Easy Pesto Salmon (20 Minutes + 3-Ingredients!)

Fresh basil and flaky baked pesto salmon on a large white serving plate.

Easy Pesto Salmon (20 Minutes + 3-Ingredients!)

This 3-ingredient pesto salmon is a weeknight-friendly dinner that feels fancy but takes almost no effort. Oven baked or air fried, it’s ready in 20 minutes for crispy-edged, pesto-crusted, perfectly cooked salmon!

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword basil pesto, pesto salmon, salmon pesto

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 467

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Baking Sheet

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

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.

Nutrition