For more baked salmon recipes, head on over to my popular posts for Best Oven Baked Salmon, Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce, and Baked Honey Cilantro Lime Salmon in Foil. Remember that amazing pesto I made that I couldn’t get enough of and wanted to pour over all the things? Well, after I tried it with pasta, chicken sliders (to try them yourself, check out my Creamy Cashew Pesto, and Pesto Mozzarella Chicken Sliders), and burgers (yes, I said burgers. Try it on my Garlic Pesto Turkey Burgers!), I knew that my next stop would be baked salmon. But I didn’t want to just pour the sauce on top of the salmon (although that’s terrific), I was in the mood for a cream-based sauce to go along with the pesto. So that’s how this salmon with pesto was created. The method behind the madness if you will.
Why This Recipe Works
Easy – This recipe is as easy as purchasing the salmon fillet, seasoning, cooking on both sides for a minute, adding the pre-made pesto to the sauce, putting the salmon back in, and popping into the oven for about 15 minutes. That’s it! Healthy – Salmon is one of the healthiest fish out there. Packed full of protein and Omega-3s, this heart-healthy meat choice can really do no wrong, taste-wise, or health-wise! Quick – Do you have 30 minutes? Then you have plenty of time to make this delicious baked salmon with pesto! (Yes, that includes prep + baking time!) Great for Meal Prepping – If you are the type to prep meals throughout the week, I can tell you this baked salmon with pesto is perfect. Get your fillets for the week, bake them up in the sauce and divvy up among your prep containers for lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Here’s How You Make It
You’re just a few steps away from one of the best baked salmon recipes ever.
Ideas for What to Serve with This Recipe
Anything saucy just screams needing carbs to go with it. To me anyway! I almost always serve this baked salmon over rice (white or brown) or egg noodles. Quinoa would work well too, or even cauliflower rice if you’re watching your carb intake. Veggie-wise, I like to bake a vegetable up right next to the salmon if possible. Good recipes include Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Broccoli, and Roasted Asparagus. Be careful though because the veggies will cook more quickly at higher temperatures. Watch it so it doesn’t burn. Salads are an easy side and the best part is you can make them ahead of time and just get them out to serve alongside the salmon. So easy! For a heartier side, try making a pasta salad, couscous, or a rice dish like this Spanish Rice.
Expert Tips
Make it cheesy by adding 1-2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese to the sauce for even more flavor! If you’re not sure if the salmon is done, use a meat thermometer. It should read 145 degrees at the thickest part of the meat when it’s done. If you only have one large salmon fillet, you can skip the searing part and just add the salmon pesto to a baking sheet or larger dish with the sauce into the oven when it’s time to bake. If your salmon comes with skin, you don’t have to battle with it to try to take it off before baking. If you sear it, then bake it, it should slide right off when it’s done cooking. If your salmon comes kind of wet (or you just thawed it), pat it dry with paper towels before adding the olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. This will help the spices stick to the salmon better.
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Did you make this baked salmon recipe? That pesto cream sauce is THE BEST, huh?! Please rate the recipe below!
