Potato-Crusted Salmon Fillets
Crispy on the outside with a crust of hearty russet potatoes and fragrant leeks, and perfectly flakey on the inside, these Potato-Crusted Salmon Fillets make an easy weeknight dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.
Hold up — this gourmet meal can be on the table in half an hour or less? Yes. These tasty, potato-crusted salmon fillets are much easier to pull off than the name might have you believe. The technique is so simple, and there is no messy breading or egg wash to deal with. Shredded potatoes (do this even more quickly in a food processor with a grater attachment if you have one) get mixed with leeks, which add a subtle onion flavor. Then, spoonfuls of potato mixture go into in a hot pan to brown and crisp, the salmon fillets get placed right on top, and another spoonful of potatoes tops each piece. No muss, no fuss. And, just like that, dinner is almost ready.
Not bad for a meal that will get oohs and ahs. The potato and leek crust protects the salmon from overcooking. When the potatoes have browned on both sides, the fish will be fully cooked and tender. Pair this recipe with a simple roasted veggie like our Roasted Asparagus and you’ve got a healthy dinner that tastes like it was prepared in a restaurant. Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
- 2 small russet potatoes (about 1 lb.) washed, shredded
- ½ medium leek washed, sliced thin
- ¼ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
- 2 tsp. ground white pepper
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. unsalted butter
- 4 (4-oz) raw salmon fillets skinless
Instructions
Drain potatoes in a colander; pat them as dry as possible with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
Combine potatoes, leek, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well.
Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Place four ⅓ cup mounds of potato mixture in skillet. Press a salmon fillet into each mound. Top evenly with remaining potatoes; cook for 6 to 7 minutes on each side, or until potatoes are nicely browned and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Recipe Notes
- Use only the tender white part of the leek. Reserve the tougher green tops for use in broths.
