This baked pesto salmon recipe is a great easy and healthy option for busy weeknights since it’s ready to serve in about 20 minutes! The salmon is flavoured up with a fresh basil, lemon and garlic-infused homemade pesto sauce for a mouthwatering dish that you’ll want to make time and time again! {Gluten-free, dairy-free & low carb}

Lemon pesto salmon – an easy weeknight meal!
This baked pesto salmon recipe has been a go to of mine for years because it’s so easy and and the whole family always gobbles it up (kids included)!
The pesto sauce is made from scratch, but only takes a few minutes minutes to whip up and is such a fresh and delicious way to flavour up salmon. It’s totally worth the few minutes of extra prep time!
Additionally, because the salmon is baked in the oven, the cooking time is very hands off so you can use this time to prepare the other sides.
And you know what this means — a quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipe that’s ready to serve in less than 30 minutes!
Cooking up and serving a healthy family dinner that everyone loves doesn’t mean spending hours in the kitchen and a long list of ingredients. This simple basil pesto salmon is such a game changer!
For more easy baked salmon recipes, be sure to try my Tomato Pesto Salmon and Walnut Crusted Salmon too!

Why we love this salmon and pesto recipe
- Quick and easy: Just prep the pesto (or do it ahead of time), season the salmon and bake! This is such a great simple dish when you don’t want to spend tons of time in the kitchen after a long day.
- Nutritious: Salmon is a great source of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, protein and essential vitamins and minerals. Due to all of its benefits, it’s recommended that we aim to get at least two servings of fatty fish per week. This healthy salmon recipe is a great place to start!
- Four ingredients: Yes, that’s right, you just need four ingredients to make delicious baked salmon!
Ingredient notes

- Salmon: I prefer to use fresh salmon fillets for this recipe. You can use frozen, just make sure that they are fully defrosted before using. Use wild Atlantic salmon if you can find it.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the zingiest flavour and the most health benefits.
- Salt and pepper: Season the the salmon fillets with a little salt and black pepper before topping with pesto.
- Pesto: I love to use my Dairy-Free Pesto to top the salmon as I always have some in my fridge or freezer. You can also use store-bought or your own pesto recipe if you prefer.
How to make salmon with pesto sauce – step by step instructions





- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up or spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Place salmon fillets skin side down on the baking sheet. Squeeze lemon juice over top of them and season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the pesto sauce in a food processor according to directions.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of the pesto sauce over each of the fish fillets. Spread evenly to cover each of the fillets.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the fish is opaque and begins to flake with a fork.
- Serve warm with remaining pesto sauce on top of the salmon.
Tips for the best baked salmon recipe
- For vibrant green pesto: If you want to keep the pesto more green and vibrant, place a dollop or two on each salmon fillet and don’t spread it over the fillets until the fish has finished cooking. I’ve done it both ways and it tastes delicious either way!
- Use skin-on or skinless salmon fillets: For fillets with skin, use a sharp fillet knife to remove the skin from the raw salmon, if desired. You can also remove the skin after baking. If any scales are on the skin, scrape them away before baking fish.
- Be generous with pesto: I like to spread the pesto all over the salmon fillets, including the tops and sides to infuse flavour into every bite.
- Meal prep: I usually like to make up a double batch of the pesto and freeze the extras in these Souper Cubes. That way you can pop out the cubes of pesto to thaw them out as you need them. It makes for such a quick and easy dinner when the pesto is already made.
- Adjust cooking times: You may need to adapt the cooking time depending on the thickness of the fish fillet. You’ll know it’s done when the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- For crispier edges: To get the edges brown and crispy, you may wish to broil the fish for the last two minutes of cooking. Just be sure that you don’t place the baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven too close to the broiler or the pesto may burn.
- Don’t overcook the salmon: If you cook salmon for too long, it will get dry. Always check your fish at the minimum baking time to ensure your baked salmon doesn’t get overcooked.

Storage & Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: If you have any leftovers, they will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
To reheat: Reheat the leftover baked pesto salmon in the oven at 350F for around 10 minutes or until heated through. For best results, cover it with foil and add a couple of tablespoons of water to your baking dish so that it doesn’t dry out.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, this is a great warm weather recipe, so grilling it is a great option! To grill, place the salmon skin side down on an oiled grate and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Spoon over the pesto and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. You can also wait to spread the pesto over the fillets until after it’s grilled.
Store-bought pesto often contains extra additives and sodium, however, homemade pesto sauce is a great healthier alternative. In this case, the homemade pesto is made with olive oil so it’s rich in heart healthy monounsaturated fats.
It also contains spinach, fresh basil, garlic and lemon juice, so it’s packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. My dairy-free pesto recipe is also lower in saturated fat as it doesn’t contain any cheese.
For best results, the salmon should be baked in a fully preheated oven. At 425 degrees F, it will take around 12 to 15 minutes for it to cook through. Check the salmon at 12 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the fish flakes easily with a fork.
According to the FDA, salmon is considered cooked when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the fillet reaches 145 degrees F (source). This will result in very firm salmon, so some prefer to cook it until it reaches 125-135 degrees F. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Pesto is one of my favourite ways to liven up meal times since it’s so flavourful! Leftover pesto will keep well for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
Use it in these other pesto recipes including:
Healthy Breakfast Sandwiches with Pesto
Pesto Chicken Burgers
Pesto Chicken Spaghetti Squash
Crustless Asparagus Quiche
Salmon should always be baked skin down. It helps to protect the flesh from the heat of the baking dish and will help it to retain its juices.
What to serve with pesto salmon
This pesto crusted salmon pairs well with a variety of different sides including rice, potatoes, fresh pasta, vegetable sides and salads.
Try it with some of these favourite side dishes:
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Kale Blueberry Salad
- Green Beans with Red Peppers
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Arugula Nectarine Salad
- Heart Shaped Potatoes
Recipe variations
- Add some veggies: For a colourful sheet pan meal, you could also toss some veggies like cherry tomatoes, red onion, and zucchini on the baking pan (or use a separate one) tossed with some of the extra pesto.
- Mix up the pesto: You can add 1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese to the homemade pesto and use pine nuts or walnuts instead of cashews, if desired. You can also try using a different flavoured pesto other than basil. Sun-dried tomato works too!
- Make it more zesty: Add a bit of lemon zest to the pesto mixture to make it even more lemony.
- Make it crispy: Try adding some panko bread crumbs on top of the pesto for a crispy crust, or add a sprinkle of sliced almonds on top.

More Easy Salmon Recipes
- Salmon Patties with Crackers
- Smoked Salmon Breakfast Wrap
- Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes
- Mediterranean Salmon Recipe
- Dairy-Free Salmon Florentine
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Baked Pesto Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound salmon fillets (or four 4 ounce salmon fillets)
- Juice of half a lemon
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup homemade pesto sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up.
- Lay the salmon fillets skin side down on the baking sheet. Squeeze lemon juice over top of them and season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the pesto sauce according to directions.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of the pesto sauce over each of the fish fillets. Spread evenly to cover each of the fillets.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the fish is opaque and begins to flake with a fork.
- Serve warm with remaining pesto sauce on top.
Notes
- For vibrant green pesto: If you want to keep the pesto more green and vibrant, place a dollop or two on each salmon fillet and don’t spread it over the fillets until the fish has finished cooking. I’ve done it both ways and it tastes delicious either way!
- Use skin-on or skinless salmon: You can purchase salmon with the skin on or skinless salmon fillets. For fillets with skin, use a sharp fillet knife to remove the skin from the raw salmon, if desired. You can also remove the skin after baking. If any scales are on the skin, scrape them away before baking fish.
- Be generous with pesto: I like to spread the pesto all over the salmon fillets, including the tops and sides to infuse flavour into every bite.
- Meal prep: I usually like to make up a double batch of the pesto and freeze the extras in these Souper Cubes. That way you can pop out the cubes of pesto to thaw them out as you need them. It makes for such a quick and easy dinner when the pesto is already made.
- Adjust cooking times: You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the fish fillet. You’ll know it’s done when the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- For crispier edges: To get the edges brown and crispy, you may wish to broil the fish for the last two minutes of cooking. Just be sure that you don’t place the baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven too close to the broiler or the pesto may burn.
- Don’t overcook the salmon: If you cook salmon for too long, it will get dry. Always check your fish at the minimum baking time to ensure your baked salmon doesn’t get overcooked.
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