Pesto Salmon (Baked or Air Fryer)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Mar 10, 2025 (last updated Apr 16, 2026) This pesto salmon comes together with just 3-ingredients and cooks in 20-minutes in the oven or air fryer. The pesto forms a golden, herb-flecked crust on top of the salmon and keeps the fish moist without any extra work.
5 star review
“This recipe truly delivers! It could not be easier. It was delicious and eliminated the stress of preparing a Friday evening dinner for guests after a long work week.”
– Lisa
The Best Pesto Salmon with Just 3-Ingredients!
I created this easy salmon recipe because my daughter loves both salmon and pesto (what can I say, the girl’s got good taste), so I decided to take her two favorite ingredients and combine them together for a wildly simple yet incredibly tasty pesto crusted salmon. Seriously, this dish tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant, but it’s really a quick + easy weeknight protein-focused staple recipe.
And I personally love it because the pesto pairs so well with fish and makes it taste better to people who don’t always enjoy the flavor of fish (such as myself). Trust me, the basil pesto crust really compliments the salmon without overpowering it. I kept things super simple for this homemade dinner recipe by using a store bought jar of pesto. You really can’t get much easier than that!
That said, if you want to switch up the flavor, red pesto works just as well as basil pesto in this recipe, and my red pesto pasta is worth bookmarking for another night when you have extra left over. On that note, for a pesto-forward side to serve alongside, my orzo pesto salad pairs well with salmon and comes together in about the same amount of time!
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Salmon with Pesto
Testing Tips for Perfectly Baked Salmon
- Temp: It’s important that your oven is truly at 400F. Some ovens run cold, so it’s helpful to check the temperature inside your oven.
- Time: Cooking time will very depending on the thickness of your salmon, so start checking on the early side if in doubt.
- Pat Dry: I recommend patting the salmon dry before adding the seasoning to get the best flavor + texture combo.
- Parchment: Depending on the brand of pesto you use, it may weep a little oil, which is totally fine. That’s why I like placing parchment paper under the salmon to make cleanup easier.
- Go for Quality: If using store-bought pesto, look for one you love the flavor of or make your own – my homemade basil pesto is a great option for this one. Since there’s only two main ingredients, the flavor of your pesto makes all the difference.
- Salmon Pesto Pasta: For salmon pesto pasta (which I highly recommend!), boil your favorite pasta, toss it with extra pesto, and serve the salmon on top.
Pesto Salmon (Baked or Air Fryer)
Ingredients
- 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin on (fresh or frozen, defrosted)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
Equipment
Instructions
Oven Baked Pesto Salmon
- Heat the oven to 400F.
- Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Pat the salmon very dry with a paper towel. Spread out evenly, skin-side down, on the baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Spread 2 teaspoons of pesto evenly over each fillet.
- Place in the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145F, about 10-20 minutes.
- Top each fillet with ¼ teaspoon pesto and serve.
Air Frier Pesto Salmon
- Heat the air fryer to 400F.
- Pat the salmon very dry with a paper towel. Spread out evenly, skin-side down, in the air frier basket or tray and sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Spread 2 teaspoons of pesto evenly over each fillet.
- Place in the air fryer and air fry until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145F, about 7-10 minutes.
- Top each fillet with ¼ teaspoon pesto and serve.
Notes
- Oven Temp: It’s important that your oven is truly at 400F. Some ovens run cold, so it’s helpful to check the temperature inside your oven. Cooking time will very depending on the thickness of your salmon, so start checking on the early side if in doubt.
- Garnish: I love a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a few fresh basil leaves on top, but they’re totally optional.
- Nutrition Info: Will depend on the exact weight and type of salmon and brand of pesto you use.
One of our favorite quick & healthy weeknight meals!
Dahlia, yay, love that, us too. Such a weeknight dinner saver!
This recipe truly delivers! It could not be easier. It was delicious and eliminated the stress of preparing a Friday evening dinner for guests after a long work week. Our friend said he is adding it to his “Salmon Wednesdays” repertoire with his wife. Thank you Robyn!
Yay, Lisa, so happy to hear this one was a hit for an easy dinner party – I also love the idea of “Salmon Wednesday,” I may need to adopt that idea myself! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a reivew!