Pesto Salmon is so easy, healthy, and delicious that you will want to enjoy it often.
Some meals beg to be made time and time again, and pesto salmon is one such recipe. Its utter simplicity is astonishing, considering its fantastic taste. Even if we only addressed the presentation it makes, with the vibrant green pesto contrasting the brilliant orange salmon, it is a dish worthy of the most elegant dinner party, yet perfect for a family night at home.
I love salmon. It is such a flavorful and versatile fish. From sushi to smoked lox, baked to poached, broiled to grilled, and so on, it’s perfect on bagels, rice, and salads. You can eat it hot or cold, out of the can, or straight from the sea. No matter how you enjoy it, salmon is as good for you as it is good to eat.
Why Salmon Is Considered So Healthy
When it comes to nutrition, salmon often tops the list of the most nutritious foods you can eat. You find it listed on nearly every type of diet for its key nutrients, such as B vitamins, phosphorus, selenium, and pantothenic acid. While wild salmon provides more nutrients than farmed salmon, both are excellent options.
Now, let’s turn to the discussion of omega-3 fatty acids, which are a leading heart-healthy fat that can support brain health and decrease inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation is a critical factor in many chronic illnesses, which is why salmon provides so many benefits for the body.
Deciding Whether To Use Fresh Or Store-Bought Pesto
Pesto is a versatile sauce that goes equally well with salmon, pasta, veggies, salads, rice, and crusty bread. It is easy to make and requires only a few ingredients, including pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, basil, Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you’re short on time, store-bought pesto is fine for this dish. There are so many excellent brands that you can go for the jar unless you want to make it fresh.
Pea Pesto is another interesting option that also includes some veggies. It uses much of the same ingredients as regular pesto but adds frozen peas. It is so good that you won’t believe you’ve never made it before. It goes great with salmon. You can also make a nut-free version of pesto using sunflower or pumpkin (pepitas) seeds.
How to Make Ahead and Store
One way to make this dish ahead is to prepare your pesto up to 7 days before using it if you want to make it from scratch. Homemade pesto is freezable, and you can put it in ice cube trays and move the frozen pesto cubes to zipper freezer bags for future use.
Serving Suggestions
Pesto salmon is excellent alongside Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms, Roasted Asparagus and Potatoes, or a nice Caprese Pasta Salad. You can mix your leftover salmon into the pasta salad the next day for a delicious cold lunch. I love adding leftover salmon to salads. If you have extra pesto left over, you can make Chicken Pesto Pasta, an utterly delicious dish.
Pesto Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 6 ounces each, skin on
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto on top of each salmon fillet.
- Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
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