Baked Salmon Pesto Cherry (Printer-friendly)

Salmon fillets baked with herb pesto and fresh cherry tomatoes for a quick, tasty Mediterranean meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets, approximately 5.3 oz each, skin optional

→ Vegetables

02 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Toppings & Seasonings

04 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 lemon, sliced
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a baking tray by lining with parchment paper or lightly greasing it.
02 - Place the salmon fillets on the baking tray. Season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Spread one tablespoon of basil pesto evenly on top of each salmon fillet.
04 - Distribute the halved cherry tomatoes and, if using, the thinly sliced red onion around the salmon on the tray.
05 - Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and onions. Place lemon slices atop the salmon and vegetables.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and is thoroughly cooked.
07 - Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Salmon cooks so quickly that dinner can genuinely happen on a busy weeknight without feeling rushed.
  • The pesto does most of the flavor work, so even with minimal ingredients you get complexity that feels intentional.
02 -
  • Ovens vary wildly, so start checking at 15 minutes—overcooked salmon becomes dry and flavorless in seconds.
  • If your pesto has cheese in it, it can brown quickly at high heat, so spreading it on top rather than mixing it in gives you more control.
03 -
  • Buy salmon the day you're cooking it if you can, and look for fillets that smell like the ocean, not fishy—that's the clearest sign of freshness.
  • If your pesto is thicker than you'd like, thin it slightly with a drizzle of olive oil before spreading, so it doesn't tear the delicate fish.

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