I love this simple recipe for Almond-Panko Crusted Walleye. What a delicious and healthy dinner in just 30 minutes!
Sliced almonds and crunchy panko bread crumbs are tossed with chopped thyme for an herb-fresh flavor. A quick pan browning creates a nice golden crust. Then the fillets are oven finished, keeping them flaky and moist. Crusting just one side, keeps the calories and carbs low and makes them easier to prepare.
Hats off to my hubby who suggested walleye for a New Year’s Eve meal. I wanted to prepare something that was both special and simple. This Almond-Panko Crusted Walleye hit that sweet spot perfectly! While walleye is certainly the best option, you can substitute other flaky white fish such as haddock, snapper, cod or sole. I recommend using fillets that are thin to medium thickness, in size.
Almond-Panko Crusted Walleye
Skinning & Portioning Walleye
Wild caught fish like walleye is often sold with skin on one side. This confirms that you’re actually getting walleye. Some butchers will remove the skin for you. If that’s not an option, no worries! It’s a fast and easy process you can tackle yourself with a sharp knife and the right technique. You don’t have to remove the skin, since you’re only crusting one side. But a nice clean fillet is just easier to eat in my book.
I cut my fillets in half because they were larger than 7 ounces. This also made the smaller pieces easier to coat and fry.
Cook in Multiple Batches
I made half of this recipe (about 1 pound of fillets), which I could easily brown in one batch. You may need to brown the fillets in multiple batches when cooking the full recipe. I included instructions in the recipe with this in mind.
Asparagus & Mushrooms with Mustard Butter
I threw together Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms with Mustard Butter as a side dish for the walleye. Use the link above for simple asparagus roasting instructions. Then melt 3 tablespoons of butter and saute 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms. After the mushrooms start to soften, stir in 2 tablespoons of stone ground mustard and salt and pepper to taste, until well combined. Place roasted asparagus on serving platter and top with mushrooms in mustard butter.
Thanks for adding a Star Rating (IN RECIPE) To Let Others Know What You Thought!
Ingredients
Almond-Panko Crust
- 1/2 c. sliced almonds coarsely chopped
- 1/2 c. Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Tbls. fresh thyme
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
Walleye
- 2 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil
- 6-7 oz. walleye pike fillet
- 2 Egg whites, beaten
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- additional sliced almonds, lemon slices and thyme sprig for garnish, if desired.
Instructions
Almond-Panko Crust
- Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.
Walleye
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large saute pan or cast iron pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.
- Season both sides of the fish with the salt and pepper.
- Place beaten egg whites in shallow bowl. Dip only the top side of the fish into the egg white. Then, place the fish on baking sheet or large cutting board, egg white side up.
- Cover the egg white side of each fillet with the almond-panko crust mixture, pressing crust lightly to help it stick.
- Add fish to the hot oil, crust side down. Cook crust side until golden brown (about 5 minutes.) Flip fish over in the pan. Note – If necessary, cook fillets in two batches, placing first batch on a clean plate (crust side up) while second batch browns. Then return all browned fillets to pan.
- Finish fillets in the oven, baking for approximately for 8-10 minutes, or until done (fish flakes easily with a a fork.)
- Once fish is cooked through, remove from oven and serve with a scattering of additional sliced almonds, lemon slices and sprig of thyme, if desired.
Iām getting married on 10/22/22, and my dinner will be buffet-style for approximately 40 people. I want Walleye, but donāt know how to prepare it so it doesnāt dry out. I prefer non-breaded. Any ideas?
I would suggest speaking to a caterer if you’re going that route. Or if you’re preparing this meal, you could try my Fish in Parchnent recipe. It stays very moist and you can vary what you put in the parchment bundles based on your preference.
I adapted this recipe for a buffet banquet at my culinary school. We cooked up 30 lbs. of walleye. It was a big hit. Thanks for this recipe.
Wow! I’m thrilled this recipe was on a buffet at a culinary school. I love the way recipes take on new life with each person who cooks them. šš
I asked Bill how he would rate the walleye and he said a 4 star. I agreed with him. I also fixed the roasted asparagus with the mushrooms and I really enjoyed it. Bill said the asparagus was good and the mushrooms, ok. Thanks for the recipes. Always love them.
So glad you liked the recipes! Getting 4 stars from Bill on a fish recipe is high praise considering heās not that keen on fish. š„°
Looks like a great, simple recipe. I am excited to try it. I will probably use cod.
This looks amazing, I love walleye!