Baked Pesto Salmon with Parsley and Garlic
A twist on pesto that results in an incredible salmon!
Whenever I develop a recipe, I spend a lot of time trying different flavor combinations to get it just right. While working on this recipe for pesto salmon, I was picturing in my head all the flavors coming together. But there was one problem: I am not a huge fan of pesto, even though I know it adds so much to so many foods. I was analyzing what I don’t like about it and realized it’s the taste of fresh basil. I wondered how pesto would taste with parsley instead of basil, so I tried it for the first time on this salmon, since salmon is such an amazing blank canvas. It was everything I’d dreamed of! The flavors went together so well and there was no overpowering taste of basil. I am so happy to have discovered this alternative (though you can certainly use basil if that’s the flavor you prefer!).
In general, I’m not a huge fish lover. Sure, I’ll eat it, but while I know some people who will spend a lot on fish in high-end restaurants, to me, restaurants are for steak and fries! However, if I’m going out for lunch, I will often order a salad with a slice of salmon over it or a nice salmon dish. And don’t tell anyone, but I even sometimes buy a “heimishe” slice of salmon in gel sauce from the deli. My very American husband won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole, but it reminds me so much of my youth. When I was growing up, my mother would make the most delicious poached salmon for Yom Tov. And my father used to come home every week with a piece of white fish or carp, sometimes both, and we would all stand around him at the Shabbos table and dip our challah into the fish gel. I know it sounds gross, but we all loved it!
When it comes to salmon beyond the traditional “gelled” type, my mother-in-law is the queen. She taught me not to be intimidated by a huge side of salmon and that salmon is an incredibly beautiful blank slate that you can do almost anything with. Once I learned that, I started exploring and trying all kinds of salmon recipes.
For another pesto substitution that worked out great, I used almonds instead of pine nuts, as pine nuts are very expensive. And it doesn’t have to be almonds! Walnuts — or really any nuts — are also great alternatives.
When making pesto, fresh garlic is the way to go, but if you don’t have any, you can use frozen cubes or even dried minced garlic or garlic powder. I always use dried spices and herbs as a last resort, because it does make a huge difference, but it will still work.
I like to make this pesto salmon fresh, but if you want to be proactive and organized, you can prep the pesto in advance and freeze it.
While a side of salmon is so regal to bring to the table, if I’m not having a large crowd I’ll just buy and cook two or three smaller pieces. If I have some leftover salmon but not enough for another meal, I’ll cut it up and add it to a salad. Sometimes I’ll even make extra on purpose, so I can use it for lunches for the next few days.
For this pesto salmon, you can use slices like I did or you can double the pesto and make a whole side (you’ll have to bake it for longer). If I’m having a lot of guests, I’ll buy a small piece from Trader Joe’s which comes out to about one-third of a side. The men in my family actually prefer full salmon filets to pieces — and always with the skin on!
Baked Pesto Salmon with Parsley and Garlic
Ingredients
- 4 slices salmon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 bunch parsley, thick stems removed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup almonds (I used slivered, but you can use any type)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place salmon in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place parsley, garlic, oil and almonds in a food processor fitted with an s-blade and blend until mostly smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender or any type of bleder for this.)
- Spread pesto over fish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until done (check on it after 10 minutes, especially if your pieces of salmon are smaller).
Notes
Recipe by Faigy Murray | https://mykitchenmystudio.com/baked-pesto-salmon-with-parsley-and-garlic/
