This easy baked pesto salmon recipe is mouthwatering, made with just 3 ingredients and ready on the table in less than 25 minutes. Oven-baked salmon and homemade pesto together make a wonderful combination that's healthy to eat, perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius).
Coat the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the prepared basil pesto over each fillet and spread it with the back of a spoon or knife so that it's lightly coated with bright green pesto.
Lay the salmon fillets on a casserole dish or baking tray, make sure they aren't touching.
Cook salmon for 12-15 minutes for medium. To give the salmon skin a lovely crisp and golden brown color, turn the oven to broil and heat for 45 seconds to 1 ½ minutes, with the salmon about 5 inches away from the heating element. Keep an eye on it - so it doesn’t burn.
Serve with a squeeze of lime or lemon juice on top.
Recipe Notes
Brine the salmonBrining the salmon results in juicer meatier flesh and prevents the albumin (the white protein that forms on top of salmon during cooking) from seeping out. Mix 4 cups of water with 3 tablespoons salt and let the salmon fillets sit in the salted water for 20 minutes before cooking.