a neat rectangular shape, reserving the scraps to cook for something else, such as pasta or salad. Rub the salmon, both the skin and the fish, with the oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the rectangle in half to create 2 squarish pieces.
  • Place 4 lengths of kitchen string (each about 18 inches) on a work surface perpendicular to you and parallel to one another, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  • Place half the dill sprigs on the strings, placing the dill perpendicular to the strings. Place a square of salmon on the dill, skin-side down. Place a quarter of the lemon slices along the center of the salmon and then press the bread crumb mixture onto the lemon and salmon. Make another row with 1/3 of the remaining lemon slices along the top of the bread crumb mixture. Place the other square of salmon on top, skin-side up, placing the thick end of the top piece over the thin end of the bottom piece so you get a roughly even thickness all over.
  • Cover the salmon with the remaining dill sprigs and tie the strings, securing the salmon squares together. Don't tie the salmon too tightly. You want it just secure enough to hold everything in place.
  • Generously oil a roasting pan just large enough to hold the salmon. Arrange the remaining lemon slices in the pan and place the stuffed salmon on top of them. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes if you like the salmon to be a little rare in the middle. If you don't care for salmon this rare, roast it a little longer.
  • Let the salmon rest for 5 minutes. Transfer it to a platter and cut the strings. Slice the salmon with a sharp knife into fillets—it will fall apart as you do so—and make sure you scoop up ample stuffing and lemon with each fillet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g