Baked Pesto Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes

by Sally Rychlak

easy but elevated weeknight salmon dinner

There are very few circumstances in which I am going to complain about a dinner that requires one pan and about 20 minutes. This baked pesto salmon with blistered tomatoes is exactly that. Salmon, pesto, tomatoes, lemon. Put everything in the oven and dinner is essentially handled.

I make salmon pretty regularly, and pesto is one of the easiest ways to change it up without actually creating more work for yourself. It gives the salmon plenty of flavor, keeps the top from drying out in the oven, and requires no marinade or advance planning.

And yes, you can absolutely use pesto from a jar.

salmon baked in so much flavor

Jarred Pesto vs. Homemade Pesto

I love making pesto when I have a ridiculous amount of fresh basil that needs to be used, but I am equally happy opening a jar on a weeknight. This is not a recipe where homemade pesto is required for success.

If you're buying it, look for a pesto with a relatively simple ingredient list and use whatever brand you already like. If you're making it yourself, you can also make pesto a little lighter without ruining the entire point of pesto.

Traditional pesto gets a lot of its richness from olive oil, Parmesan and pine nuts. All good things, but you don't necessarily need quite as much oil as many recipes call for. I use plenty of fresh basil, a smaller amount of olive oil and then loosen everything with lemon juice and a little water. A spoonful or two of Greek yogurt also makes it creamy while adding some protein.

It is not traditional Genovese pesto. I am not claiming that it is. It is, however, very good on salmon.

Don't Overcook Your Salmon

My meat thermometer makes another appearance here. Salmon can go from perfectly cooked to dry surprisingly quickly, especially when you're working with individual fillets. Cooking time will depend heavily on how thick your pieces are, so I start checking before I think they're done.

For food safety, the USDA recommends cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145°F, which is when I usually pull it.

quinoa or rice is my favorite side for salmon

The Blistered Tomatoes Are Worth It

The tomatoes aren't just there because they look nice next to green pesto, although they certainly do their part. At 425°F, cherry tomatoes start to soften, burst and release their juices onto the pan. Those juices mix with the pesto, lemon and salmon and essentially create their own sauce without requiring you to make one.

If my salmon is ready before the tomatoes have enough color, I remove the salmon and give the tomatoes another couple of minutes under the broiler.

the juiciest blistered tomatoes

What to Serve with Pesto Salmon

This works with almost anything you would normally serve alongside salmon. I particularly like it with roasted vegetables, asparagus, a simple arugula salad, quinoa or rice.

And if there is leftover salmon, don't overthink lunch the next day. Flake it over greens with the leftover blistered tomatoes and call it a salad.

Easy, healthy, very little cleanup. Exactly the amount of effort I want from a weeknight salmon recipe.

one pager recipe for baked pesto salmon