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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Seafood

    Pesto Salmon

    Published: Apr 8, 2021 by Dannii · This post may contain affiliate links · 11 Comments

    121 shares
    • 77
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    Jump to Recipe
    Diet: Gluten Free
    A plate of pesto salmon and vegetables with a text title overlay.

    This Baked Pesto Salmon recipe is an easy weeknight meal that is nutritious, bursting with flavour and easy to adapt. Flaky salmon fillets topped with an incredible red pesto (although any pesto works) and served with crispy potatoes, asparagus and broccoli.

    A plate of smothered salmon, asparagus, broccoli and potateos.

    We are always looking for new ways to eat salmon, and to use up leftover pesto, so this is the perfect combination. A light and fresh dish, that feels comforting at the same time. Just a few ingredients, easy to adapt and you have yourself a protein packed meal with plenty of flavour.

    If you are looking for more ways to use pesto, why not try our Chicken Pesto Burgers, Chicken Pesto Pasta or Pesto Chicken Sandwich?

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • Step by step
    • Health benefits of salmon
    • Pesto
    • What to serve it with
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More salmon recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Light and fresh
    • An easy way to get more salmon in your diet
    • A good way to use up pesto
    • A meal in one pan
    • Easy to adapt

    Ingredients needed

    All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.
    • Salmon - We used boneless, skin on salmon.
    • Pesto - We have used a red pepper and tomato pesto, however you can use any pesto. Green or red will both work, although they do both have very different flavours.
    • Potatoes - Baby potatoes work best for this, and halved. They are par-boiled to ensure that they are fully cooked after roasting.
    • Broccoli - We went with tenderstem broccoli, although you could just chop off the florets of a broccoli head.
    • Asparagus - Snap the woody ends off the asparagus. If you give them a gentle bend, you should see the point where they naturally break.

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    Step by step

    One: Par boil the potatoes for 7 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6

    A saucepan containing uncooked baby potatoes.

    Two: Put the potatoes on a large baking tray and drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well and put in the oven for 20 minutes.

    Two shot collage of potatoes on a baking tray, before and after mixing with oil.

    Three: Take the baking tray out of the oven and add the broccoli and asparagus to the tray, squeeze the lemon over the vegetables and mix it in to the oil.

    A baking tray with part cooked potatoes, asparagus spears and tenderstem broccoli.

    Four: Make 2 spaces in the vegetables for the salmon and then top them with the pesto. Put the baking tray back in the oven for 20 minutes, until the salmon and vegetables are cooked through.

    Three shot collage of salmon and vegetables on a baking tray, before, during and after cooking.

    Health benefits of salmon

    • It is one of the best sources of long chain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. Children who regularly consume foods rich in Omega-3 have been shown in studies to have increased concentration levels and improved learning abilities.
    • Salmon is an excellent source of high quality protein - a 100g (3.5oz) portion contains 25g of protein.
    • Contains high amounts of B vitamins. These are good for repairing DNA and reducing the causes that can lead to heart disease. B vitamins also help maintain optimal brain and nervous system functioning.
    • Scientists are investigating the role fish consumption may have in protecting people from some cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, asthma, diabetes, macular degeneration, high blood pressure and multiple sclerosis.
    • Contains antioxidants.
    Four salmon fillets on a round plate.

    Pesto

    The great thing about any recipe that uses pesto, is that there are so many different types out there. You could stick with a basic basil pesto, or go with something like a red pepper and tomato pesto like we have. It really intensifies the flavour of the whole dish. 

    Use a good quality store bought pesto if you want to save time (as this is intended to be a fuss-free weeknight meal), or go the extra mile and make your own pesto. Why not try our Mixed Herb Pesto, which is a great way to use up lots of leftover herbs.

    What to serve it with

    This really is a meal all in one. We have cooked the salmon and vegetables together in one pan. However, if you are looking for a more filling meal, or you are serving this up to guests and want some more sides, then we have some options for you:

    • Slow Cooker Green Beans
    • Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower
    • Roasted Garlic and Herb Mushrooms
    • Spanish Olives

    You could also keep it simple with a big green salad. The key to an epic green salad is to use a variety of greens, like romaine, spinach, kale and rocket. You want leafy greens, but crunch too. Then you need the perfect dressing. Why not try our Lemon Vinaigrette, Honey and Mustard Dressing or Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette.

    You know what goes really well with everything? Garlic bread! Either buy some ready made, or make your own easy garlic bread by cutting up some French stick and spreading it with a mix of butter, crushed garlic and dried herbs. Then pop it in the oven for 10 minutes. Make it next level garlic bread by adding cheese.

    Red pesto on top of cooked salmon next to vegetables and potatoes.

    FAQs

    How can you tell that salmon is cooked?

    This salmon takes about 20 minutes to cook in the oven, however, salmon should reach 145°F/63°C. For a more visual cue, you want to look out for the salmon flesh to be a little opaque and a knife should easily slide through it.

    How to store pesto salmon?

    If you have leftovers of this, you can store it in an air tight container (the fish and the vegetables) in the fridge for up to 2 days. We then flake up the salmon and serve it on a salad with the vegetables.

    Does this recipe work with another fish?

    Yes, if salmon isn't your thing or another fish is on offer, then by all means switch it up. This recipe also works well on tuna steak, haddock and cod.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Take this pesto salmon to the next level by sprinkling some Parmesan on top before it goes in the oven.
    • This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, depending on how many people you are serving.
    • Make sure you use a large baking tray that is big enough for everything to have plenty of room, as this will help the vegetables to crisp up.

    More salmon recipes

    • Salmon Casserole in a baking tin with a spoon removing a portion.
      Salmon Casserole
    • Three fillets of topped Mediterranean salmon on a grey plate.
      Mediterranean Salmon
    • Soy Ginger Salmon Noodles on a blue plate with onions and chillies.
      Soy Ginger Salmon Noodles
    • Salmon fishcakes on a wooden serving board with salad in the background
      Salmon Fishcakes

    If you’ve tried this pesto salmon recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Pesto Salmon on a plate with asparagus and broccoli.

    Baked Pesto Salmon

    By: Dannii
    This Baked Pesto Salmon is an easy weeknight meal that is nutritious, bursting with flavour and easy to adapt.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    5 from 11 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: British, Italian
    Prep: 5 minutes mins
    Cook: 47 minutes mins
    Total: 52 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 460kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a carton of milk.
    Dairy
    An illustration of a fish.
    Fish
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 450 g (1 lb) Baby potatoes - halved
    • 130 g (4.5 oz) Asparagus spears
    • 240 g (8.5 oz) Salmon fillet - (about 120g per fillet)
    • 1 Lemon - juice only
    • 100 g (3.5 oz) Tenderstem broccoli
    • 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
    • 6 teaspoon Pesto
    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
    • Par boil 450 g Baby potatoes for 7 minutes.
    • Put the potatoes on a large baking tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon Olive oil and sprinkle with 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper. Mix well and put into the oven for 20 minutes.
    • Take the baking tray out of the oven and add 100 g Tenderstem broccoli and 130 g Asparagus spears to the tray, squeeze 1 Lemon over the vegetables and mix it into the oil.
    • Make 2 spaces in the vegetables for 240 g Salmon fillet and then top the salmon with 6 teaspoon Pesto. Put the baking tray back in the oven for 20 minutes, until the salmon and vegetables are cooked through.

    Notes

    • Take this pesto salmon to the next level by sprinkling some parmesan on top before it goes in the oven.
    • This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, depending on how many people you are serving.
    • Make sure you use a large baking tray that is big enough for everything to have plenty of room, as this will help the vegetables to crisp up.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 1899mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1174IU | Vitamin C: 121mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 5mg
    DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heidy

      April 13, 2021 at 1:21 pm

      I love salmon and love trying new ways to make it. Your recipe looks great, and the fish looks perfectly cooked. This will be on my list to make!

      Reply
    2. Allyssa

      April 13, 2021 at 12:35 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks a lot for this pesto salmon recipe, it's very delicious! loved it!

      Reply
    3. Jac

      April 13, 2021 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      Love using pesto in recipes. Thanks!

      Reply
    4. Katherine

      April 13, 2021 at 10:34 am

      5 stars
      Pesto is such a great idea to really add a burst of flavour to the salmon!

      Reply
    5. Claudia Lamascolo

      April 13, 2021 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      I am always looking for salmon recipes and this one was fabulous!

      Reply
    6. Amanda Taylor

      April 13, 2021 at 1:43 am

      Hi Dannii!
      This recipe looks absolutely delicious. I've recently been in managed isolation and many of the dishes have included fish. I don't normally eat much fish in my diet and I can't wait to try this recipe now that I'm out of quarantine. I've only had pesto once or twice before, but I'm willing to try it again and see if my kids like it. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Kay

      April 08, 2021 at 6:25 pm

      5 stars
      Genius idea to add extra flavour to salmon, and the potatoes and veggies cooked perfectly too! Will be making this more often!

      Reply
    8. Jessica Formicola

      April 08, 2021 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love pesto! And I've been trying to add more seafood to our diets. This pesto salmon could not have come at a better time!

      Reply
    9. Lindsay

      April 08, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      I had half a jar of traditional pesto in my fridge so I made this up, it was so simple! I love meals that I can cook all on one pan. Will definitely be making again.

      Reply
    10. Diana Reis

      April 08, 2021 at 4:28 pm

      5 stars
      The red pepper and tomato were such a good combination in the pesto. I love the punch it adds to the flaky salmon.

      Reply
    11. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

      April 08, 2021 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious! Thank you for this amazing recipe!

      Reply

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    My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.
    Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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