Baked Salmon Pesto Tomatoes (Printable)

Tender salmon fillets topped with basil pesto and roasted cherry tomatoes, ideal for an easy Mediterranean meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 salmon fillets (5.3 oz each), skin-on or skinless

→ Vegetables

02 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Pesto

04 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Seasonings

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Place salmon fillets on the prepared tray and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Spoon 1 tablespoon of basil pesto over each salmon fillet, spreading evenly.
04 - Scatter halved cherry tomatoes and sliced red onion around salmon. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and lemon zest.
05 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until salmon flakes easily with a fork and tomatoes are softened and blistered.
06 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves and lemon wedges.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It transforms a handful of everyday ingredients into something that tastes restaurant fancy without any complicated technique.
  • The pesto does all the flavor heavy lifting while you barely lift a finger, and those tomatoes burst into sweet little pockets of joy.
  • Cleanup is just one tray, which means more time enjoying dinner and less time scrubbing pans at the sink.
02 -
  • Don't overbake the salmon or it turns dry and chalky, so start checking at 15 minutes and trust your eyes and a gentle fork test.
  • If your pesto is very thick, loosen it with a teaspoon of olive oil before spreading so it coats the fish smoothly and doesn't clump.
03 -
  • Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking so it cooks more evenly and stays tender in the center.
  • Save any leftover pesto-tomato pan juices and toss them with pasta or spoon them over crusty bread, nothing should go to waste.

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