Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes
Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes is delicious any time of year, even when you have to use basil pesto from a jar! And the pesto and tomatoes add so much flavor to this delicious baked salmon, and it’s quick and easy to make.
PIN the Baked Salmon with Pesto to make it later!
Today I’m reminding you about Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes. This is one of those no-fail perfect recipes that’s always delicious whenever you make it, but if you still have some fresh garden tomatoes (and maybe even some homemade Basil Pesto with Lemon) this will be even better.
I just made some pesto with my basil that’s growing on the patio, but summer is winding down, and this is a great idea for an early fall dinner. But even if you don’t have a garden, or your garden tomatoes are long gone, or if you have to use mid-winter tomatoes and pesto from the store, this recipe for salmon with pesto will always produce spectacular results!
The recipe was adapted from Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times (affiliate link) where Bittman used tomatoes and fresh basil to top salmon that was baked in foil. And no disrespect to Mark Bittman, but I think my variation of using pesto to replace the fresh basil might even have been an improvement!
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- salmon fillets
- Szeged Fish Rub (affiliate link), or fish rub of your choice
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- Basil Pesto (affiliate link)
- tomatoes
What’s my Favorite Pesto for baked salmon with pesto?
There’s no question that my homemade Basil Pesto with Lemon would be my first choice for any recipe that uses pesto. But when I don’t have any of that in the freezer, I am very happy with Kirkland Basil Pesto from Costco, and I buy it over and over!
What salmon do I use for the baked salmon with pesto?
You can use any skinless salmon you prefer for this recipe, but I usually buy the frozen salmon fillets from Costco.
How low in carbs is Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes?
This amazing dinner idea only has 4 net carbs per serving.
Want more Ideas for Basil Pesto?
Check out Amazing Recipes with Pesto for more tasty ideas for using basil pesto!
Steps to Make Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Let salmon come to room temperature while you preheat the oven or toaster oven and the baking sheet.
- Make a double layer of foil, drizzle a little olive oil on the foil, lay on the salmon pieces, and season the fish. I always season fish with Szeged Fish Rub (affiliate link), but use any seasonings you like if you don’t have that.
- Top salmon with a thin layer of pesto and some slices of tomato.
- Wrap up packets, folding over the ends a couple of times.
- Bake 15 minutes. Then let sit a few minutes before carefully opening packet.
- Serve hot, and enjoy.
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
You can serve Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes right in the foil if you’d like, for a dinner that’s sure to please anyone who likes salmon. Add something like Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad, Marinated Zucchini Salad, or Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad for a low-carb meal!
More Ideas for Baked Salmon:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Salmon Sheet Pan Meal
- Asian Salmon and Green Beans Sheet Pan Meal
- Roasted Lemon Salmon and Asparagus Sheet Pan Meal
Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes
Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes is so good, even when you don't have fresh summer tomatoes and have to use pesto from the store!
Ingredients
- 2 6 oz. salmon fillets
- fish rub of your choice; see note (this is optional but recommended)
- 2 tsp. olive oil (to grease foil)
- 4 tsp. basil pesto (see notes)
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F. (see notes)
- Place a baking sheet in oven to heat while you prep the salmon.
- Tear two pieces of foil, big enough to wrap salmon with some overlapping.
- Place foil pieces one on top of the other.
- Put about 2 tsp. olive oil in center of top piece of foil and lay salmon on top of oil.
- Season salmon with Szeged Fish Rub or other seasonings of your choice.
- Spread each piece of salmon with about 2 tsp. basil pesto.
- Arrange sliced tomatoes over pesto so they cover the top of the salmon.
- Wrap salmon securely in foil, doubling over the seam and ends several times.
- Place salmon packet on heated baking sheet and cook 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven after 15 minutes and let sit 2-3 minutes.
- Then open carefully and serve immediately, while salmon and tomatoes are hot.
Notes
For years I have usedย Szeged Fish Rub (affiliate link) but any seasoning blend that tastes good on fish will work in this recipe. You can use pesto from a jar here with good results, although obviously homemade pesto is even better.
Recipe adapted fromย Mark Bittmanโs Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times (affiliate link).
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 575Total Fat 33gSaturated Fat 7gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 158mgSodium 211mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 62g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This tasty salmon with pesto and tomatoes is a wonderful meal for low-carb or Keto eating plans, or for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. Tomatoes do have some carbs, but there’s not a lot of tomato in this recipe.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Seafood Recipes or Oven Dinners to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโs Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโm sharing there.
Historical Notes for This Recipe:
This recipe with salmon, pesto, and tomatoes was first posted in 2008 and it quickly became a favorite! The photos were updated through the years, and the recipe was last updated with more information in 2024. And it’s still a favorite for me after all those years.
107 Comments on “Baked Salmon with Pesto and Tomatoes”
These came out great! I made individual foil pouches so leftovers could easily be stored. Very moist, these were delicious!
So glad you loved it! This is a favorite for me too.
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Do you know if the Szeged Fish Rub is sold in stores? I see it on Amazon, but would like to pick up in a store if possible. Thanks.
I did first discover it in a store that sold overstocked items, but I haven’t seen it in any stores around here recently. Maybe try googling the company and see if you can find any information about where it’s sold. I do love it and try to never run out!
I know this is an old recipe, but just wanted to say that I made this tonight, but with flounder. All I had was white fish, and it still came out wonderful! I just decreased the bake time because it was a thinner fish. Thank you, I use your recipes all the time!
Good to know; so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I made this a couple of weeks ago and forgot to comment. I used super ripe Farmer's Mkt tomatoes and Wild Alaskan King Salmon, it was absolutely delicious! I was so happy to have run across this recipe of yours because I had never thought to put pesto on salmon. (I know, silly me!)
Thanks Tracey, so glad you liked it.
Hmm. It looks so yummy and tasty. Iโll definitely try this Salmon meal recipe this weekend at my home for my family. It attracts me a lot because of their numerous health benefits and their tastes. Many thanks for sharing this awesome recipe ๐
Glad you like it Luis!
I really like salmon! Haven't tried salmon like this ๐ thanks for the recipe
Thanks Mejeda; hope you enjoy!
This looks delish and so colorful! That basil pesto over the salmon sounds pretty amazing!
Thanks Katerina! Definitely a hit with my nephew when we tested it!
I love foil packet dinners and this salmon definitely needs to be added to my must make list, Kalyn!
Thanks Melanie, hope you enjoy!
I have a huge fear of making salmon at home, but this looks pretty straightforward…I think I can do it. ๐
Michelle, seriously this is pretty much foolproof! I do hope you will try it.
This does sound wonderful. Summer tomatoes are still pretty plentiful here and I have a ton of pesto in the freezer…I make it all summer long and freeze my extras so I don't have to miss out on the winter months! I'd really like to try this!
MIchelle, I hope you will try it and love it as much as I do!
Salmon always makes for such a beautiful dish! Love the pesto topping!
Thanks Anna; so glad you like it!
Wow, what a great idea! I have bags of pesto in the freezer so I'm totally making this, and soon!
Sara, lucky you! Hope you enjoy it!
I actually like the original picture. ๐ I think your pesto instead of basil idea was definitely an improvement! It looks lovely.
Erin, I don't *hate* it, but I like the new one much better!
Ah, Weekend Herb Blogging — a little nostalgia trip! I love how easy this recipe is, and how flavorful the results of just a few minutes of cooking can be.
Lydia, yes I miss some things about those days. But I don't miss the hours I used to spend doing the WHB round-ups. And no one would click around and read about herbs now anyway! Highly recommend this recipe.
I love to see these recipes resurrected from the archives, if only to see the familiar names of the โoriginalโ food bloggers in the first comments. This oneโs going on the Supper This Week list!
Alanna, it is fun isn't it? And this was posted for Weekend Herb Blogging! Those were the kinder, gentler days of blogging for sure, when people actually had to visit the blog to talk to you. I hope you enjoy it, this is one of my favorites.
Seriously I don't think this will freeze all that. But it only tales a few minutes to throw together.
Hi Kalyn ๐
I am excited to try this recipe. I teach and have 3 kiddos. We are BUSY, but are committed to eating healthy despite our schedules. This recipe is perfect for us! I have acquired quite a bit of healthy freezer friendly meals that meet our needs. Do you think this would freeze well? I thought I could prepare it with the pesto, wrap it in foil, and put it in the freezer. When we are ready to enjoy, I could thaw in fridge, top with tomatoes and bake. What do you think?
I wrapped both pieces of salmon together, but double-wrapped the packet with foil so it wouldn't leak or burn on the grill.
I'm sure this is a dumb question, but did you wrap each piece of salmon individually in it's own piece of foil, or did you double wrap the two salmon together. It says two pieces of foil. Not sure where the second piece goes.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for this recipe! Made this today and it came out very tasty.
I'd try thawing it a tiny bit more with either the fish inside a plastic bag and run hot water over it, or a microwave, knowing that will start to cook the salmon the tiniest bit. I still think that would be better than having the inside not cooked (and the other part might get dry before the frozen part is done. Hope that works; I love this recipe!
I have a dilemma! I took my salmon out of the freezer far too late today and I've gotten myself into a bit of a mess. I've thawed it under cold water but the thickest part is still a bit frozen and it's already 7:15pm. Do you think it would be alright to go ahead and use it, if I adjusted the cooking time longer, perhaps? Would there be an issue with extra liquid?
It's my own fault, I suppose. I've been so excited about this recipe all week, but my day just got away from me!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. This is something I've made over and over for guests.
A friend gave me some homemade pesto and I wanted to make salmon for a dinner party so googled and found your recipe. I am a huge lover of caprese salad so your recipe really caught my eye with the basil pesto and tomotoes. It was a huge hit! I cooked 4 packets so left in the oven for about 5 extra minutes. I served this with a starter of corn, red pepper, and leek soup with creme fraiche; then the salmon with roasted root veges and a salad of arugula, apples, calamata olives and pecans. I will be sharing your recipe and definitely making it again! Cannot wait to check out your other recipes! Thanks! – Houston, TX
DELICIOUS! My hubby enjoyed it too!
I cannot tell you how HAPPY and GRATEFUL I am that I found this site! Every time I look for recipes I'm bombarded with so much fat and carbs!! I kind of gave up and just ate whatever was around and easy (lots of rice and pasta dishes).
I recently decided to go south beach-y and this site is just perfect. Please keep posting and sharing, because I would be lost without it!!
Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for posting this recipe! I made pesto a few days ago and had no idea how to bake it with the salmon. I'll be trying this one tonight!
Mike, glad to hear it worked well for you!
Your recipe was a lifesaver. I bought 3 fillets today and did have a clue how I wanted to cook them. I added a few thin lemon slices and a splash of pinot grigio (about a half shot) for a little extra acid.
Made fresh cooked spinach with garlic and fingerling potatoes with chives, parsley and evoo.
My wife and daughter loved it. Thanks again.
Jessica, so glad you liked it!
Oh.My.Gosh. YUM! I made this and added a little bit of fetta cheese and whole almonds in with it. Soooo good! Even great with store bought pesto ๐
Matt, hope you enjoy it, and lucky you to have salmon in the freezer and tomatoes in the garden!
That looks delicious. I just took a piece of Chinook out today and will try this with tomatoes from the garden tonight!
Melissa, glad you liked it, and good to know it worked with canned tomatoes as well.
This was fantastic. I cheated and used a can of petit tomatoes instead of fresh. Super easy and still very delicious! Thanks!!! ๐ Also, if you don't oil the foil then you can lift the fish right off the skin. I don't like fish skin on my plate.
Jess, this is something I make often for guests, highly recommend this recipe.
Oh my goodness – this sounds fabulous! Can't wait to try it.
I love the sound of mizuna pesto in this; I bet that is fantastic! Glad you liked it.
We had this tonight with mizuna pesto (frozen fresh after summer ended forever ago!) and canned tomato. It was really good. I served it with some steamed broc with soy sauce… simple and good.
I would say that "foil-baked" means baked in foil, which is definitely not steaming. I would also call the fish with a crusty surface baked, but that's just my opinion.
Is this method of cooking the fish considered steaming it then?
(haha my idea of baked salmon always involves the fish getting some kind of yummy crusty surface!.. or is that roasting?)
I'll definitely try this soon!
I am excited to try this tonight. Can anyone tell me what they served with this to complete the meal.
I am looking for healthy alternative eating recipes and I think this may be a good start. ( I think )
I'm doing a variation on your salmon in foil packets tonight- I love fish cooked in foil. xox
Anonymous, I'm not that familiar with mizuna, but maybe the pesto had less oil than the regular basil pesto I used?
We made this tonight with a homemade mizuna pesto and pac choy. I felt like it was missing something, maybe butter. It made for a very moist fish though. thanks!
Anonymous, can’t imagine why it would take so long to cook unless your salmon was unusually thick or the oven temperature was wrong.
Has anyone else run into an issue on cooking time? I have it in the oven at 450 for over 25 minutes and it still is raw on the inside. Any suggestions?
Val, I didn’t use salt and pepper, but you certainly could if you wanted to.
I have never cooked fish before, but I do know that salmon is my favorite. Also, pesto is my all time favorite sauce and the two together sound wonderful, and with the tomato on top… it is just the recipe I was looking for. But I noticed that the recipe doesn’t call for any seasoning other that the pesto. Is the pesto enough or is it supposed to be common sense that I should sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the salmon itself?
Anonymous, glad to hear you liked it, and lucky you to have your own pesto!
This is terrific, I use my own pesto (frozen from last summer) and double what’s called for. I am making it a second time for guests.
Thank you for this recipe – I was looking just for the right temperature and time to cook salmon in foil packets, which I used to easily find at the aluminum foil manufacturer’s site, but a google search landed me at your blog entry. I’ll have to give your full recipe a try next time! ๐
This turned out wonderfully! Thanks so much for the suggestion – we just loved it! (and it was easy…don’t tell my husband) ๐
I’ve impressed a few different sets of guests with this quick, minimal cleanup, delicious recipe ๐ I like serving it with a lemony side. Thanks!!!
So glad to hear it turned out for you. You’re right, I do think the pesto really keeps the fish moist.
Mmmm, we just served this as the main course at our Passover seder, which was dairy, and it was SO GOOD! I am not a very good cook so I was thrilled to find this recipe. We used the kosher-for-passover pesto sauce from a jar , which was non-dairy, and the frozen Sockeye salmon from Trader Joe’s.
The one thing I was worried about was the cooking time, as every piece of salmon I had was a different size and shape, but either salmon is a very forgiving fish, or the oil and foil kept it all moist regardless.
Ahhhh, cumin. I was trying to figure out what you meant. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks faster than I type.
uh, make that a light sprinkling of CUMIN, not salmon, on the salmon.
This was scrumptious. I made a fresh pesto with a newly-purchased mini-mortar and pestle (lot more work than I anticipated), and added a light dusting of salmon to the salmon, which I think really brings our the flavor of the fish. Thanks for the great idea, Kalyn! This is going into heavy rotation.
Next time, I think I’m going to try individually packaging the fillets so that I can easily throw a couple in the fridge to take to work for lunch.
Wow. This looks fantastic. I LOVE salmon and am particularly lucky in that I get to eat lots of wild salmon in Vancouver. Thanks for sharing.
I eat salmon at least once a week. I love the pesto and tomato idea, and I’m sure it tasted fantastic. I love salmon with crushed tomatoes and oregano, so I’m sure your recipe will be amazing (since pesto is slightly more exciting than plain oregano).
That looks just perfect. I honestly can’t think of anything more delicious!
I made this for dinner yesterday, together with a big salad and it was excellent! Can’t wait to try it on the BBQ. Definitely a “keeper”! It would also work well with Steelhead Trout. JD ๐
I have bookmarked your adaptation of the recipe Kalyn! I bet it would be delicious on the BBQ as well!!!
This sounds like a perfect low glycemic dinner! And your photo is beautfiful!
Kalyn you make me try so many new recipes :).
This one sounds equally tasty.
I would also add some lime juice just before serving to give it a fresh-invigorating taste. I know that tomatoes are also good at that job.
Oh goodness, I could eat salmon everyday…this looks sooooo good!
Katie, brilliant idea to do it on the barbecue. (This is why I love blogging so much. That thought hadn’t even occurred to me.)
That looks wonderful! I’m going to do that on the barbecue next summer…when I get good tomatoes! (I don’t even try in winter)
I love baked fish – so easy, when you don’t want to do anything too fancy, but still want to eat well and healthily. Thanks for sharing – might just borrow your idea for a midweek meal some time!
I think your photos came out great! And the recipe sounds really good too!
Actually, I think your hero shots of the cooked fish look lovely, Kalyn. And the fish sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to try this new approach. Even though I’m a big fan of fresh basil, I have to agree the pesto would be even better, with its nice garlic kick.
All of my favorite things in one recipe! Thanks! And your photos look great!
Hurray for tomatoes! The pics turned out just fine!
I went to bed thinking about tomatoes… and woke up to your pic!
BTW I really love all the links you provide to related recipes…
I love pesto and I just bought some salmon from Costco yesterday! I never thought of putting the two together. I am excited to try it!
Pesto always makes me think of summer, this sounds great!
Great colours Kalyn! This looks delicious. Also, Lydia’s suggestion of using parchment paper is definitely a good one. I use it for baking fish all the time and it will certainly solve your light reflecting problem!
Those are lovely salmon, and sounds delicious as well.
Kalyn, this looks delicious! I love salmon and try to eat it often, but I usually prepare it the same way – baked with lemon and rosemary. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
That salmon looks and sounds so good! I would imagine that the salmon is super moist and tender being baked/steamed in foil with the tomatoes and pesto.
Glad people like the sound of it. This was one of the best “easy” recipes I’ve made for a long time. It sounds like I’m not the only one who loves ultra easy recipes like this.
Lydia, would you believe I’ve never even bought parchment paper. I think it might work though.
Awesome! Simple, easy and perfect. I love dishes like this!
I wonder whether, to make this more photogenic, it could be baked in parchment instead of foil?
The tomatoes heighten the dish, so in love with roasting them of late.
I had the shiny foil issue the other day when trying to photograph potato packets ๐ I made do, but what a pain.
I’m excited about making your salmon dish — I love pesto. Usually, I make a sweeter glaze for salmon, but I’m getting tired of it and have been looking for something new. Thanks for sharing!
Ah, the challenges of photographing foil. Well, it looks fab. I love fish (or chicken) roasted in foil packets. And with tomato and pesto? Fuggeddaboudit.
Kalyn, I love salmon with pesto, I make it all the time, and with homemade pesto it’s even better! It intensely flavors the salmon so well! MmmmI can taste it now
I normally like my salmon with a sweeter sauce, but this sounds really good. I’ll have to remember this the next time I decide to cook salmon.
Lovely!! That’s very much my kind of recipe ๐