For an unforgettable dinner experience, consider our Wild Alaskan Salmon en Croute. Ideal for both casual get-togethers and romantic dinners for two, this dish can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance, allowing you to relax and enjoy your evening. Simply assemble it the night before and bake it when ready—it’s that convenient!
A decadent salmon fillet, split in half and coated with stone ground mustard and a flavorful herb-infused butter. The halves are then reassembled, encased in shortcrust pastry, and baked for approximately 20 minutes.
Find our effortless Shortcrust Pastry Recipe here, along with handy tips to ensure a hassle-free baking experience.
Salmon en Croute is actually a simple recipe to master and has very few ingredients. The French understand that fresh quality ingredients result in excellent dishes with superb flavor.
Although it’s a bit of time hog for prep. Including making pastry crust (easy peasy in a food processor) takes 10 minutes or less and tastes better than frozen! So don’t wimp out, you’ve got this!
There are actually several different approaches to make Salmon en Croute. Some are stuffed with ginger, raisins, and almonds. However, not a fan of raisins here! So we opted for the rich mustard and savory herbed butter version, tweaked from Gordon Ramsay’s version.
A French term pronounced “on KRŌŌT” indicating a food has been wrapped in pastry dough and then baked in the oven.
“En Croûte” is a French culinary term that translates to “in crust” or “in pastry.” It refers to a cooking technique where a food item, typically meat or fish, is wrapped or encased in pastry dough before being baked. This method helps seal in moisture and flavor while creating a crisp and golden crust around the filling.
The egg wash results in a lovely golden pastry crust.
We’ve served up our Salmon en Croute with Hollandaise Sauce, Minted Peas with Lemon, and Roasted Tri-colored baby potatoes.
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How to Make Wild Alaskan Salmon En Croute
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 grams) side of Wild Caught Salmon, skinned
- 2 Tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard
- all-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
Herbed Butter
- 5 Tablespoons (71 grams) butter, unsalted softened
- Handful Parsley, Fresh Curly or Flat
- Handful Basil, Fresh
- Small Handful Dill, Fresh
- 1 lemon, zested
- dash Pink Himalayan Sea Salt or Kosher Sea Salt, finely ground
- dash black pepper, freshly ground
Shortcrust Pastry (Recipe above and Below!)
- 500 grams Shortcrust Pastry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C and line a Sheet Pan with parchment paper.Check the salmon for pin bones, removing any that you find with tweezers, then cut in half lengthwise, so you have 2 sides that you can sandwich back together.
- Mix the softened butter with the parsley, basil, dill, lemon zest, Kosher sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the herb butter over one fillet, and the mustard evenly on the other fillet. Sandwich the two salmon fillets together, in opposite directions so both ends are of an even thickness.
- Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, the thickness of a nickel coin and large enough to enclose the salmon. Put the salmon parcel in the center of the pastry and brush the surrounding pastry with egg. Bring up the edges, trimming off any excess, and tuck them in before folding the rest of the pastry over to form a neat parcel. Carefully turn the whole thing over so that the seam is underneath and place on the parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Lightly score a cross-hatch pattern using the back of a knife. Cover loosely and chill for 15 minutes. Brush the pastry with beaten egg.
- Bake the salmon for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp. To test for doneness, insert a skewer into the middle. It should feel warm for medium cooked salmon. A piping hot skewer indicates that the fish is well done. We shoot for medium doneness with this dish every time.
- Allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into portions using a straight-edged knife. Wiped clean between slicing.
Notes
- Prep time is approximate.
- Salmon en Croute can be prepared a day ahead and then baked the next day.
- Best eaten same day.
Creative Recipe Inspiration
Grab our Shortcrust Pastry Recipe to create a strong yet tender, flaky crust for this Salmon en Croute.
We also serve this dish with Minted Peas and an Easy Hollandaise Sauce.
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Hey there, fellow food enthusiast! Welcome to Mean Green Chef, where every dish tells a story and every recipe is a labor of love. I’m thrilled to share a bit about myself and the journey that led me here, stirring pots and sprinkling spices for over three decades!
Looks delish! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Molly! ?
Your recipes are wonderful! The instructions are always easy to follow and this is one I will be trying very soon! Thank you so much for helping me eat healthier!
Thank you so much, Holly, so glad that you enjoy our recipes and find the instructions easy to follow! ?
Great recipe. I was never a huge salmon fan but over the years since the hubby has learned to cook it right, I have come to love it. I pinned this recipe for later and plan on showing the hubby and see if it is something he would like.
Hey, Nikki, ? we love salmon too, and this is a dish that really takes it up a notch! Really simple to make once you have the prep done too! Thank you so much for checking it out! ?
Oh. my. goodness. This looks AMAZING! I’m way too impatient to make fancy meals like this, but my husband LOVES to cook. So…I’ll be passing this along to him with some heavy hinting tonight. LOL.
Hi Leah! Thanks for sharing this recipe with your husband, it’s actually fast and simple once you have the prep done! The flavor is amazing, really appreciate you checking it out! Don’t forget to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef if your hub makes it! ?
I sure wish I liked salmon because this looks amazing!
Thanks, Shelly! It is an amazing dish. I know salmon is a gamble with some guests, but we’ve had some converts with this recipe! ?
I don’t care for salmon, but this looks amazing! My hubby would love it, too, and would be so impressed if I actually made this, haha.
Hey Jocelyn, thanks so much for checking out our recipe! It’s a great dish and easy to make once the prep is done, so if you ever want to surprise your husband you’ll score some major points! ?
This looks amazing. Pinned for later!
Thank you so much Junell!!?
Looks amazing! I love a mustard sauce with my Salmon!
Mustard sauce rocks with Salmon Tricia! Thanks so much for checking out our recipe! ?
Hi Angela, as always your recipe looks amazing. I love the flakiness of the crust! I’m not a fan of Salmon (or any fish for that matter). I’m wondering if you could substitute it out for chicken….? I guess this is very similar to a Beef Wellington if you substituted meat?
Hi Susan! ? Thank you so much for the amazing compliment ? Yes, you could absolutely sub chicken, just be sure to check for doneness (a breast should easily be done in the 20-25 minute timeframe) I would sear the outside of the breast 2 minutes per side to get a nice brown crust, let it rest and then I’d slice and add the mustard and herbed butter (or just rub the outside with the mustard and spread the herbed butter on one side) then wrap with pastry and bake. If you make them please let me know the results and be sure and tag us too @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef
This looks delicious! Thank you!
Thank you, Nicki! ?
Looks delicious! I love to wrap stuff up in pastry…it always looks much harder than it is!
So true Michele and pastry is so so so easy to make too! Thanks so much for checking out our recipe ?
Looks delish! I’ll be trying it soon, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Lauri! Be sure and tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
Yum! This looks great! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Laura! Please be sure and tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
That looks so fancy and delicious!
Thank you, Kristen!! ?
I am salivating! I can’t wait to try this.
Thanks so much, Brianna! Please be sure and tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
Looks and sounds great! Now I need to find a substitute for the bread portion so I can eat it. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Rosanna! ? Honestly not sure what you could sub for the pastry if you have some ideas I’d love to hear them. Thank you! ?
This looks so fancy and delicious! Your pictures are always so mouthwatering. I am going to make this and totally impress the hubby 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Monica! This will be sure to impress your hubby, it’s super simple to make once you have the prep done. Please be sure and tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
Oh my goodness. This looks AH-MAZING. I love reading all of your recipes
Thank you, Katie! It’s a super special dinner, with amazing flavor. Really appreciate you checking out our recipes! ?
I love salmon! This looks so delicious! Thanks for posting!
Thank you, Mary! We love salmon too, and this recipe really takes it to new levels! Please be sure and tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
I love salmon, and this looks like a wonderful way to prepare it! Thanks!
Thanks, Dennis! This such an easy recipe to prepare too, once you have your prep done it goes together in a snap! ?
Ooh yum I love salmon!
Thanks so much, Tonya! We love salmon too! ?
Salmon is a favorite at our house. Never tried preparing it like this. I look forward to trying the recipe!
Thank you, Kirsten, salmon is a favorite in our kitchen too! Please be sure and tag us when you make it @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
Sounds and looks so good!!!
Thank you, Katie!!?
Oooh, this looks good. I have never had salmon this way. Going to have to give it a try.
Thank you, T.M! If you love salmon, I know you’ll love this recipe! Please be sure and tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef ?
This looks amazing! I love salmon and I love learning new ways to cook with it.
Thanks so much, Erika! Salmon is a fave here for sure too 🙂
There is a Friends episode where Monica says she’s cooking Salmon En Croute for Rachel’s fancy dinner date. I never knew what that meant until now, and now I know I’ve been missing out. Looks delicious!
Lol, Amy, glad we were able to clarify what Salmon en Croute is, it’s super delish and surprisingly easy to make too! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this out! We’re always looking for delicious salmon recipes- as it’s one of our fave fish.
If you love salmon, you’ll really adore this dish, Tamara! it’s even a great company dish because you can assemble it ahead of time! 🙂
This looks wonderful! I love salmon and anything covered in pastry is a win in my book!
Agreed, Morgan! Anything wrapped in pastry is a winner here too, and our shortcrust pastry is so easy and so freaking delicious too! Thanks so much for checking it out 🙂
Another recipe that I must try making at home. My diet is mostly seafood and salmon is one of them!😋 Thanks for sharing this recipe!❤️
Thanks so much, Winds of Jane! Seafood is a lovely way to dine and this is such a tasty way to go for a special occasion 🙂 We really appreciate you being such a loyal reader and fan you always make my day when you stop by to visit! Thank you!❤️❤️❤️
Absolutely delicious great idea to double up the salmon! Looks stunning and great choice of sides!
Yes, it’s a nice way to create this Salmon en’ Croute, Kay. Thanks so much for visiting! 🙂
I have got to try this! Pinning 😀 I want to try making full puff pastry (already made rough puff) and this would be the perfect way to use it.
Yes and this is super easy to make too, Colleen! Be sure to let us know how it turns out 🙂