Pesto Salmon in Parchment Paper is an easy low-carb, keto, paleo dinner recipe that turns out mouth-wateringly tender and amazingly flavorful. A delicious meal worthy of putting on repeat!
Since my Mediterranean Salmon in Parchment Paper is one of my all-time favorite recipes on this site AND I have a deep love for pesto, I figured I would simplify the parchment paper salmon concept and just go with pesto.
Revolutionary? Nay. But friends, you NEED this!
The salmon turns out so crazy tender in this application and the whole thing is a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
I made the pesto sauce using what greens I had in the refrigerator: spinach, basil, and dill. I used what nuts I had in the pantry: almonds and pistachios. The end result? A flavorful herb salmon with just the loveliest nutty crunch.
Can you go with classic pesto sauce? Yes, absolutely! I cover that in the Pesto Sauce section below. For now, let’s learn…
How to Make Pesto Salmon in Parchment Paper:
Start by making your pesto sauce. Simply toss everything except for the oil into a food process and process to chop. Leaving the food processor on, stream the oil through the opening at the top and continue processing until sauce reaches desired consistency. If you like a thinner sauce, simply add more oil.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Get out a baking sheet, a long strip of parchment paper, twine, and your pesto sauce.
Place the salmon fillet on the center of the parchment paper.
Pour ⅓ cup of pesto sauce over the salmon (you can use more or less depending on the size of your salmon fillet).
Spread the pesto evenly over the salmon.
Fold the edges of the parchment paper over and use twine to secure the parchment.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. Remove from oven and allow salmon to rest 5 to 10 minutes inside the parchment before unwrapping it and slicing it up.
Serve salmon with your favorite side dishes, or on top of a green salad.
Can I Make Pesto Salmon Without Parchment Paper?
If you love making salmon and you currently don’t have parchment paper in your house, no big deal at all! You can absolutely make this pesto salmon without parchment paper.
Place your oven on the high broil setting.
Simply place the salmon on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish. Coat liberally with pesto sauce.
Place on the second to the top rack of the oven under the broiler. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
Pesto Sauce Options:
You can absolutely use store-bought pesto sauce to save yourself some time, or have a look at some of my homemade pesto options:
Serving Options:
Here are some of my favorite side dishes for pairing with salmon:
- My Go-To Balsamic Roasted Vegetables
- German-Style Potato Salad with Caramelized Onions
- Pasta Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
- Mango Edamame Quinoa Salad
- The Best Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
Dive on in!
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!
If you make this Pesto Salmon in Parchment Paper, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pound salmon fillet
- 1/3 cup spinach pesto, + more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take out a baking sheet, a long strip of parchment paper, twine, and your pesto sauce.
- Place the salmon fillet on the center of the parchment paper.
- Pour ⅓ cup of pesto sauce over the salmon (you can use more or less depending on the size of your salmon fillet).
- Spread the pesto evenly over the salmon.
- Fold the edges of the parchment paper over and use twine to secure the parchment.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. Remove from oven and allow salmon to rest 5 to 10 minutes inside the parchment before unwrapping it and slicing it up.
- Serve salmon with your favorite side dishes, or on top of a green salad.
AB
Monday 31st of May 2021
Thank you for this recipe! We had two leftover store-bought pestos: one "regular" and one tomato pesto. I put one type on each of two filets. The recipe was so easy, and the salmon turned out succulent and delicious. I opted to tuck the parchment paper edges under each filet, and so I skipped the twine step. Thanks again for this "keeper!"
Julia
Wednesday 2nd of June 2021
OOh, I love the idea of tucking the parchment under! I've never tried that and now I must! Also love the idea of tomato pesto...sounds delicious! xoxo
Brian
Monday 3rd of June 2019
This time of the year I like doing this with fresh made "Scape" pesto from the garden. Such a wonderful and tasty seasonal treat.