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+ servings
close up shot of cast iron pan with salmon topped with red tomatoes and green pesto sauce

Pesto Salmon

Natalia-Flavorful Home
Pesto salmon recipe made with garlic, crunchy nuts, and juicy fresh tomatoes. This combination goes so well together that the flavorful meal is guaranteed.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cups chard packed, no stems
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for frying
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 pound salmon
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes

Instructions
 

  • Gather the ingredients—Preheat the oven at 350F degrees.
  • Make the pesto. Wash and dry chard, remove stems. In a food processor, place chard, nuts, olive oil, garlic, and pulse for 2 minutes until combined and it looks like pesto-sauce texture.
  • Prep the salmon. Wash, pat dry, and using kitchen shears slice salmon into four fillets.
  • Fry the salmon. Heat cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil, arrange fillet, and fry for 3 minutes on each side.
  • Bake. Once each side is slightly browned, add pesto sauce on top of each fillet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes on a middle rack.
  • Serve. Slice tomatoes, add to the pan on top of the salmon before serving.

Notes

Don’t overcook the fish. To check if salmon is cooked, use a food thermometer. The internal temperature of the cooked salmon should be 145F degrees. If checking with a fork, the salmon should flake easily in the thickest part.
If possible, choose wild-caught salmon.
Fry salmon first. It will help to keep the sturdy texture and make salmon skin more flavorful.
Use quality olive oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 36gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 1047mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1486IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
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