Toasted Nut Crusted Halibut

There’s something special about a perfectly cooked piece of halibut—tender, flaky, and mild enough to let every delicious topping shine.

This Toasted Nut-Crusted Halibut takes a simple fish dinner and turns it into something truly special with a golden, crunchy coating made from toasted pecans, pistachios, and panko breadcrumbs.

A little Dijon, lemon, and honey underneath the crust adds just the right balance of savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor.

The best part? This impressive seafood dinner is surprisingly easy to make. The nuts are toasted first to bring out their rich, buttery flavor, then combined with the crispy breadcrumb mixture and baked right onto the halibut.

As it cooks, the topping becomes golden and crunchy while the fish stays tender and moist underneath.

Whether you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner, a special meal for guests, or simply a new way to enjoy halibut, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor without a lot of fuss.

Serve it with a squeeze of fresh lemon and your favorite vegetables, rice, or a simple salad, and you've got a beautiful meal everyone will want again.

Why You Will Love This Toasted Nut-Crusted Halibut

• Restaurant-quality without the restaurant price.
• The combination of tender halibut and a golden toasted nut crust makes this feel like a special occasion dinner, but it’s easy enough for a weeknight.
• A delicious, crunchy topping. Toasted pecans, pistachios, and panko create a wonderfully crisp crust with plenty of buttery, nutty flavor in every bite.
• The halibut stays moist and tender. The flavorful Dijon, mayonnaise, lemon, and honey mixture helps protect the fish while adding another layer of flavor.
• Quick and easy to prepare. With just a little prep and about 15 minutes in the oven, dinner can be on the table without a lot of work.
• Simple ingredients, big flavor. You don't need a long list of complicated ingredients to make delicious halibut. A few pantry staples and fresh ingredients do all the work.
• Perfect for entertaining. This dish looks beautiful when served, making it an excellent choice when you're having family or friends over for dinner.
• Easy to customize. Use your favorite combination of nuts, add fresh herbs, or adjust the seasonings to make the crust your own. A great way to enjoy seafood. 
• If you're looking for a flavorful alternative to plain baked fish, this crunchy nut crust takes halibut to an entirely new level.

Other Substitutions 

• smoked salmon
• Mahi-mahi
• haddock
• crab meat or lobster
• chicken breast boneless, cubed
• boneless pork tenderloin
• cubed boneless steak
• a medley of surf and turf

Tips For Making Nut Coated Halibut

1. Toast the nuts first. This makes a huge difference in flavor and keeps the crust from tasting raw.
2. Pat the halibut dry. Moisture is the enemy of a crisp crust. Don't pulverize the nuts. You want small pieces that provide texture.
3. Use panko rather than regular breadcrumbs for a lighter, crunchier coating.
4. Don't overbake halibut. It is a lean fish and can quickly become dry.
5. For an extra-crisp topping, place the fish under the broiler for 30–60 seconds at the end.
6. Watch it carefully because nuts can burn quickly. A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving balances the richness of the nuts beautifully.

More Recipes We Love

Italian Christmas Eve Seafood Recipes
Best Fried Fish Recipe Coatings
Stuffed Flounder with Shrimp and Crab

Pin for later

Easy But Elegant Seafood

This is a super-easy meal and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

This sauce is great for chicken, and even other kinds of seafood you prefer, and use any kind of nuts; we just love macadamia nuts or pistachios as an alternative.

The coating is even great for small bite-sized pieces instead of a whole piece of fish for appetizers when entertaining.

The buttery sauce is great on any meat, so give this a try with our many suggestions on anything your family prefers.

baked fish, halibut recipes, nut crusted fish, nut crusted holibut

seafood recipes, halibut recipes, baked fish

French, Italian, Asian

Yield: 4

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Baked Nut Crusted Halibut

This is an easy-baked nut-crusted Halibut bursting with flavor and with a nice crunchy topping in a buttery sauce.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients

• 4 halibut fillets
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, pistachios, macadamia nut or another nut you prefer.
• Note: you can also use a combination of nuts
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized skillet, toast the pecans and pistachios for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, do not brown.
2. Cool the nuts and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Mix the toasted nuts, panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir in the melted butter and olive oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Whisk the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and honey in a bowl.
7. Blot dry the halibut with paper towels
8. Place the halibut on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Spread a thin layer of the Dijon mixture over the top of each fillet.
10. Press the toasted nut mixture firmly over the mustard coating, creating an even crust.
11. Bake for approximately 12–15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
12. The halibut should flake easily with a fork and reach 145°F in the center.
13. Finish and serve.
14. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Notes

Tips

1. Toast the nuts first. This makes a huge difference in flavor and keeps the crust from tasting raw.
2. Pat the halibut dry. Moisture is the enemy of a crisp crust. Don't pulverize the nuts. You want small pieces that provide texture.
3. Use panko rather than regular breadcrumbs for a lighter, crunchier coating.
4. Don't overbake halibut. It is a lean fish and can quickly become dry.
5. For an extra-crisp topping, place the fish under the broiler for 30–60 seconds at the end.
6. Watch it carefully because nuts can burn quickly. A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving balances the richness of the nuts beautifully.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

721

Fat (grams)

38 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

8 g

Carbs (grams)

13 g

Fiber (grams)

4 g

Net carbs

9 g

Sugar (grams)

3 g

Protein (grams)

81 g

Sodium (milligrams)

818 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

219 mg

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Similar Recipes

Best Fish Fry Recipes

Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Sauce

Baked Fish with Roasted Vegetables

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2011/08/baked-halibut-cashew-crusted.html

These are all copyright-protected images and content. Do not reprint/reuse this recipe or its images without my written permission.

Pin for later

Other Side Dish Suggestions

1. twice-baked potatoes
2. black beans
3. sauteed spinach or other greens
4. cooked pasta fettuccini or broccoli aioli
5. garlic mashed potatoes
6. french fries