Monday’s are usually our night to reign it back in and make something light like a great piece of fish or a big bowl salad. Salmon is a go to for our crew and this Cashew Pesto Salmon is delicious and comes together in no time.
I like cashews for this pesto because their natural sweet, creaminess pairs really well with the salmon. Adding a little garlic and lemon finishes off the flavors to make a perfect balance and brighten things up a bit.
The pesto portion of this recipe makes far more than we need to top a couple portions of salmon so I store the remainder in the fridge and use it later in the week. I’ll toss it into a quick pasta with sauteed veggies or thin it out with some lemon juice and champagne vinegar for a great salad dressing.
The recipe is super easy, you just throw all the pesto ingredients into a food processor and pulse away. The salmon gets brushed with olive oil, broiled for 3-4 minutes then topped with a smear of pesto before going back in the oven to bake for 7-8 minutes and you’re ready to eat! I like to serve it with some roasted veggies or over a bed of quinoa for a quick, healthy and satisfying meal.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
Cashew Pesto
- 1/2 cup dry roasted cashews
- 1/2 cup basil fresh, leaves only
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated or shredded
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Cashew Pesto Baked Salmon
- 4 6-8oz portions salmon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup cashew pesto from recipe above
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cashew Pesto
- Place cashews, basil, parmesan and garlic in your food processor and pulse 4-5 times to chop and mix ingredients.
- Add olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until pesto is combined and creamy but not fully pureed. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cashew Pesto Baked Salmon
- Turn your oven on to BROIL.
- Place salmon portions on a parchment lined sheet pan, skin side down.
- Brush each salmon portion with olive oil (or use the back of a spoon to spread the olive oil all over each salmon portion). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until salmon begins to form a slight brown crust.
- Remove salmon from the oven and switch oven setting from BROIL to 425*.
- Spread pesto on top of each salmon portion in a thick layer.
- Return the salmon to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes until cooked through (145*-150*). Salmon thickness will vary be careful not to overcook the fish.
- Serve each portion of salmon with a generous spoonful of Cashew Pesto underneath.
I love seeing photos when you make my recipes! Make sure to tag me @katyscookin on Instagram when you make this Cashew Pesto Baked Salmon! Thanks for stopping by!
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