Pesto Crusted Salmon

Pesto crusted salmon is a healthy weeknight dinner that’s simple, but packed with flavor. You can make this salmon with a pesto crust in the air fryer or the oven, and with fresh or frozen salmon – whatever fits your needs!

Why You’ll Love Pesto Crusted Salmon

• Pesto crusted salmon is simple, with four ingredients, but delicious!
• With a quick-cooking protein like salmon, it makes a wonderful weeknight meal when you’re busy and trying to get dinner on the table ASAP.
• You can use fresh or frozen salmon in this recipe.
• Make baked pesto salmon in the oven, or use your air fryer.
• It’s high in protein.
• Salmon is a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• Pesto salmon is a versatile main dish. Try pairing it with air fryer baked potatoes, balsamic thyme tomato salad, pesto pasta, or prosciutto green beans.

Featured Ingredients

• Salmon: you can use fresh or frozen salmon in this recipe. If using frozen salmon, see my hack below!
• Pesto: I love my lighter nut-free pesto in this recipe (and usually have some in the freezer, too). Use whatever pesto you have on hand or prefer to buy.
• Parmesan: freshly grated parmesan melts and combines with the bread crumbs to give this pesto salmon its crust.
• Bread Crumbs: a little goes a long way in creating that delicious pesto crust. Use traditional, whole wheat, or gluten-free bread crumbs – whatever fits your needs.

How to Make Salmon with a Pesto Crust

There are two ways you can make this salmon with a pesto crust: the air fryer or the oven.

Air Fryer Pesto Salmon:

With Fresh Salmon:

1. Line the air fryer basket with a piece of foil (trimmed to size!) for easier cleanup.
2. Place the salmon skin-side down on the foil. Top salmon with pesto, then freshly grated parmesan, then breadcrumbs.
3. Air fry at 400ºF for 7-9 minutes.

With Frozen Salmon:

1. Remove salmon fillets from any packaging and rinse with cold water to remove any ice crystals/ icy coating. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Line the air fryer basket with a piece of foil (trimmed to size!) for easier cleanup.
3. Place the frozen salmon skin-side down on the foil. Air fry from frozen for 7-9 minutes, or until defrosted.
4. After the first 7-9 minutes, remove the air fryer basket. Top salmon with pesto, then freshly grated parmesan, then breadcrumbs.
5. Place salmon back in the air fryer and air fry at 400ºF for an additional 7-9 minutes.

Baked Pesto Salmon:

With Fresh Salmon:

1. Line a baking dish with foil and place salmon, skin-side down, on the foil.
2. Top salmon with pesto, then parmesan, then bread crumbs.
3. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Salmon is done with it flakes easily with a fork and is cooked through (to 145ºF).

With Frozen Salmon:

1. Remove salmon fillets from any packaging and rinse with cold water to remove any ice crystals/ icy coating. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Line a baking dish with foil and place salmon, skin-side down, on the foil.
3. Bake the frozen salmon fillets for 10 minutes at 400ºF, or until defrosted.
4. Once salmon is defrosted, remove from oven and then layer on pesto, then parmesan, then bread crumbs.
5. Return salmon back to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. Salmon is done with it flakes easily with a fork and is cooked through (to 145ºF).

Top Tip

Don’t overcook salmon! The number one tip with any salmon dish will be to always make sure you don’t overcook it! Salmon should be incredibly moist, flaky, and tender.

Always start on the low side of the cooking time range, especially if your salmon fillets are thinner or smaller in size.

Pesto Salmon Q&A:

Do I need to flip the salmon at any point? Nope – not even if you’re cooking from frozen, with either method.

What if my salmon fillets are really thin? Start on the low end of the cooking time range. If your fillets are particularly small or you’re really concerned, you can deduct a couple minutes, too. Remember – you can always add more time, but you can’t un-cook something once it’s done.

What if my salmon fillets are super thick? If they’re over one inch thick, they’ll require more cooking time. I would caution against doing really thick salmon fillets in the air fryer, because the crust is closer to the heating elements and can risk getting burned with the required longer cooking time.

Is it okay to use aluminum foil in the air fryer? It’s safe, yes. There are a lot of different opinions on use of foil in the air fryer. What makes the a air fryer cook things so efficiently is its ability to circulate air quickly with the rack. The foil inhibits that a bit. But, in the case of salmon, I find the salmon skin sticks terribly to the rack and quickly erodes at the rack’s coating. That’s why I like to use the salmon, but I make sure to trim it so it doesn’t cover the entire rack.

What to Serve with Pesto Crusted Salmon

Pesto crusted salmon is primarily made up of two macronutrients: protein and fat.

As a registered dietitian, I encourage balanced meals, so I would suggest adding carbohydrates and some non-starchy vegetables to complete this meal.

Carb pairing ideas include:

• Any whole grain (like brown rice, quinoa, farro, etc.)
• Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
• A side of pasta, like pesto pasta
• Bruschetta, garlic knots, crusty sourdough bread, or any other type of bread/ toast.
• Broccoli kale quinoa salad

Vegetable pairing ideas include:

• Air fryer broccoli
• Peach burrata salad
• Prosciutto green beans
• Healthy, sauteed mushrooms
• Lemon garlic collard greens
• Kale caprese salad
• Blistered tomatoes
• Balsamic thyme tomato salad

Storage

Store leftover pesto crusted salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat in the microwave on high for 60 seconds or on the stove top on medium for 2-3 minutes.

More Pesto Recipes & Articles

• Nut-Free Pesto
• Pesto Pasta with Blistered Balsamic Tomatoes
• Chicken Pesto Wrap
• Is Pesto Healthy?
• Can You Freeze Pesto?

Other Tasty Salmon Recipes

• Blood Orange Rosemary Salmon en Papillote
• Grilled Orange Herb Salmon
• Easy Salmon Patties
• Sheet Pan Pineapple Salmon Stir Fry
• Easy Sheet Pan Lemon Sesame Salmon & Asparagus

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