Pesto Glazed Salmon
This 3-ingredient meal is simply sensational. Salmon, pesto, and parmesan cheese, roasted until the salmon is tender and infused with pesto awesomeness (basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese). A little more parmesan on top, and lemon slices on the side, and dinner is served in under 20 minutes.
This dish is perfect for both busy weeknights and weekend entertaining. This salmon comes together so fast, yet tastes like you took all day to prepare it! That’s the beauty of using basil pesto. And, it’s such a show-stopping meal, it’s great for serving to your weekend dinner guests.
You can use refrigerated pesto or the shelf-stable variety. I’ve used both varieties of pesto (refrigerated and shelf-stable) and they’re both fantastic. In fact, I’m never without a container or jar of basil pesto for meals just like this.
Does this recipe work with other types of fish? Certainly. I used wild Alaskan salmon, but you can use any fish variety, including cod, halibut, haddock, tuna, and bass. Choose your favorite fish – just make sure to cook all fish fillets until a they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Pesto Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets, either two 12-ounce fillets, or four 6-ounce fillets
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons prepared basil pesto, refrigerated or shelf-stable
- 4 teaspoons grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional
- Lemon slices or wedges for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish or ovenproof pan with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
- Place the salmon on the prepared pan and season with salt and black pepper.
- Brush the pesto all over the salmon. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the salmon is fork tender (a meat thermometer should register 145 degrees).
- Top with fresh basil or parsley, if using, and serve with lemon slices on the side.