Salmon pesto pasta is a great, elevated dinner that is ready in under 30 minutes. The herbaceous, beautiful green pesto lights up the salmon and the pasta.
Table of contents
Why Make This Salmon Pesto
This recipe is simple to whip up, it's elevated and beautiful. The spinach walnut pesto is full of superfoods and antioxidants. My husband loved this recipe and has since requested it a few times. This meal makes for a great meal prep as well, the salmon can easily be reheated if you have leftovers. Also try my Tuna Pesto Pasta.
Ingredients Needed
Basil. Fresh basil will work best.
Spinach. Fresh spinach. You won't taste it much, it adds a lot of color and great antioxidants.
Walnuts. Walnuts are a bit cheaper and much easier to find than pine nuts so I love to use them in pesto.
Parmesan. Fresh grated Parmesan to add a nutty saltiness to the pesto.
Lemon. Fresh lemon juice is the best for this recipe.
Garlic. This add aroma and a little bite to the pesto.
Olive Oil. A high quality oil with neutral flavor will be best.
Seasoning. Red pepper flakes and salt for flavor and heat in the peso.
Pasta. Any pasta shape will work for this!
Salmon. I opt for boneless and skinless salmon but you can use any salmon of choice.
Recipe Variations
Walnuts. You can use pine nuts in place of the walnuts if preferred.
Basil. You can also use cilantro in place of the basil.
Parmesan. Pecorino will work, or you can use nutritional yeast to make it dairy free. Just add some salt to taste if needed since parmesan add a lot of saltiness to the pesto.
Salmon. If you don't have salmon, you can add canned tuna to the pasta or use a white fish.
Pasta. use any pasta of choice. You can also use zucchini noodles or riced cauliflower to make this lower carb.
Steps To Make This Recipe
Step One. Start water to boil pasta in. Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor and blitz until blended well and the walnuts are broken down. Feel free to add more olive oil if you'd like to thin it out or it the pesto is not blending. Set aside.
Step Two. Preheat to 375º. On a parchment lined baking sheet, add the salmon and top with pesto, about 1-1.5 tbsp on each salmon. The rest will be for the pasta. Bake Salmon for 12-15 minutes.
Step Three. While pasta is boiling, be sure to collect 1.5 cups of pasta water before draining!
Step Four. Once the pasta is al dente, grab pasta water, drain and put back into the pot. Add in the pesto and 1/2 cup of pasta water at a time until pesto is evenly spread. Plate the pasta and add the salmon on top. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired and enjoy.
FAQ's & Tips
It's always best to try and get wild caught sustainable salmon, but you can use any salmon of choice. I tend to go for what's on sale.
Yes, make this dairy free by using nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
Make the pesto ahead of time to cut down on time. The pesto will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have leftovers, store everything in an airtight container. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pesto itself can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Other Salmon Recipes To Enjoy
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Salmon Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- food processor or high speed blender
Ingredients
Pesto
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2½ Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup parmesan *see notes
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes *see notes
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 cup fresh spinach
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
Salmon Pesto Noodles
- 5 cups pasta
- 1-1½ cup pasta water
- .75 lb salmon Or 4 filets
- 4 Tbsp parmesan optional for topping
Instructions
- Start water to boil pasta in. Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor and blitz until blended well and the walnuts are broken down. Feel free to add more olive oil if you'd like to thin it out or it the pesto is not blending. Set aside.
- Preheat to 375º. On a parchment lined baking sheet, add the salmon and top with pesto, about 1-1.5 tbsp on each salmon. The rest will be for the pasta. Bake Salmon for 12-15 minutes.
- While pasta is boiling, be sure to collect 1.5 cups of pasta water before draining!
- Once the pasta is al dente, grab pasta water, drain and put back into the pot. Add in the pesto and 1 half cup of pasta water at a time until pesto is evenly spread, it may not need all the water so add in increments. Plate the pasta and add the salmon on top. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired and enjoy.
Ryan
So delicious! Love this recipe for the spring!
Cody
Love this recipe, love the combo with salmon. Highly recommend.