Pesto Salmon
A whole salmon fillet roasted skin-side down alongside garlic-tossed cherry tomatoes, then finished with a generous blanket of vibrant basil pesto in the final minutes of baking. Elegant enough for guests, effortless enough for a Tuesday.
- 1 (12–16 oz) salmon fillet
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¾–1 cup basil pesto
- fresh lemon, for serving
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven heats, combine the cherry tomatoes and minced garlic in a small bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper, toss to coat, and set aside.
- Place the salmon fillet skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush 1–2 tablespoons of the olive oil evenly over the flesh of the salmon, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the garlic-tossed tomatoes, then arrange them in a single layer around the salmon on the pan.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the salmon has just started to flake when gently pressed with a fork — it should still look slightly translucent in the very centre at this point. Remove from the oven and spoon the basil pesto generously over the top of the salmon, spreading it in an even layer from edge to edge.
- Return the pan to the oven for a further 2–3 minutes, just long enough to warm the pesto through without cooking out its fresh green flavour. The salmon is done when it flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of 125–135°F for moist, tender results. Serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over.
Chef's Note: The two-stage baking method here is deliberate. Baking the salmon first without the pesto allows the fish to cook through properly — adding pesto from the start would dull its colour and cook off the delicate basil fragrance that makes it so appealing. Adding it in the final 2–3 minutes is just enough to warm it into a glossy, flavourful crust without sacrificing any freshness. The same logic applies at the table: a squeeze of cold lemon over the finished dish wakes everything up instantly.
Salmon quality makes a meaningful difference here since the dish has so few ingredients. Look for fillets with bright, vibrant colour, firm flesh, and a clean oceanic smell rather than anything fishy. The skin acts as a natural barrier during baking, keeping the underside moist — it peels away cleanly after cooking if you'd prefer to remove it before serving. Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days refrigerated and reheat gently in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
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