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Pesto butter salmon garnished with parsley, served on a serving platter with lemon slices and a serving utensil resting on the side.

Pesto Butter Salmon

Easy and delicious pesto butter salmon is ready in under 30 minutes and calls for just 4 simple ingredients. High in protein and healthy fats, this is a great nutritious dish for meal prep or a quick dinner on busy weeknights.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Author:Andrea

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon filets or one large whole filet
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tablespoon pesto homemade or store-bought pesto
  • 1-2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Slow Baked Method

  • Preheat the oven to 225 degrees f. 
  • In a small mixing bowl, start by combining the softened butter with the pesto until well-mixed.
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and place your salmon filet(s) on top, skin side down. Sprinkle the individual fillets with salt, and divide up the pesto butter into 4 parts.
  • Add a dollop on top of each piece of salmon. Arrange some lemon slices or even fresh herbs like fresh basil around the filets for even more flavor. 
  • Pop in the oven and bake for at least 25 minutes. Check for doneness and continue to bake in 5 minute increments until cooked through.

Standard Bake Method

  • Follow all directions above, but bake 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes depending on size of the salmon filet.

Notes

Sauté method

If you are in a bit of a hurry, or just like the nice golden brown crust that sauteing offers, here’s how you can make it on the stovetop. Note that this only works with individual salmon fillets, not a single full salmon fillet. 
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. When pan is warmed, add each salmon fillet, skin side down, and lower heat to medium. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, and using a fish spatula, gently flip the filet over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, just till the fish gets a nice golden brown sear.
Gently flip back over and then place a dollop of the pesto butter on top of the salmon.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook for another 5 minutes or so until it’s cooked through and the butter is melted.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 727mg | Potassium: 836mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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