Topping heart-healthy salmon with a simple pesto sauce that has a bit of Asian flair makes for a quick and easy low-carb weeknight dinner!
Cooking a healthy and satisfying meal every night of the week can be a challenge. I often find it so much easier to pick up takeout on my way home from work—or worse, I’ll just munch on cheese and crackers or whatever high-salt, high-carb snacks await me in the pantry. But this baked salmon with Asian cilantro pesto recipe has been my saving grace many times!
In less than half an hour, I’ve got a nutritious and delicious main dish. And because it pairs so well with leftovers—from last night’s cauliflower casserole to last weekend’s baked potatoes to the leafy greens that simply will not last another day—I can put a well-balanced dinner together in a snap. Plus, the combination of bright and savory flavors with just a hint of spiciness feels fresh every time!
Is Baked Salmon With Asian Cilantro Pesto Healthy?
Yes! This salmon and pesto dish is high in protein, heart-healthy fats, and micronutrients. It’s also a keto-friendly choice with very low carbs, as well as being naturally gluten-free—if you use soy sauce that skips the wheat ingredients. You could sub in coconut aminos for the soy sauce to eliminate gluten while also reducing the sodium content. And if you opt for wild-caught salmon over farmed, you’ll get even more heart-healthy omega-3s!
What Is Pesto?
Pesto is a classic Italian sauce traditionally made by blending fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil into a vibrant, fragrant paste. The word pesto comes from the Italian verb pestare, meaning “to pound” or “to crush.” It refers to the traditional method of preparing the sauce using a mortar and pestle. Pesto is incredibly versatile. It’s often a topping for pastas and pizzas, but it makes a great spread for sandwiches, a delightful dip for raw veggies, and an excellent complement for roasted meat and fish. This baked salmon recipe is just one example of how modern cooks tweak traditional pesto ingredients to blend its Italian roots with culinary traditions from around the world.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover baked salmon fillets separately from the pesto sauce—each in its own airtight container—in the refrigerator. The salmon will keep for up to 3 days, while the pesto sauce stays fresh for about 4 to 5 days. You can freeze the pesto in small portions for up to 2 months. Cooked salmon can be frozen for up to 3 months, but you might lose some of that flaky texture. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat it gently in the oven to a safe internal temp of 145°F. Add the pesto just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This baked salmon with Asian cilantro pesto pairs beautifully with a host of Asian-inspired sides, like this Thai Mango-Avocado Salad With Grilled Sweet Potatoes, Miso Eggplant, and Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice. But it also makes a great complement to more familiar sides, like Rosemary-Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Squash, and Garlic Sautéed Spinach.
Ingredients
For The Salmon:
- 4 sockeye salmon fillets about 4 ounces each
- Olive oil
- Salt/pepper to taste
For The Pesto:
- 1/2 cup sriracha-flavored almonds
- 3/4 cup cilantro roughly chopped, tightly packed
- 1 1/2 cups bok choy leaves roughly chopped, lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 to 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Green onion chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly rub the foil with olive oil.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry and place them on the baking sheet with the skin side down. Drizzle just enough oil to cover the top of each filet. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to gently rub the oil into the salmon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake the fish until it flakes easily with a fork, about 13-15 minutes.
- While the fish cooks, make the pesto. Place the almonds in a food processor and crush into small pieces.
- Add the cilantro and bok choy. Process until broken down and combined with the almonds. Scrape the sides and bottom frequently, making sure the almonds mix well with greens rather than packing down at the bottom of the processor.
- Add the lime zest, lime juice, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and pinch of black pepper. Continue processing until well combined.
- With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil and process until the mixture is creamy and runs through the processor smoothly.
- Remove fully the cooked salmon from the oven and transfer the fillets to plates.
- Spread the pesto on the salmon and garnish with green onion. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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