Pesto Crusted Salmon

5 from 1 vote

20 minute baked salmon with a delicious pesto, Parmesan and panko crust. A flavourful weeknight-friendly recipe made with just 5 ingredients.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Fish, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Helen

Heat your oven to 300°F or 180°C.
Remove any excess moisture from the salmon fillets with kitchen paper.
If your salmon fillets have skin, use a sharp knife to carefully remove it. (Note 2)
Mix the Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs in a bowl.
Brush the surface of a baking dish with a thin layer of olive oil and place the salmon fillets in.
Spread the pesto onto the salmon fillets then sprinkle them with the panko and parmesan mixture.
Place the baking tray in the oven for approximately 10 minutes until the flesh is opaque the whole way through or the internal temperature has reached 50C or 125F. (Note 3)
Optional: Broil the salmon fillets for 2-3 minutes to get the panko Parmesan topping slightly brown and crispy.
Serve immediately with your choice of sides.

Salmon: Buy skinless if you can. Feel free to choose a variety that suits your tastes. Read the which type of salmon to use section in the recipe post to find out more about specific varieties that will work well in this recipe. Avoid using smoked fish as the flavour may be overpowering when combined with the pesto. This recipe has been tested with salmon fillets that are approx 125g or 9oz each. You may need to adjust the length of the cooking time and the amount of pesto and panko breadcrumbs depending on the size of your salmon fillets.
Panko breadcrumbs: You can also use breadcrumbs instead, although the topping won't be quite as crispy.
Basil pesto: Use jarred, fresh or use homemade pesto recipe from my Basil Pesto Pasta recipe.