Pesto Butter Salmon

Name: Pesto Butter Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds salmon fillets; 1 tablespoon lemon juice ((about the juice of half a lemon) ); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ((optional) ); 8 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest; 1/2 cup homemade walnut basil pesto ((use store bought or our recipe)); Garnish with: fresh basil, tomatoes, lemon slices ((optional) )

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This tasty and easy baked salmon recipe is rich, decadent and satisfying. It's slathered in our homemade walnut pesto recipe, butter, and is ready in under 20 minutes. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, then top with some fresh lemon, tomatoes and basil for a refreshing and balanced touch to this rich salmon dish.

two gorgeous pesto butter salmon fillets with tomatoes basil and lemons

Can you ever go wrong with pesto? In our opinion, no. It's honestly freakin' delicious, and has the ability to elevate almost anything you're eating. This pesto salmon recipe is sure to please. This low carb dinner is so easy to throw together, and it's always perfectly satisfying and rich!

One of our favorite things about this dish? This baked pesto salmon is mostly hands off time too. Just quickly season the salmon fillets and bake it, so you have time to mix up a quick side or salad to go along with it. This dish will become an easy, flavorful dinner staple with minimal prep time.

We include lots of process pictures in the body of the text, as well as ideas for substitutions and more. Feel free to skip to the recipe card if you'd like to get right into it. This recipe is also available as a Google Web Story here!

Ingredients:

Whole salmon fillet - Or salmon portions, whatever is easier for you. Just make sure you have about 1.5 pounds of salmon. Skin on or off according to your preference.
Basil pesto - We use our homemade walnut pesto recipe for this. You can make it up to 10 days in advance. It's ready in just minutes in your food processor, but of course any store bought or homemade variety can be used here.
Butter - We love something high quality and grass fed for this (liked Kerrygold) but of course you can use whatever you want. It's best to use softened butter to make your butter pesto sauce, so it's easy to mix together. You can also soften it slightly in the microwave.
Extra virgin olive oil - We mix in a bit of extra olive oil to make the perfect sauce!
Lemon juice & zest - Freshly squeezed is always your best bet, and zest just helps amp up that lemon flavor easily. We just love adding lemon to seafood recipes.
Seasoning - We keep it simple with red pepper flakes (optional) and a little kosher salt and pepper.
Serve with: fresh basil, tomatoes, and lemon slices (optional)

How to Make This Basil Pesto Butter Salmon:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle lemon juice over top of the salmon, season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes on both sides.

In a separate container, combine olive oil, pesto, lemon zest and softened butter. Mix well. Transfer salmon to a prepared baking sheet. Place the buttery pesto sauce over salmon until completely covered.

butter with olive oil and pesto in a glass container

mixed pesto butter mixture in a glass container

Bake for 8-10 minutes until an instant read thermometer reaches 145°F. The buttery pesto sauce will melt off the sides, we like to drain it off into a separate container and serve with the salmon later. Plate the salmon with lemon slices, fresh basil, tomatoes and drizzle the remaining sauce over top.

two pieces of pesto butter salmon with tomatoes and lemon

detail shot of pesto butter salmon with tomatoes basil and lemon

Tips For The Best Baked Basil Pesto Salmon Recipe:

This recipe was made using about 3 servings of our homemade walnut pesto recipe if you want to use store bought, feel free, but be sure to adjust the macros accordingly!
Tomatoes, lemon and extra basil are not included in the nutrition facts.
Red pepper flakes are optional.

Is This Basil Pesto Salmon Recipe Keto Friendly?

Yes! Absolutely! It's only 1 net carb per serving, 59 grams of fat, and 38 grams of protein for an ultra satisfying and filling meal.

Is Pesto Butter Salmon Gluten Free?

Yes, this recipe is 100% gluten free. We make all of the components ourself however. So, if using something store bought, be sure to double check the ingredients. Pesto is generally naturally gluten free, and everything else is a pretty "whole" ingredient, so it's pretty safe. Always be sure to check though if you are celiac. Sometimes store bought ingredients have weird additives.

Can I Reheat This Salmon?

We suppose you could, but salmon is kind of awful reheated. It just gets super overcooked and dry. We recommend simply eating leftovers cold.

More Keto Recipes To Try:

Need more ideas? Be sure to check out this massive list of over 85+ low carb and keto friendly recipes on our site!

bite shot with fork cutting into pesto butter salmon

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flat lay of pesto butter salmon with fresh basil, tomatoes and lemon on a blue backdrop and white plate

If you get a chance to try this recipe, let us know what you think, would ya?! Leave us a comment, or catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram, or pin to your favorite Pinterest board for later. We love sharing your versions of our creations over on Instagram @afullliving!

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Until Next Time,
Briana & Chamere