Baked pesto salmon is a quick and easy dinner idea with loads of flavor. When you need to get something on the table fast, this is the perfect recipe.
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Sometimes I make this recipe with homemade pesto, and sometimes I buy pesto at the store. Either way, it turns out incredible.
If you're a little tired of chicken and ground beef dinners, it's nice to mix things up with some tender, flaky fish alongside roasted veggies and a grain or pasta side like couscous!
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Why It's Perfect For Weeknights
Simple: This recipe is so easy, so straightforward and SO delicious. And it literally requires only two ingredients.
Quick: Salmon bakes super fast! It'll be ready in just 12-15 minutes.
Unique: When you need something "a little different" this recipe really hits the spot. I feel like it's great when you're in a food rut!
Versatile: This protein main will go with almost any side dish. Pasta, grains, bread, rolls, veggies and more.
Leftovers: Repurpose leftovers into a whole new meal. Boil protein pasta, drain, and stir in a heaping spoonful of pesto. Then, flake up your leftover fish and gently stir it into the pesto pasta. Voila! Another easy dinner done. ✅
What You'll Need
- Salmon: I buy 1.5-2 pounds of Atlantic salmon for this recipe and prefer a center cut, though a fillet portion works just fine.
- Pesto: Occasionally I'll make homemade pesto for this recipe. But about 50% of the time I use store-bought. My toddler can't have dairy so I'll either make or buy pesto without cheese.
- Optional garnish: Lemon wedges or parmesan cheese.
Selecting Your Salmon
The seafood section can feel overwhelming with so many different types of fish to choose from. Here are some things to consider:
Farmed or wild-caught: Atlantic, Chinook and King Salmon are farmed and fattier, which helps prevent overcooking to some degree. Wild-caught sockeye salmon is leaner and more mineral rich. Some like lean flavor and some prefer fattier fish. This article gives great info: Wild vs. Farmed Salmon.
Center cut or fillet: I prefer a center cut. They're plump and fairly uniform in thickness (helpful for even cooking). A tail-piece or fillet will work just fine, though. You can even do a whole side of salmon but it'll take longer to cook.
Salmon skin: I prefer skin-on for this recipe. If skinless is truly your preference, that should work fine. Just be sure to really grease your cooking sheet well so the skinless salmon doesn't get stuck.
Fresh or frozen? Either! Just be sure to thaw frozen salmon in the fridge overnight before making this recipe.
How To Make Pesto Salmon
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
Prep salmon:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and coat a large sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut salmon into 4 fillets and arrange them on the baking sheet. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of pesto onto each piece and brush to coat.
Roast salmon:
- Bake salmon 12-15 minutes until it reaches 140°F at the thickest part of the fillet, then pull from the oven. Allow it to rest 10 minutes, carryover cooking will bring it to a final temp of 145°F. *I prefer my fish a little less-cooked and pull it at 135°F, a bit short of the USDA recommendation.*
- If you're a huge pesto lover like me, spoon some more on top! You can also squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over fillets if desired.
Serve & enjoy:
- Serve salmon with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Stacey's Top Tips
- Line your sheet pan with foil for easier cleanup, if desired! I still recommend spraying your foil with some non-stick cooking spray to prevent the salmon skin from sticking.
- Use a food thermometer to easily prevent overcooking and dry fish.
- The USDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temp of 145°F, but many prefer their fish less cooked. I personally pull my salmon out of the oven at 135°F and let it rest so carryover cooking can bring it to a final temp of 140°F.
3 Pesto Salmon Dinner Plates
You can serve pesto salmon with lots of different sides! Here are three curated dinner plates you can try:
Plate one: Pesto salmon, roasted asparagus & yellow rice.
Plate two: Pesto salmon, air fryer sweet potato cubes & creamed corn.
Plate three: Pesto salmon, garden salad & buttered dinner rolls! (Note: there is no shame in a bagged salad kit if you need to save time). ✨
Make Ahead & Storage
Storing leftovers: Place leftover salmon in an airtight container and refrigerate 3-4 days.
Freeze: Leftovers are freezer friendly and will keep for 3+ months. I like to flake my leftover fish, put it in a Ziploc bag and press flat. Then, I thaw and gently stir salmon flakes into cooked pasta or salad along with some extra pesto.
Reheating: The oven is best for reheating salmon, preheat to 250°F and bake around 15 minutes until heated through. Tent salmon with foil add a small splash of water to help preserve moisture. The microwave will work okay, but can lead to dryness.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Atlantic salmon is farm raised and sockeye salmon is wild caught! Sockeye salmon is usually leaner, Atlantic tends to be fattier.
Yes, but it will take a bit longer to cook. Adjust accordingly!
100%! I've used store-bought pesto for this recipe PLENTY of times and it's so good. I do recommend buying a higher quality pesto for best results.
You sure can. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before making this recipe.
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Pesto Salmon
Equipment
- 1 Large sheet pan *mine is 13 x 17"
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salmon *cut into 4 fillets *see note below
- ½ cup pesto *plus extra for serving *see note below
Optional:
- Lemon wedges, parmesan cheese *garnish for serving
Recipe notes:
Salmon: I like to buy Atlantic salmon and generally go for a center cut. A fillet portion is fine too! You can also buy wild-caught sockeye salmon if that's your preference. Pesto: You can make homemade pesto, homemade dairy free pesto, or use store-bought. There are usually vegan options available in stores. I like dairy free for accommodating my toddlers food allergies. Temp: I like my salmon a little less cooked, so I'll pull it out once internal temp reaches 135°F and let carryover cooking bring it to a final temp of 140°F while it rests. The USDA recommends heating salmon to well done, or 145°F, but many prefer fish less cooked.Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Coat a large sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray and line fillets on the pan.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pesto onto each fillet and use a pastry or silicone brush to spread it evenly all of the top and sides of each piece.
- Bake salmon 12-15 minutes until internal temp at the thickest part of the fillet reaches 140℉. Remove from the oven and rest 10 minutes. Carryover cooking will bring salmon to a final internal temp of 145℉. (See recipe notes for info about salmon temperature. I like mine a bit less-cooked and pull it at 135℉, but this is slightly short of the USDA recommendation).
- Dollop some extra pesto on top of your salmon, if desired. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is also delicious! Serve and enjoy.
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