When you need an easy, no-fuss fish dinner, make this grilled pesto-crusted salmon, that requires just five ingredients (including salt and pepper!) and is ready in under 30 minutes.
Recipe at a Glance: Pesto-Crusted Salmon
- DETAILS
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Preparation method: Grill
- HIGHLIGHTS
- This simple grilled salmon recipe uses pesto and fresh lemon to create a flavorful meal in less than 30 minutes.
- The salmon is cooked on a bed of foil so you don't have to worry about the skin sticking to the grill. The foil also makes it easy to transfer the fish to and from the grill surface.
- Serve your grilled pesto salmon with a couple of grilled side dishes to create a simple summer meal.
This easy pesto-topped grilled salmon is a simple, way to make the most of fresh or frozen salmon. Ready in about 30 minutes, it's packed with flavor, perfect for busy weeknights, and pairs beautifully with easy grilled sides like grilled carrots or Blackstone zucchini fritters for a fuss-free meal.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a nutritious, easy to make fresh fish recipe, and requires only 5 ingredients (including salt and pepper!)
- It's ready in less than 30 minutes.
- It's cooked on the grill on foil so there is no stinky fish smell inside and no dishes!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salmon--You can use your favorite type of salmon. I love wild salmon, but it does have a stronger flavor than farmed salmon. Use what you prefer. If you only have individual salmon filets, arrange them side by side on the foil so that they are snuggled up against each other.
- Pesto--Use your favorite store-bought or homemade pesto. I always use my homemade nut-free pesto, because then I know that it's safe for the nut allergies in my house (and I love that fresh basil flavor), but feel free to use your preferred brand or recipe. Use leftover pesto for adding to mozzarella-stuffed chicken breasts, or in any of these great ways to use pesto.
How to Make Grilled Pesto Salmon
1. Arrange a double layer of foil on a flat surface and fold up the edges to create a tray. Spray the foil with cooking spray and arrange half of the lemon slices in a single layer on the foil.
2. Place the salmon filet on top of the lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper and spread the pesto evenly over the salmon.
3. Top with the remaining lemon slices.
4. Grill the salmon until flaky and cooked through.
FAQs
That gunky white stuff you may see on the surface of your salmon when you cook it is called albumin. It's a liquid protein that solidifies when heated. It may not look particularly appetizing, but it is completely harmless and safe to eat.
Albumin typically solidifies when the fish is cooked over high heat or cooked for too long. To prevent it from forming, cook your salmon over medium or medium-low heat, and take care not to overcook it.
Yes! Cook the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 350°F oven until cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover salmon can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Discard the lemon slices before storing.
You can enjoy the leftovers cold, or, if you prefer to reheat them, transfer the fish to a new foil liner and heat in a 300°F (150°C) oven or over low on the grill until warmed through.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To check for doneness, gently prod the center of the salmon with a fork or knife. When it's done, it should flake apart easily.
- Use a baking sheet or metal tray under the foil when transporting it to and from the grill. The foil can be pretty flimsy.
- This pesto-crusted salmon recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets.
More Easy Salmon Recipes You'll Love
Tried This Recipe?
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Recipe
Pesto-Crusted Salmon
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 ¼ pound salmon filet
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup pesto
Instructions
- Preheat the grill for medium heat (350°F). Arrange two slices of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and fold up the edges to create a tray. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
- Arrange half of the lemon slices on the foil in a single layer about the same size as the piece of fish.
- Place the salmon on top of the lemon slices and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the pesto over the salmon and top with the remaining lemon slices.
- Grill until the salmon is cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
Notes
-
- Checking for doneness--To check for doneness, gently prod the center of the salmon with a fork or knife. When it's done, it should flake apart easily.
-
- Transporting the fish--Use a baking sheet or metal tray under the foil when transporting it to and from the grill. The foil can be pretty flimsy.
- Make it in the oven--Cook the salmon on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 15 to 17 minutes.
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- Dietary--This pesto-crusted salmon recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets.
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