Print

Skillet Pesto Salmon

Skillet Pesto Salmon
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

This skillet pesto salmon is a one-pan weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes and full of bold flavor! Fresh tomatoes cook down into a jammy sauce, finished with a swoop of vibrant pesto.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium ripe tomatoes, stem ends sliced off
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ white onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 to 1½ pounds wild-caught salmon fillets
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ cup pistachio pesto (see Notes) or basil pesto

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Allow the salmon to come to room temperature
  2. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the tomatoes, placing them cut side down. Add the diced onion to the center of the pan and cover tightly. Cook until the tomato skins soften, about 6 to 8 minutes, then use tongs to peel away and discard the skins. Add the minced garlic to the pan over the onions and stir once, then cover and cook for 1 minute more, until the garlic is fragrant and golden. Uncover and mash the tomatoes with a potato masher until saucy, then stir in ¼ tsp kosher salt. Cook the sauce for 3 minutes.
  3. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season the top with ½ to ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (depending on 1 to 1 ½ lbs), smoked paprika, and onion powder. When ready, nestle the fillets into the tomato sauce in the skillet, then transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness, until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (or a few minutes more if the salmon doesn’t come up to temperature; see Notes). 
  4. Remove the skillet from the oven and spoon the tomato sauce over the salmon. Top each fillet with a dollop of pesto and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use an oven-safe skillet. Cast iron is ideal here since the recipe moves straight from stovetop to the oven. If you don’t have one, transfer the sauce and salmon to a baking dish before baking.
  • Broiling: I like broiling the salmon here for an even quicker option, but I had one recipe tester who had issues burning the seasonings on the top with very thick salmon. For broiling, preheat a broiler to High with a rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Broil 4 to 5 minutes for very thin salmon or 7 to 10 minutes for 1-inch thick salmon, until it’s just tender and pink at the center.
  • Swap the pesto. Arugula pesto or a kale pesto all work. For dairy-free, make my vegan pesto.
  • Make it a meal. Serve over orzo, lemony couscous, or with lemon rice. Crusty sourdough bread is great for soaking up the sauce.
  • Try a different fish. Tilapia, halibut, or cod fillets all work well; just adjust the broil time based on thickness.
  • Stir in greens. Wilt a few handfuls of baby spinach or arugula into the tomato sauce just before nestling in the salmon.
  • Make ahead. The smashed tomato sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat in the skillet before adding the salmon.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/skillet-pesto-salmon/