Cornmeal-crusted salmon is a perfect quick weeknight meal. The cornmeal gives a subtle sweet taste to the fish with a crisp coating.
Jump to RecipeSalmon has been one of our go-to meals lately on nights the boys aren’t home. They aren’t fans of seafood yet, but I wasn’t at their age, either. Salmon is great because we keep it in the freezer and it only takes a few minutes to thaw enough to work with.
That also means, though, that I have to come up with new recipes for salmon. Justin and I like to try new things and have a variety in our meals. We’ve done breaded fish before in a few different ways, including a fried tilapia sandwich and sheet pan baked tilapia. Those have always included breadcrumbs, though, and I wanted something new.
We had cornmeal in the pantry since I recently used it to make a dairy-free substitute for breadcrumbs. I also used almond milk and plant-based butter to eliminate as much dairy as possible. I try to eat as little dairy as I can, so the parmesan cheese was the only real dairy when we first made cornmeal-crusted salmon here. that being said, it does work just as well with whole milk and dairy butter, too.

Cornmeal-Crusted Salmon Step by Step
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tbsp pepper
- 2 fillets salmon, skin-on
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter, melted

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.

Dip each piece of salmon into the milk then coat with the cornmeal mixture, pressing to make sure it sticks well.

Place salmon skin-side down in an 8×8 baking dish and pour the melted butter over the salmon.

Bake for about 5-8 minutes, until the salmon is flaky. Serve immediately.

Cornmeal-Crusted Salmon Leftovers
Store any leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I would only leave it for up to one day. It makes a great lunch the following day if needed. Reheat in the oven or in a skillet until just warmed through.
What to Serve with Cornmeal-Crusted Salmon
There are a variety of options to serve with cornmeal-crusted salmon. Since we wanted to keep it a light meal, we heated a package of frozen steamer vegetables. It would also be good with cornbread or corn muffins to continue the cornmeal flavor. You could also try some steamed rice with the salmon.

Recipe
Originally Published On: March 28, 2022

Cornmeal-Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tbsp pepper
- 2 fillets salmon (skin-on)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter (melted)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, parmesan cheese, and seasonings
- Dip each piece of salmon into the milk then coat with the cornmeal mixture, pressing to make sure it sticks well
- Place salmon skin-side down in an 8×8 baking dish and pour the melted butter over the salmon
- Bake about 5-8 minutes, until the salmon is flaky
- Serve immediately
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Other Fish Recipes to try
- Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
- Fried Tilapia Sandwich
- Sheet Pan Baked Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables
- Lemon Rosemary Tilapia
- Dijon-Herb Tilapia
- Tilapia with Pinot Noir Sauce
- Coconut-Turmeric Tilapia and Rice
- Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Swai Fish with Orzo
- Cornmeal-Crusted Salmon
- Sheet Pan Salmon with Smashed Potatoes
- Orange-Ginger Salmon with Toasted Snow Peas
- Salmon Cakes with Buttermilk Sauce
- Super Simple Cilantro and Lime Fish Dinner
- Avocado Fish Tacos
- Fish Cakes with Dipping Sauce
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Sesame Salmon
- Salmon with a Bold Soy-Molasses Glaze over Rice and Vegetables
YUM! This looks delicious and easy enough to make. I am a fan of salmon when it’s cooked right. I think I would like this. Thank you!
You gave so much detailing here other than main recipe. Appreciate it. Would try my hands at it.
I love trying new salmon recipes. This one looks like something my family would enjoy!
Oh my gosh, that looks amazing! I’ve never seen cornmeal used as a breading quite like this before. I can’t wait to try it.
I am *SO* intimidated by Salmon, but I think this is such a fun recipe to try! I also love cornmeal, so this is like a perfect combination of sweet and healthy!
What a unique recipe. Great dish idea for those celebrating Passover weekend.
I absolutely love salmon! I normally eat it at least once a week or every other week. I am definitely trying this recipe!
Seafood is one of the few types of food that I do not like. But this recipe could almost make me change my mind.
Looks amazing. I’ll definitely give this a go as I love Salmon. Do you think it could work with other fish? Thanks.
I love salmon, and looks absolutely yummy. I would love to try out for my family as well.
Nnnniiiiccceeeee….that salmon turned out so beautifully! I so badly want to try it.
Cornmeal and fish sounds like a really good combination, both as far as flavor and for texture as well. I haven’t cooked fish in a while and it sounds like an easy dinner idea.
That salmon dish is looking absolutely delicious! I’d love to try making this sometime soon.
This looks so good and loves what you added to it. I’m going to prepare to try this. Thank you for sharing!
I love salmon. This looks so fancy and yum.
This sounds like a great combo; the crispy cornmeal coating seems like just the right addition. And such an easy recipe. Good to get the health benefits of salmon as well!
Definitely forwarding this recipe to my sister who always loves Salmon. I don’t think she’s tried this recipe before. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never tried making salmon at home, but this looks like the perfect recipe. I need to try it!
Oh wow, that is different. I have such huge salmon lovers in the family (all of the kids who are grown). The only one who doesn’t care for it (yet) is the teen. 🙂 It’s nice to come across a different way to make it.
I always people who can enjoy Salmon because there are so many dishes like these that I would love to enjoy but can’t. I some how never developed a taste for it. Would share this with my husband, he would love to try this recipe for himself.
That looks really delish, parmesan does me in!!! Yummm!
I’m surprised you know “tilapia,” haha. I’ve always thought it was just around here that we call that fish that.
This looks very delicious. If I want a hearty meal, I would love to pair it with steamed rice, or mashed potatoes. I love salmon!
Oh this sounds like a great way to get a crisp on it! I am for sure adding this to our upcoming meals!
We love to eat salmon, especially on special days. Will definitely try this recipe!
Very interesting take on the traditional salmon! I can’t say I’ve ever seen salmon breaded with cornmeal!
Wow this recipe looks so good and delicious. My hubby would definitely love this! Yummmm
This looks like a good dish for me. I love any meal with salmon. Thanks for sharing the recipe!