Elevate your salmon fillet to new culinary heights with this delightful pesto salmon recipe, requiring minimal ingredients. Whether you opt for store-bought pesto or craft your own from scratch, this pesto-baked salmon is a flavorful family-friendly meal.
In my view, this salmon dish strikes a perfect balance between impressive and effortless. With its vibrant, eye-catching presentation, it appears as though you’ve spent hours in the kitchen. However, thanks to a clever shortcut with real ingredients, you can whip it up in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect addition to your weeknight menu.
Diverse Approaches to Preparing Pesto Salmon
While this recipe suggests baking the salmon in an ovenproof dish, there are several alternative methods to prepare this delectable pesto salmon:
1. **In Foil:** Cooking salmon in foil is as straightforward as it sounds. Place a salmon fillet on a sheet of aluminum foil, spread pesto on top, and fold or wrap the foil’s edges to create a parcel, enclosing the salmon. You can then either place the parcel on a baking sheet or directly in the oven for 20 minutes until the salmon turns tender and flaky.
2. **In a Pan:** Cooking salmon in a pan is one of the simplest methods. Add your salmon fillet to a skillet over medium-high heat, skin-side down, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the salmon becomes golden and crispy. Once cooked, either top the fillet directly with pesto or gently warm the pesto in the pan before drizzling it over your cooked salmon fillet.
3. **On the Grill:** Place the salmon on the grill, skin side up, cover, and grill for 6-8 minutes or until the salmon lightens in color and can be easily removed from the grill without sticking. Once cooked, remove it from the grill and apply the pesto on top.
4. **Under the Broiler:** For a quick, easy, and crispy salmon fillet, the broiler is an excellent choice. Put your salmon in an oven-safe skillet and place it under the broiler, skin side down, for 4-6 minutes until the top is golden and the center is flaky. If you opt for this method, add your pesto once the salmon is cooked to prevent it from burning.
Regardless of your chosen cooking method, the key to this salmon recipe is exceptional pesto. While you can certainly create your own homemade pesto from scratch, store-bought options work equally well. When selecting pesto, scrutinize the ingredients and opt for one made with olive oil for the best quality.
Whether you decide to craft your own pesto or opt for pre-made, this pesto salmon promises to be a crowd-pleaser. Serve it alongside potatoes and vegetables for a well-rounded, high-protein, high-fiber meal.
Pesto Salmon
This wholesome baked pesto salmon recipe bursts with flavor and is a breeze to prepare. Feel free to choose between store-bought pesto or crafting your own at home.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (4oz)
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons pesto, store-bought or homemade
*Homemade Pesto (Optional)*
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/2 clove of garlic
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- If you are making homemade pesto, prepare it now. In a small food processor or using a pestle and mortar, add garlic, pine nuts, and basil leaves. Blitz until finely chopped. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve a creamy texture (adjust oil quantity as needed). Then, stir in grated parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Combine and adjust seasoning as necessary. Set aside.
- In a medium oven-proof baking dish, add cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle a pinch of salt, and toss until the tomatoes are evenly coated in oil.
- In the same baking dish, place the salmon fillets and carefully cover each fillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons of pesto.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon turns tender and flakes easily.
- You can serve the pesto salmon immediately, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 286 calories
- Sugar: 2 grams
- Fat: 18 grams
- Carbohydrates: 4 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 27 grams
