Best Matzo-Crusted Salmon with Glazed Radicchio Recipe – How to Make Glazed Salmon and Radicchio

If your weeknight salmon routine feels like it’s stuck in a beige sweater, this is your glow-up. We’re talking crispy matzo crust on top (hello, crunch), a sweet-spicy glaze that doubles as a radicchio whisperer (it sweet-talks the bitterness into behaving), and a finish of walnuts and golden raisins that makes the whole pan taste like it has a “special occasion” calendar invite.

This is a sheet-pan dinner that looks like you tried harder than you did. Everything roasts together. Everything tastes bold. And yesyour kitchen will smell like you know what you’re doing.

Why This Recipe Works (A Quick Flavor Breakdown)

• Matzo = instant crunch. Crushed matzo acts like breadcrumbs, but with a toasty, crackery snap that’s perfect on rich salmon.
• Sweet + heat = glaze magic. Maple syrup, brown sugar, and hot sauce create a shiny, sticky coating that caramelizes fast at high heat.
• Radicchio loves a little drama. Roasting mellows its sharp bite and brings out subtle sweetnessespecially when it’s brushed with glaze.
• Raisins + walnuts = contrast. You get chewy sweetness and nutty crunch, so every forkful is interesting (and not just “fish, again”).

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the salmon

• 4 salmon fillets (about 5–6 ounces each), skin on or off
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 sheet matzo (or about 3/4 cup matzo meal/crumbs)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for the crust)
• Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon for serving

For the glazed radicchio (and the glaze itself)

• 2 medium heads radicchio, cut into wedges (keep the core intact so they don’t fall apart)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons hot sauce (choose your vibe: mild, smoky, or tangy)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for the glaze)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (for the pan)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Ingredient notes (so you don’t get surprised later)

• Hot sauce: This is heat + tang, not “set your mouth on fire.” If your hot sauce is intense, start with 2 tablespoons and taste the glaze.
• Radicchio: Roasting tames bitterness, but it won’t turn into candy. That’s the pointsweet, spicy, and pleasantly bitter is the flavor trifecta.
• Matzo texture: Aim for “fine crumbs,” not powder. Powder can turn pasty instead of crisp.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Matzo-Crusted Salmon with Glazed Radicchio

1) Heat the oven and prep your pan

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil (or parchment) for easy cleanup. If you want extra browning, lightly oil the foil.

2) Make the glaze (it takes 30 seconds)

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup, hot sauce, and olive oil until smooth and glossy. If it looks like a shiny BBQ sauce’s cooler cousin, you’re doing great.

3) Arrange salmon and radicchio

Place salmon fillets on one side of the sheet pan. Place radicchio wedges on the other side, cut-side down if possible (more contact = more caramelization). Brush the glaze over both the salmon and radicchio. Sprinkle the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt (and add black pepper to the salmon).

4) Build the matzo crust

In a food processor, pulse the matzo into fine crumbs. Add chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon olive oil, then pulse a few times to combine. (No food processor? Put matzo in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix with parsley and oil in a bowl.)

5) Press crust onto the salmon

Spoon the matzo mixture over the glazed tops of the salmon fillets and gently press so it adheres. Think “patting a tiny crunchy blanket into place,” not “mashing it into the fish.”

6) Roast

Roast for 12–15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon flakes easily and the radicchio is tender with browned edges. For best food safety, cook fish to 145°F in the thickest part. (A thermometer turns guesswork into confidence.)

7) Finish and serve

Transfer radicchio to a serving plate and sprinkle with golden raisins and chopped walnuts. Plate salmon alongside. Add a squeeze of lemon if you want the whole dish to taste extra awake.

Pro Tips for a Crunchy Matzo Crust (Not a Sad One)

• Dry the salmon. Pat it with paper towels before glazing. Less surface moisture = better crust adhesion and browning.
• Keep crumbs crumbly. If the matzo is powdered, it can go dense. Small crumbs create air pockets and crunch.
• Oil is the crisping agent. That tablespoon of olive oil in the crumbs helps the crust brown instead of drying out.
• Press gently, then leave it alone. Once the crust is on, don’t keep brushing glaze over the top. That’s how you turn crunch into sog.
• Use the top oven rack. If your oven browns unevenly, moving the pan slightly higher can help the crust color up.

Glazed Radicchio 101: How to Make Bitter Taste Like “Interesting”

Radicchio is a chicory, which means it brings a purposeful bitterness to the party. The trick isn’t to erase itit’s to balance it. High-heat roasting does two helpful things:

• Caramelizes natural sugars at the edges, creating sweet, roasty notes.
• Softens texture, so it eats more like a roasted vegetable than a sharp salad leaf.

The glaze handles the rest: sugar + maple deepen sweetness, hot sauce adds tang, and olive oil rounds everything out so the radicchio tastes bold instead of harsh.

If your radicchio is very bitter…

• Use slightly more maple syrup in the glaze (an extra teaspoon or two).
• Make sure wedges are well-coated, especially on cut sides.
• Roast until the edges are deeply brownedundercooked radicchio is where bitterness loves to hide.

Easy Variations (Because Life Happens)

Make it more Passover-friendly

• Use kosher-for-Passover matzo and check your hot sauce and sweeteners for Passover certification if needed.
• Swap parsley for dill or add scallions for a more classic herb profile.

Change the flavor direction

• Smoky-sweet: Use a smoky hot sauce and add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika to the matzo crumbs.
• Citrus-herb: Add lemon zest to the crust and serve with lemon wedges.
• Balsamic twist: Add 1–2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar to the glaze for deeper tang (especially good if you love bold radicchio).

Nut-free or raisin-free

• Swap walnuts for toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
• Swap raisins for chopped dried apricots, dates, or omit entirely and finish with fresh herbs.

What to Serve With Matzo-Crusted Salmon and Radicchio

This dish has richness (salmon), sweetness (glaze/raisins), bitterness (radicchio), and crunch (matzo/walnuts). Pair it with something that’s either starchy and comforting or bright and fresh:

• Roasted baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper
• Simple rice or a lemony rice pilaf
• Green beans or asparagus with a quick squeeze of lemon
• Cucumber salad for a cold, crunchy contrast
• Extra greens (arugula, spinach) tossed lightly with vinaigrette

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

Make-ahead

• Whisk the glaze up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate.
• Pulse the matzo crumbs and chop parsley earlier in the day; store crumbs airtight.

Leftovers

• Store salmon and radicchio in separate containers if possible (radicchio keeps releasing moisture).
• Reheat salmon in a 350°F oven until warmed through to help the crust re-crisp. Microwave reheating works, but the crunch will file a formal complaint.

Troubleshooting (So Dinner Doesn’t Turn into a Group Project)

“My crust fell off!”

• Pat the salmon dry before glazing.
• Press the crumbs gently so they adhere.
• Use fine crumbs, not big shards that slide around.

“My salmon has white stuff on it.”

That’s albumin, a harmless protein that can appear as salmon cooks (especially if it gets a bit hot/overdone). It’s safe to eatjust not the most glamorous. Next time, try slightly shorter cooking time, pat the fish dry, and avoid blasting it longer than needed.

“My radicchio is too dark at the edges.”

Some char is good. If it’s beyond that, cut wedges thicker and ensure they’re well-coated with glaze and oil. Also, keep radicchio on the cooler side of the pan (crowding can cause uneven browning, too).

Recipe Card: Matzo-Crusted Salmon with Glazed Radicchio

Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 12–15 minutes
Total: About 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets (5–6 oz each)
• 2 medium heads radicchio, cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp hot sauce
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided (3 tbsp for glaze, 1 tbsp for crumbs)
• 1 sheet matzo (or ~3/4 cup matzo crumbs)
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• Optional: lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.
2. Whisk brown sugar, maple syrup, hot sauce, and 3 tbsp olive oil until smooth.
3. Arrange salmon and radicchio on the pan. Brush generously with glaze. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Crush matzo into fine crumbs. Mix/pulse with parsley and 1 tbsp olive oil.
5. Press matzo mixture onto the tops of salmon fillets.
6. Roast 12–15 minutes, until salmon is done to your preference and radicchio is tender. For food safety, cook fish to 145°F.
7. Top radicchio with raisins and walnuts. Serve salmon with radicchio and lemon if desired.

of Real-World Kitchen Experience (Minus the Tears)

This dish has a way of turning a normal dinner night into something that feels a little ceremoniallike you should light a candle, even if it’s just the one you keep around for power outages. A lot of home cooks discover the same thing the first time they make it: salmon is basically a blank canvas for big flavors, but it still insists on being treated with respect. If you’ve ever overcooked salmon by two minutes and watched it go from “silky” to “chalky,” you already know it can be dramatic. The matzo crust helps herenot because it magically prevents overcooking, but because it adds a protective layer that encourages you to stop poking the fish every 30 seconds. Once that crust is pressed on, you tend to let the oven do its job. Weirdly therapeutic.

Then there’s radicchioan ingredient that people either love immediately or side-eye like it’s trying too hard. In salad form, it can taste sharp and bossy. Roasted, though? It becomes that friend who’s still blunt, but now also charming. The moment the glaze hits the cut sides and the heat starts caramelizing the edges, radicchio shifts from “bitter” to “complex.” And when you taste it next to sweet salmon and crunchy matzo, it suddenly makes sense why bitter greens show up in so many classic meals: they keep rich foods from feeling heavy. It’s balance, not punishment.

The glaze is the real weeknight MVP. It’s the kind of sauce that feels like a cheat code because it uses pantry staples, but tastes like you reduced something in a tiny saucepan while wearing an apron you definitely own (even if you don’t). The brown sugar brings a deep sweetness, maple adds that cozy note, and hot sauce gives it brightness so it doesn’t turn cloying. A lot of people find their preferred “heat setting” by making it twice: the first time you follow the recipe, the second time you adjust. That’s not failurethat’s your kitchen learning your personality.

And the finishing touchesraisins and walnutsare the kind of detail that makes guests ask, “What’s in this?” even though the answer is basically “stuff you can buy at any grocery store.” The raisins plump slightly from the heat, so they taste juicier and sweeter, while the walnuts add bitterness and crunch that echo the radicchio. It’s a small thing, but it makes each bite feel layered. If you’re cooking for family, this is also one of those meals where the “I don’t like radicchio” person ends up eating it anyway because it’s wearing a glaze and hanging out with walnuts like it belongs there.

Finally, there’s the cleanup satisfaction. One pan. One bowl. Maybe a food processor, maybe a zip-top bag. Either way, you get that rare feeling of making something impressive without turning the sink into a crime scene. That’s not just dinnerthat’s a win.

Conclusion

Matzo-crusted salmon with glazed radicchio is proof that fast can still feel fancy. The crunchy topping adds texture, the glaze brings sweet heat, and the roasted radicchio turns bold and mellow at the same timelike a food personality makeover. Keep the crumbs crumbly, roast hot and fast, and you’ll have a dinner that tastes like it came from a test kitchen, even if it came from a Tuesday.