Pistachio Crusted Fish

Baking fish fillets with a flavorful topping is one of my favorite, quick-and-easy ways to prepare a busy day entrée. Easy enough for everyday while elegant enough for entertaining – perfect! And, the variety of topping flavors are endless; I have favorite recipes that include breadcrumbs, garlic, mayonnaise, capers – and for this crusted fish dish, the topping’s main ingredients are chopped pistachios and brown sugar.

Ingredients for Pistachio Fish

You only need 6 ingredients to make this moist and flaky fish:

• Sea bass fillets – can also use other, mild white fish including cod, grouper, haddock or even halibut
• Salted, dry roasted pistachio nuts – can substitute almonds, pecans or walnuts
• Light brown sugar
• Fresh lemon juice – can use lime juice instead
• Fresh dill – can substitute dried
• Freshly ground black pepper

What’s the best fish to make pistachio crusted?

With this pistachio crust topping, I like to use sea bass – a mild, slightly sweet fish that tends to be moist, buttery and tender when cooked. I prefer striped, black or Barramundi varieties. Chilean sea bass, while popular, is actually not a sea bass; it’s a clever rebranding of Patagonian Toothfish. It’s also tasty, but keep in mind it’s higher in mercury.

You can also use other, mild white fish including grouper, cod, haddock or even halibut. This pistachio crust is also delicious on salmon, too!

Substitutions for Pistachio Crust

You can easily substitute almonds, pecans or walnuts for the pistachios.

How to make Pistachio Crusted Fish

This flavorful cod only takes 5 minutes to prep and 1012 minutes to cook. Here’s all you have to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Place sea bass fillets in prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine the nuts, sugar, lemon juice, dill and pepper. Spoon the mixture evenly over each fillet, pressing down to adhere.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes per 1-inch of thickness of the fillet, or until fish reaches 140 to 145 degrees when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
4. Remove fish from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Storing and Reheating Pistachio Crusted Grouper or Other Fish

Store any leftover cooked fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, place in a preheated 325 degree oven for around 15 to 20 minutes. You can cover it lightly to keep the fish from drying out, but the crust may become soggy.