Pesto Salmon (30-Minutes, ONE-PAN)

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This easy Mediterranean-style one-pan pesto salmon dinner comes together in just 30 minutes. The recipe features cherry or grape tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, basil pesto (homemade or store-bought), garlic, lemon, oregano, and toasted pine nuts. It's healthy, gluten-free, keto, low-carb, rich in protein and fiber, and Pescatarian. Easy enough to make on a busy weeknight and fancy enough to entertain guests.

Why you'll love it

• Simplicity. This pesto salmon recipe is one of the easiest dinners you can ever make! Everything is cooked on the stove-top in a large high-sided skillet. The whole process takes 30 minutes from start to finish. It's a perfect choice for a quick weeknight meal just like this Mediterranean salmon or super flavorful honey garlic glaze salmon with fig spread.
• Flavors. Pesto salmon is loaded with bright and fresh flavors that are staples of Mediterranean cuisine, such as basil pesto, lemon, fresh Mozzarella cheese, garlic, oregano, and pine nuts.
• Nutrition. This recipe is gluten-free, keto, low-carb, rich in protein and fiber, and Pescatarian (appropriate for vegetarians who include seafood in their diet).

Main ingredients

• Salmon is a highly nutritious ingredient, rich in protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It's low in saturated fat and a good source of several vitamins and minerals.
• Basil pesto. This is a perfect recipe for store-bought basil pesto. My favorite store-bought brands are the refrigerated kinds, such as Buitoni or Whole Foods. You can also make basil pesto from scratch.
• Cherry tomatoes. I love using 2 colors - yellow and red - they add so much vibrancy to recipes.
• Fresh Mozzarella cheese. I used small Mozzarella balls "pearls" - their small size fits perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.
• Pine nuts. Toast them briefly in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes until they acquire a beautiful golden color! Toasted pine nuts add a more pronounced and deep nutty flavor.
• Garlic adds pungency and spicy aroma.
• Fresh basil leaves. Use only the freshest basil. Make sure the leaves are green and not brown, have no spots, and are not wilted.
• Lemon. Use the freshly squeezed juice of one lemon - it's so much better than the bottled kind!
• Seasonings include salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.
• Olive oil is used for pan-searing salmon.

How to make basil pesto from scratch

Here is a simple recipe for my favorite version of homemade basil pesto. This amount of ingredients makes about 1 cup or 1.5 cups of basil pesto.

The ingredients for basil pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• ½ cup pine nuts toasted
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly shredded
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

The directions for making basil pesto

• Place all ingredients (except salt and pepper) in the food processor and blend for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes until you get the pesto-like sauce.
• You might have to work in batches.
• If low on basil, you can add spinach, arugula, or parsley.
• Add salt to taste.

What kind of salmon to use

• Individual salmon fillets. These can be purchased fresh or frozen. They usually don't have skin on. They are individually cut and usually, each fillet represents one serving.
• Large salmon fillet usually has skin on them. It's great for serving a crowd. You can slice a large salmon fillet into smaller fillets.
• Varieties of salmon. Buy the freshest and the most high-quality salmon fillets you can find. I prefer to use either Scottish salmon or Skuna Bay salmon, but, really, any high-quality salmon fillets will work in this recipe. Popular varieties are sockeye and king salmon. Use the fish as soon as you buy it - within a day - don't let it sit in the fridge for days.

Substitutions and variations

• Fish. This recipe will work with many types of fish, such as salmon, trout, halibut, sea bass, cod, mahi-mahi, and other similar fish. I recommend using fish fillets.
• Veggies. My favorite veggies for pesto salmon are chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, and chopped spinach.
• Cheese. You can use grated (or cubed) Parmesan, Asiago, or Feta cheese instead of or in addition to Mozzarella cheese.

Storage Tips

• Fridge. Store leftover cooked pesto salmon refrigerated, in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer. This recipe is freezer-friendly and perfect for meal prep! Freeze this dish for up to 2 months.

How to reheat

• Stove-top. Reheat over low-medium heat in any kind of appropriately sized cooking pan. Add a small amount of olive oil + freshly squeezed lemon juice when reheating.  Flip the salmon a couple of times to heat it through and be careful to keep it intact.
• Microwave oven. Reheat the salmon in a deep, high-sided microwave-safe dish (bowl) for about 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave oven, taste, and return to the oven, if needed, and reheat for 30 more seconds or more, until heated through.

What to serve with it

If you want to make this simple pesto salmon a bit more substantial and/or add some carbs, below are very simple ways to dress it up.

• Rice. Add jasmine, basmati rice, any long-grain rice, or Arborio rice.
• Pasta. If you're looking for other popular Mediterranean diet choices in place of rice, I recommend couscous or orzo. You can also make this recipe with short-cut pasta, such as bow-tie (farfalle), spiral pasta (fusilli), penne, or rigatoni.
• Beans. I recommend garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or cannellini beans. You can even use cooked lentils.
• Roasted spaghetti squash makes a great alternative to regular pasta and is keto, low-carb, and gluten-free.
• Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice is a delicious side dish to pair with pesto salmon.

Other salmon recipes you might like

• Mediterranean Salmon with Rice
• Salmon with Mango Salsa
• Pan-Seared Salmon with Spinach, Artichokes, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Garlic Parmesan Crusted Salmon and Asparagus
• Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon with Fig Spread

4.67 from 9 votes

Pesto Salmon (30-Minutes, ONE-PAN)

This easy Mediterranean-style one-pan pesto salmon dinner comes together in just 30 minutes. The recipe features cherry or grape tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, basil pesto (homemade or store-bought), garlic, lemon, oregano, and toasted pine nuts. It's healthy, gluten-free, keto, low-carb, rich in protein and fiber, and Pescatarian. Easy enough to make on a busy weeknight and fancy enough to entertain guests.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4

Calories per serving 727 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

Salmon

• 2 lb salmon fillets
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes red and yellow, sliced in half
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 medium lemon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup basil pesto , add more to taste
• 5 oz fresh Mozzarella cheese "pearls" - small balls
• ¼ cup pine nuts lightly toasted
• fresh basil leaves
• salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions 

Cook salmon on stovetop

• Heat a large, high-sided skillet (I used cast iron) over medium heat for about 4 minutes to heat it.
• I used salmon fillets with skin-on. Season the flesh side of the salmon with salt and freshly ground black pepper using 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub the seasonings on top of the fish.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add salmon skin side up and cook on medium-high heat for 4 minutes, undisturbed.
• Flip the salmon to the other side, skin side down. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.
• Carefully slide a wide spatula between each salmon fillet and the skin to separate the flesh from the skin. Remove salmon (without skin) to a plate.
• Remove skins from the skillet. You can eat them later or discard them if you don't like them.
• Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.

Cook tomatoes

• To the same, now empty, skillet add olive oil, minced garlic, half of the cherry tomatoes (saving the other half of tomatoes for later), red chili flakes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat, stirring, for 4 minutes, until the tomatoes release juices and garlic is softened.
• Add the remaining cherry tomatoes and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir everything well together.

Assemble

• Add cooked salmon to the skillet with the tomato mixture and reheat on medium heat briefly. Remove from heat.
• Stir in fresh Mozzarella cheese "pearls".
• Add dollops of basil pesto on top of the salmon and around it.
• Top with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.

Notes

• Make basil pesto from scratch or use your favorite store-bought version. My homemade basil pesto is one of the best you'll ever taste, as it uses toasted pine nuts and just a touch of mayo. My favorite store-bought kind is always the refrigerated kind: Buitoni brand or refrigerated pesto at Whole Foods.
• What to serve with pesto salmon? Serve it with rice and beans (garbanzo beans or cannellini beans). Add simple pasta, such as orzo, penne, or bow tie. Roasted spaghetti squash is a great low-carb alternative to regular pasta. Try my cilantro-lime black bean rice as a side dish.

Nutrition

Nutrition Information

Pesto Salmon (30-Minutes, ONE-PAN)

Amount per Serving

Calories

727

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

52

g

80

%

Saturated Fat

 

11

g

69

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

11

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

21

g

Cholesterol

 

154

mg

51

%

Sodium

 

624

mg

27

%

Potassium

 

1403

mg

40

%

Carbohydrates

 

10

g

3

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

56

g

112

%

Vitamin A

 

1040

IU

21

%

Vitamin C

 

32

mg

39

%

Calcium

 

259

mg

26

%

Iron

 

3

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer:

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Keyword pesto salmon