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This Baked Pesto Salmon recipe is made with just four ingredients and takes 20 minutes. The oven-baked salmon filets are moist, wholesome, and so flavorful! Makes for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner that even the kids will love.
I love quick and simple dinners especially when I am not sure what I want to make the kids and just not in the mood. Then comes this baked salmon dish that you can make with only a handful of ingredients. This salmon dish is made with a flavorful homemade pesto sauce or you can use store-bought and fresh cherry tomatoes. With only 4 ingredients, it comes together in just 20 minutes. It’s a stress-free dinner for a busy weeknight, but it is also perfect for serving to guests.
I love serving it with garlic-roasted vegetables and Lemon Ricotta Pasta.
Recipe Overview
Before you get started
Here are some tips before you get started for the easiest and perfect salmon dinner.
- Salmon: Use fresh, high-quality fish. You can also substitute any other fish of your choice. If you prefer to use skinless salmon filets, that’s fine. Also, I recommend you use the salmon filet sizes so they cook evenly.
- Pesto sauce: Most times, I make my own pesto sauce at home. Costco has a great option if you want to save time, or you can substitute with any store-bought pesto of your choice.
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. You can use any variety, including yellow, orange, or heirloom cherry tomatoes.
- Careful not to overcook. Salmon is moist and flaky when not overbaked. Cook the salmon to 140-145°F (it will continue cooking slightly in the hot pan).
Common Questions
Yes, make some extra for the week. Store in a container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat for lunches or serve on salads, quinoa bowls, or pasta.
Place leftovers in a container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. You can also wrap it gently and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until warmed through.
The recommendation from the FDA is to cook the salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F. To measure this temperature, insert a food thermometer in the thickest part of the salmon filet until it reads 140-145 °F. It will continue cooking slightly in the hot pan after removing it from the oven.
I highly recommend keeping the skin of the salmon down on the dish because it provides an extra layer of safety between the flesh and the hot pan. Lay the skin side down in this recipe. You do not need to flip your salmon when baking.
Yes. If you have frozen skinless salmon filets, you can use them. Allow the salmon filets to thaw overnight in the fridge.
A couple of great options I like are cod and tilapia. But any fish you have on hand would be fine.
Ingredients needed
Below is a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
How to make baked pesto salmon
Here is a step-by-step rundown of how to make this dish. You can also find this in the recipe card.
- Preheat. First, preheat the oven to 425°F.
1️⃣ Season the salmon filets
Sprinkle the salmon fillets with some salt and pepper. Lay the fish, skin-side-down, in a baking dish, large enough to fit the salmon and tomatoes.
✏️ Do not overseason the salmon, and try to use the same size salmon filets. I like to keep it simple with salt and pepper only because pesto is already so flavorful. But if you want to sprinkle some onion powder or garlic powder, go right ahead.
2️⃣ Add Pesto sauce and transfer to the dish
Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the pesto sauce over the fish, evenly covering the fillets. Then add cherry tomatoes to the sides of the fish.
✏️ I sometimes like to slice the tomatoes in half so they cook fast, along with the salmon. You can also throw in some other veggies like broccoli florets and sliced zucchini.
3️⃣ Cook and garnish
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the fish is opaque and begins to flake with a fork.
Transfer the fish to a serving platter and serve with the remaining pesto sauce on top. Serve immediately!
✏️ If you use a fork and try to flake the salmon a bit to check if it is done, it will flake easily; if not, give it a few more minutes.
Baked Pesto Salmon
Ingredients
- 12 ounces salmon fillets
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup homemade pesto sauce, divided
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Season the 12 ounces salmon fillets with some Kosher salt and ground pepper. Lay the fish, skin-side-down, in a baking dish large enough to fit the salmon and tomatoes.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of the 1/3 cup homemade pesto sauce over the fish. Spread evenly to cover the fillets. Add the 1 pint cherry tomatoes to the sides of the fish.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the fish is opaque and begins to flake with a fork.
- Transfer the fish to a serving platter and serve with the remaining pesto sauce on top. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Salmon: Use fresh, high-quality fish. You can also substitute any other fish of your choice.
- Pesto sauce: You can use homemade or store-bought.
- Cherry tomatoes: Also called grape tomatoes. You can use any variety, including yellow, orange, or heirloom cherry tomatoes.
- Careful not to overcook. Salmon is moist and flaky when not overbaked. Cook the salmon to 140-145°F (it will continue cooking slightly in the hot pan).
- Storage and freezing: Place leftovers in a container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. You can also wrap it gently and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More salmon recipes
- Honey Glazed Air Fryer Salmon
- Easy Baked Honey Mustard Salmon
- Creamy Tuscan Salmon
- Lemon Dill Salmon Pasta Salad
- Easy Salmon Patties
- Chili Salmon Zucchini Noodles
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Loved it! So easy. I left the Salmon whole, sprinkled a little lemon juice over the salt and pepper and added the tomatoes on top of the salmon. Looked like a Christmas tree. And when almost done (2 min left) I added some grated Parmesan cheese. It was great!
Amazing. Thanks for the feedback.
Delicious
It’s was amazing! Taste and texture was perfect! We will have this again.
Thanks for the feedback. Yay
Works because the pesto recipe is so good. Tender and tasty salmon dish.
I LOVE this dish! I am now going on my second month of making this once and sometimes 2x a week!!
Delicious!!’n
Thanks Sherry!
This is truly my favorite dish! I’ve made it so many times and continue to make it. I now add asparagus on the side with the tomatoes. Yum.
I love the addition of asparagus. Yummy
So easy and good enough for company. My husband said this is the best salmon I ever made and went back for seconds. Definitely will be making again!
Thanks. Glad he loved it
looks great…will try it tomorrow
Can you serve it cold with a green salad?
Yes sure
It was perfect! Served over noodles for the kids. Everyone loved it! My salmon took longer but it’s cuz I cooked at 325 instead of 425. Oops!
So long as it came out ok. lol
Excellent !
I can’t eat dairy, so I made it with Trader Joe’s vegan pesto (made with kale). We both loved it.
Made it in the toaster oven to keep the house cool in summer.
sounds amazing
Super easy & yummy recipe. My family loved it. I served it with salad & garlic bread. Thank you!!
Glad they all loved it
Just made this tonight and it was fantastic! What a great way to use fresh garden herbs and tomatoes. Thank you.
Great. So glad you loved it
So delicious!!! I had some leftover homemade pesto and some fresh salmon in the fridge and looked for a recipe that would use them both. This was perfect and so easy to make. It’s a keeper for sure.
So glad you loved it
Easy to make and so delicious! The salmon was done perfectly. Fresh basil and garlic for the pesto as well as the cherry tomatoes, all came from my garden! Loved it!
Glad you loved it Jamie.
Loved it, just delicious!
Thanks! Glad you loved it
Delicious, yumo!
Very delicious! My husband loved it too. Will definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe!
Glad you all loved it. Thanks for the feedback
Delish and easy! I served it on a bed of farfalle (bowtie pasta) with enough pesto to serve as a sauce for the bowties
Pairs so well with pasta! so glad you loved it