Mustard-Crusted Salmon with Creamy Lemon Broccoli Spaghetti

This restaurant-worthy crusted salmon is surprisingly easy to pull off. Brush the salmon with mustard, press on the melty Italian cheese blend and crispy fried onions and simply pop it in the oven. When baked, the crust gets golden brown while the salmon stays juicy and tender.

Add a lemony, extra creamy broccoli spaghetti on the side and you are in for a flavor and texture extravaganza. The creamy sauce is made with a cheese roux, cream cheese and garlic herb butter, coating every strand of pasta and tender broccoli florets.

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Ingredients

8 ounce Broccoli FloretsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Crispy Fried OnionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Italian Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce SpaghettiView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce SalmonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Cheese Roux ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Garlic Herb ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Finely crush crispy onions in their package (TIP: Once crushed, crispy onions should resemble breadcrumbs). Roughly chop half the Italian cheese blend. Zest and quarter lemon (for 4 servings, zest one lemon and quarter both).
2. Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 minutes. Add broccoli to pot with pasta and cook until broccoli is bright green and tender and pasta is al dente, 2-4 minutes more. Reserve 1½ cups pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain. (Keep empty pot handy for making sauce.)
3. While pasta cooks, in a small bowl, combine crispy onions and chopped cheese. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season all over with half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt and pepper. Place salmon, skin sides down, on an oiled baking sheet; evenly brush tops with mustard. Mound with crispy onion mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. (No need to coat the undersides.) Roast salmon on top rack until crust is golden and salmon is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
4. Heat empty pot used for pasta over medium heat. Add 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water (1½ cups for 4 servings), cheese roux and remaining garlic powder and whisk until combined. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and whisk in cream cheese until melted and combined, 1 minute.
5. To pot with sauce, add drained spaghetti and broccoli, garlic herb butter, half the lemon zest, remaining Italian cheese blend, 1 TBSP plain butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), a big squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook, stirring, until butter melts and pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, 1 minute. TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired.
6. Divide pasta between bowls. Top with salmon and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side. ***Salmon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°F.***

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of fish?

Yes, you can substitute salmon with another firm fish like cod or halibut. Adjust cooking time as needed.

What can I use instead of crispy fried onions?

You can use panko breadcrumbs mixed with a little melted butter for a similar crunch, but the flavor will be different.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover salmon and pasta separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.