Baked Salmon with Parsley Pesto

featured image for Parsley Pesto Salmon Recipe

5 from 8 votes

This Baked Salmon with Parsley Pesto is an easy dinner featuring tender oven-baked salmon topped with a bright, garlicky parsley pesto. Perfect for busy weeknights or effortless entertaining, this healthy salmon recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with simple ingredients and minimal prep.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $3.09 per serving

Ingredients

1 large roasted red bell pepper rough chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
2 pounds salmon fillet left whole or trimmed into individual fillets
2 large garlic bulbs base trimmed, bulb intact
1 large onion peeled and halved
1 bunch parsley fresh
1 stalk fennel plus 5 or 6 fronds trimmed from bulb
lemon zest from 1 large lemon
¼ cup almonds raw
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar good quality
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking dish, large enough to fit your piece of salmon with room on all sides, with parchment paper.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil atop the parchment. Place the garlic bulbs and the onion halves cut side down into the baking dish. Dust with a healthy pinch of sea salt and some black pepper. Bake 30 to 40 minutes using kitchen tongs halfway through to turn only the onion halves right side up. Leave the garlic cut side down for the duration of the roast.
Chop the roasted red pepper and add to a small bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and stir to combine. Set aside.
In the barrel of a food processor, add the parsley (leaves and stems), the fennel stalk (chopped into 1-inch pieces to fit), lemon zest, almonds, Balsamic vinegar, and a few pinches of sea salt. Pulse to initially break up the fennel, then process on high for a full minute. The mixture should appear crumbly and dry as compared to traditional basil pesto. This is correct.
Rinse the salmon under cold water then pat dry with paper towel. At the 30 to 40-minute mark, remove the baking dish from the oven and move the onion halves and the garlic heads to the sides. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F. Arrange the salmon fillet(s) in the center of the parchment and spread the diced roasted pepper mixture all over.
Squeeze several cloves of the half-roasted garlic from its papery skin and shimmy it atop the fish in a few spots. Add some additional sea salt and black pepper to taste and replace to the hot oven for 15 minutes.
Test the salmon in the thickest part of the fillet using an instant read thermometer. The salmon is cooked through at 145°F however I pull it at between 140°F and 143°F in preparation for the broiler which will get the fish to the 145°F in a matter of minutes while also bronzing the surface. If your fish is reading just under 145°F, pull it from the oven. If, however, the fish is still registering in the 130°s, place the fish back into the 450°F oven in 2-minute increments.
Turn on your ovens broil element. Scatter the pesto atop the salmon and in any pools of liquid accumulating around the sides. Add the reserved fennel fronds in and around the ingredients. Place in the middle position beneath the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes only or the fish may become dry. Use the instant read again to test for doneness. You are looking for 145°F.
Remove from the oven. Spoon any liquids that have accumulated in the bottom of the dish over the fish. Allow it to stand 5 full minutes before serving. Ensure each eater receives some of the roasted garlic and roasted onion.

Notes

Use a baking dish with room around the edges, and line it with parchment paper so the fish does not burn or end up sticking to the baking dish. I crumple the parchment several times, smoothing it out between. It 'stays put' now when I fit it into the baking dish.
I recommend roasting your own bell pepper on your grill or over the flame of your gas range. (If I have time, this is exactly what I do!) If, however, time is tight, use a jarred one and chop it into very fine pieces.
Leftover salmon may be stored under refrigeration in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3-4 days. Enjoy cold in salads, baked into omelets, or swathed with a lovely Kalamata yogurt sauce in some chilled salmon sliders.

Nutrition