Baked Salmon with Cider Mustard Sauce

Fresh salmon is topped with a savory crumble made of walnuts, garlic, and dill in this easy recipe. It’s baked until golden, then served over a rich sauce sweetened with apple cider. This filling salmon dinner comes together in only a few minutes making it ideal for a busy weeknight. Pair it with a mixed salad or a side of steamed broccoli.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time:  20 minutes

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the walnuts, garlic, and dill in a small food processor or blender. Pulse until all ingredients are very finely chopped. Alternatively, you can chop all ingredients very fine by hand on a cutting board.

Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, salt, dried mustard and black pepper.

Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a non-stick baking sheet. Divide the walnut topping into four portions and top the fillets. Press the topping into each fillet covering the tops in a thick layer.

Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the topping is browned and the salmon is firm and baked through.

While the salmon bakes, make the sauce. Melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk it into a paste.

Once the paste is bubbling, reduce the heat to medium. Slowly pour in the apple juice, whisking vigorously as you pour. Continue with adding the chicken stock. Keep whisking to break up any clumps.

Return the heat to medium-high and continue to whisk the sauce as it comes to a full boil. Whisk often as it boils for about 5 minutes and reduces by about half into a thick sauce.

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the dried mustard, salt, and pepper.

To serve, spoon some sauce onto a serving plate. Then place the baked salmon fillet over the sauce. You can slide the salmon fillets away from the salmon skin, if desired, as you transfer them from the baking sheet. Repeat for each portion.