This salmon recipe is one of my most requested recipes, so I had to share it with you. It’s perfect for those busy nights when you feel overwhelmed and want to cook something simple and satisfying. It’s during these times that I rely on my go to meals like this simple baked mustard salmon.  

Baked salmon with dijon mustard, broccoli, and couscous in a large white china bowl.

Life can get so hectic. I like to keep a supply of items I need to make my go-to meals . You know those nights!  You have to be at work late, and everyone else in the house has some sort of lesson or practice they have to get to soon or everyone is extra tired and needs to get to bed.

Expert Tips from Two Registered Dietitians

  • Anna and I both find ourselves reminding our clients that meals don’t have to be involved or perfect to be nourishing. So often, people feel they have to cook something involved for it to “count” or for a meal to be “real.” Simple meals, including count!
  • If you have a picky eater in the house and you’re worried they won’t like the salmon, serve it family style and let them serve themselves. And as hard as it is not to encourage your picky eater to try the food, remaining neutral decreases the pressure to try new foods.
  • If you have a picky eater, remember to keep offering. Seeing new foods counts as exposure. And if it makes you feel better, it took my picky eaters quite a while to decide to try the salmon. I like to think of this as one of those salmon recipes for picky eaters.

Why you’ll love Baked Salmon with Dijon Mustard

  • It only takes about 20 minutes to make. I buy frozen salmon from Whole Foods. It takes about 15 minutes to thaw under cold running water.  
  • It’s a one of those salmon recipes for kids because the mustard can easily be removed from the top of the salmon in case anyone doesn’t like mustard.

Steps to Make Dijon Salmon

Salt and pepper each piece of salmon.  Brush 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard on each piece of fish.  If you are worried about it being too mustardy, start with 1 teaspoon per fillet.  We love mustard in our family, so I always use at least 2 teaspoons.  A few minutes into cooking the salmon, place the broccoli into the boiling, salted water.  Don’t forget to put a lid on the pan, or your whole house will smell like wet broccoli!

Salmon fillets brushed with Dijon mustard.

Check the salmon after 10 minutes.  I check for doneness by inserting a paring knife into the center of the fish. Remove the salmon from the oven when it looks done.  You can also test it with an instant-read thermometer (145 F) if you don’t want one of your pieces of fish to look gouged.

Four pieces of baked salmon with dijon mustard. One of the pieces is being checked for doneness by cutting into the salmon fillet with a small knife.

After you take the salmon out of the oven, add 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar to the couscous and fluff/stir with a fork again.  Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place it in the microwave, and heat it for 30 seconds to one minute on high.

And now you have dinner in 30 minutes.

Baked salmon with dijon mustard, broccoli, and couscous in a large white china bowl.

What to serve with dijon mustard salmon

Broccoli

While the salmon is thawing and the oven is preheating to 425 F,  you can cut the broccoli, boil water for it and gather together the ingredients for the couscous.  Fill a medium pot with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring the water to boil for the broccoli.  

Go to meal; mustard salmon with broccoli and cous cous

Cous Cous

Measure 1 cup dry couscous into a heat-proof bowl.  Add 1 tsp. salt and 1 Tbs. of olive oil.  Stir with a fork.  Then add 1 cup of just boiled water and stir with a fork again.  Cover the bowl and set a timer for 5 minutes.

Couscous, olive oil and salt in a clear glass bowl sitting on a well used half sheet pan.

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Baked salmon with dijon mustard, broccoli, and couscous in a large white china bowl.

Dijon Mustard Salmon

Dijon Mustard Salmon
Elizabeth Davenport
A simple weeknight dish: salmon fillets brushed with Dijon mustard.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 ounce salmon fillets thaw if frozen
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 425 F.  Place 4 frozen salmon filets still in their plastic wrap in a large bowl under cold running water.
  • Cover a half sheet pan or broiler pan with aluminum foil and place the salmon fillets on the foil.  You don’t need to oil the foil because you want the skin to stick for easy clean up.  If you like to eat the skin, then oil the foil.
  • Sprinkle each piece of salmon with salt and pepper.
  • Mix the together the dijon mustard and olive oil.
  • Spread about a teaspoon of the mustard/olive oil mixture on each piece of salmon.
  • Place the pan on the middle rack of your oven.
  • Cook the salmon for 10-15 minutes.  Check for doneness after 10 minutes by inserting a knife into the center of the salmon and if it separates easily and is opaque, it’s done.  Alternately, you can insert an instant read thermometer and cook the salmon to 145 F.
  • Using a metal spatula, lift the salmon off the skin.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Two females standing at a kitchen counter making a salad.

We’re Elizabeth & Anna!

It’s great to have you here. We’re registered dietitians and we share tips to support you in raising kids with a healthy relationship with food.

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I picked up this recipe from Elizabeth many years ago. It has become one of my go to recipes as well! Delicious and simple. Both of my kids request salmon prepared this way. I will try to your cous cous method next time. Love the prep/ cook time breakdown on this meal.

5 from 1 vote

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