Baked Salmon with Pesto

There's something about the smell of pesto hitting hot salmon that makes you feel like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen. My neighbor brought over a jar of her homemade basil pesto one summer evening, and I had salmon thawing on the counter, and somehow those two things just clicked together. Twenty minutes later, I was serving something that tasted like I'd been planning it all week, when really it was just happy accident and the Mediterranean sun on a plate.

I made this for my daughter's friend who said she didn't eat fish, and somehow she had seconds. Maybe it was the way the pesto and warm tomatoes softened her skepticism, or maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but watching someone change their mind about food right in front of you at the dinner table feels like a small victory.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets (4, about 150g each): Look for fillets that are uniform in thickness so they cook evenly; skin-on or skinless both work, though skin-on keeps things moist.
• Cherry tomatoes (250g, halved): The smaller they are, the sweeter and more intense they become when roasted, so don't swap these for regular tomatoes.
• Red onion (1 small, thinly sliced): Adds a gentle bite without overpowering; thin slicing keeps it from dominating the plate.
• Basil pesto (4 tbsp): Homemade tastes brighter, but store-bought is honest and saves you 15 minutes of blending.
• Extra virgin olive oil (2 tbsp): This is where the flavor lives, so don't reach for the cooking oil here.
• Lemon (1, sliced into rounds): A bright, acidic punctuation mark that keeps everything from feeling heavy.
• Garlic (1 clove, minced): Just enough to whisper hello without shouting over the pesto.
• Salt and black pepper: Taste as you go; pesto is already salty, so go easy.
• Fresh basil (for serving): A final handful scattered on top wakes everything up.

Instructions

Get Your Oven Ready:

Preheat to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper so nothing sticks and cleanup is a breeze.

Set Up Your Salmon:

Arrange the fillets on the tray, spacing them so they get some air around them; give them a light season with salt and pepper, but not too heavy since the pesto brings its own salt.

Spread the Pesto:

A tablespoon of pesto on each fillet is the sweet spot; you want enough to coat but not so much that it drowns out the salmon itself.

Build Flavor Around It:

Scatter the cherry tomato halves and thin onion slices around the salmon, drizzle everything with olive oil, and sprinkle the minced garlic over the vegetables so it gets toasty.

Top with Lemon:

Lay a lemon slice or two on each fillet; as it bakes, the juice will seep down and brighten the whole thing.

Bake Until Perfect:

Pop it in for 16 to 18 minutes; you'll know it's done when the salmon turns opaque and flakes with the gentlest touch of a fork, and the tomatoes have softened and wrinkled slightly.

Finish and Serve:

Transfer everything to a plate, scatter fresh basil leaves over the top while it's still warm, and let it cool just enough to eat without burning your mouth.

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My mom used to say that if you can cook salmon without ruining it, you've cleared a real hurdle in the kitchen, and she was right. There's something forgiving about salmon, though; it wants to taste good, and pesto is basically its best friend in life.

Why Pesto and Salmon Belong Together

Pesto's herbaceous, garlicky richness cuts through the salmon's natural oiliness without fighting it; instead, they have this conversation on the plate where both flavors come out brighter. The basil notes echo in the background, the garlic whispers rather than shouts, and somehow it all tastes less like cooking and more like you stumbled onto something that was always meant to be this way.

Making This Meal Feel Special

Serve this alongside something gentle, like steamed rice or a tangled salad of greens with nothing too aggressive on them. The salmon and tomatoes are already doing so much flavor work that anything you pair it with should know its place and stay quiet. A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio cuts through the richness and feels like the natural conclusion to the whole meal.

Small Touches That Make the Difference

If you want to elevate this without much effort, toast some pine nuts in a dry pan for two minutes until they smell incredible, then scatter them over the top just before serving. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the table lets everyone dial in their own level of brightness. And if you're feeling ambitious, make your own pesto instead of buying it; you'll taste the difference immediately in how clean and alive everything tastes.

• Pine nuts add a buttery crunch that transforms the whole dish from simple to something you'd order at a restaurant.
• A final squeeze of lemon juice at the table is never wrong and always worth doing.
• Homemade pesto keeps in the fridge for days and makes everything taste like summer.

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This is the kind of dinner that tastes like you spent hours thinking about it, when really you just opened your fridge, saw what you had, and let the ingredients tell you what to do. Make it once and it becomes your secret weapon for nights when you need to feel competent.

Recipe Questions

→ What kind of salmon is best for baking?

Choose fresh, skin-on or skinless salmon fillets about 150 grams each for even cooking and optimal flavor.

→ Can I use homemade pesto instead of store-bought?

Yes, homemade basil pesto can enhance freshness and add a richer flavor to the dish.

→ How do I know when the salmon is cooked?

The salmon is done when it becomes opaque and flakes easily with a fork, usually after 16–18 minutes baking.

→ What sides pair well with baked salmon and pesto?

Roasted potatoes, steamed rice, or a fresh green salad complement this dish beautifully.

→ Are there common allergens to consider?

Yes, this dish contains fish and tree nuts (in pesto). Check pesto ingredients if dairy or nut allergies apply.

→ Can I add extra crunch to the dish?

Sprinkling toasted pine nuts before serving adds a pleasant crunch and texture contrast.