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This flavorful and easy oven baked Pesto Salmon recipe is an extraordinary meal with practically no prep and minimal cleanup! You’ll love this flakey salmon fillet baked with fragrant pesto and ripe tomatoes.
If you’re looking to try other fish dishes, don’t miss my delicious branzino recipe or the ever-popular baked tilapia recipe. Both are so delicious and just as easy to prepare!
You guys already know about my love affair with easy salmon recipes, right? Yes, I am a total sucker for dishes like honey garlic sauce salmon, lemon butter grilled salmon, and air fryer salmon. Cooking salmon with a savory rub, sauce, or glaze is just about the easiest way to get dinner on the table, fast.
Which brings me to my next obsession: pesto. This fresh, vivid green sauce is one of my favorite flavor combinations: basil, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and pine nuts. It somehow manages to be salty, rich, bright, zingy, and mild all at once. but if you’re not into basil, then it’s your time to try my recipe for tomato pesto salmon, or go ahead and make this spinach pesto.
Why I Love This Pesto Salmon Recipe
- Quick and easy. From start to finish, this pesto salmon is ready in 30 minutes! This is the perfect dinner idea for busy weeknights when you want to get dinner on the table fast.
- Nutritious. Salmon is a healthy source of protein and other essential nutrients, according to health.com. Plus, with the veggies and pesto, you’re getting an extra boost of vitamins and flavor.
- Flavorful. Every bite of this pesto salmon recipe is bursting with deliciousness! Between the roasted tomatoes, vibrant pesto, and flakey salmon, this simple dinner idea is extra satisfying.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Another thing to love about this salmon recipe is that it’s a five-ingredient meal. You won’t even need to make a grocery list!
- Salmon: You’ll need one whole salmon fillet, skin included. That’s a large, 2 to 2.5-pound fillet, not an individual portion.
- Salt and Black Pepper: A simple seasoning that will enhance all the flavors of the fish.
- Pesto: Grab some of your favorite basil pesto, homemade or store-bought.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Cut in half. You could also use larger tomatoes, just cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Olive Oil: Extra-virgin has the most flavor, but any olive oil is fine.
- Lemon Wedges: For serving.
How to Make Pesto Salmon
Let’s talk about the process for making this fish in the oven – it’s so low-maintenance, you guys. A whole salmon fillet may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be!
- Prep. To get started with this recipe, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 400˚F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. Then lay the whole fillet skin-side-down on the baking sheet.
- Add Seasonings and Pesto. Next, sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper and pour pesto over it. Use a spoon to spread the pesto over the salmon fillet. Be careful not to dip the spoon into the jar after touching the salmon with it – that can spread bacteria.
- Add Tomatoes. Prepare the tomatoes by tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes around the salmon.
- Bake. Slide the baking sheet into the oven for 25 minutes, or until the salmon is flaky and the internal temperature registers at around 145˚F.
- Enjoy! Take the pan out of the oven and slice the salmon fillet into individual portions. Serve the pesto salmon with the tomatoes and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Recipe Tips
- Frozen or fresh salmon. Frozen fish can often be better than fresh, especially if you don’t have access to seafood caught the same day. Most seafood is frozen before shipping, then thawed for sale or sold frozen.
- Parchment. If you would like to use something other than foil, parchment paper is a great idea. You can also cook directly on your baking sheet – just give the underside of the salmon a light brush with high-heat oil, like vegetable oil. This will help prevent sticking.
- Baking time. To avoid overcooking or undercooking, you may need to adjust the baking time a bit. The easiest way to make sure you get it right is to use a meat thermometer. Check the salmon filet a few minutes early, and if it’s at 145°F, take it out of the oven. If not, keep checking every few minutes until it reaches that point.
- Add more veggies. Feel free to add onions, bell peppers, zucchini, and other tender veggies around the salmon to get a built-in side dish going! These tender veggies will be a healthy addition to your meal. Just toss them with oil, salt, and pepper before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Add a side of air fryer baked potatoes to the pesto baked salmon, with a side of roasted parmesan cauliflower bites for a lighter option. Roasted green beans, peas and bacon risotto, or these sautéed garlic broccolini are all super tasty green veggie sides you can whip up in no time.
For a fresh and vibrant touch, make my fresh zucchini salad, and these parmesan smashed potatoes will be the perfect complement to your meal.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Use leftovers and make a smoked salmon dip or a chopped salmon salad if you like!
To store leftover salmon, cool it down completely and then place it in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in your refrigerator before reheating. To reheat, place in a covered skillet over low heat until warmed through.
More Savory Salmon Recipes
- Salmon Patties
- Salmon Bites
- Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
- Garlic Butter Salmon
- Salmon Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa
- Baked Honey Mustard Salmon
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Oven Baked Pesto Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 to 2½ pounds whole salmon filet, skin-on
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup basil pesto
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the salmon in the center of the foil, skin-side down. Rub the minced garlic evenly all over the fillet and season the salmon with salt and pepper. Spread the pesto all over the top. Set aside.
- In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the tomatoes around the salmon filet.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the salmon is flaky and the internal temperature of the salmon registers at 145˚F. Use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness.
- Remove from oven and let it rest for 4 minutes.
- Cut the salmon into individual-sized filets.
- Serve with the cooked tomatoes and a side of lemon wedges.
Notes
- Salmon options: In this delicious recipe I used a whole salmon fillet, but if you have individual salmon fillets that you’d like to use up, that will also work. For individual sized fillets, you may want to start checking for doneness around the 16-minute mark.
- Cooking Time: Salmon cooks fairly quickly, and in general, most fish are done in under 25 minutes. However, the timing will vary depending on the size and thickness of the fillet(s). To make sure that it’s cooked through, always use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer.
- Tomatoes and Veggies: Feel free to add any other veggies that you like or have on hand. Slices of zucchini, onions, strips of bell peppers, broccoli, and so on are all great options.
- Basil Pesto: I recommend using about 3/4-cup pesto, but if you want to use more or less, that is up to you and totally OK to do.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Made this tonight and my family enjoyed it! It took a little longer, an additional 15mins or so, but the salmon came out just right, flaky and tasty. Saving this recipe for sure! Thank you!
My family would love this! Can’t wait to make this for them on the weekend!
I hope you and your family enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Such a fabulous meal! Can’t wait to make this!
Thank YOU! I hope you love it! 🙂
Perfect weeknight meal! So yummy!
Thank YOU! Please enjoy! 🙂
The pesto adds a really great flavor. So fancy!
What a great ide to use pesto for salmon! Must try it too!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
What a fantastic dinner. So full of flavor and every bite was perfect!
Thank YOU! I’m very happy you loved it! 🙂