Our one pan pesto salmon recipe is a delicious, easy dish and works any night of the week. A simple pesto adds flavor and brightness; cherry tomatoes add a sweet and savory note with asparagus and diced potatoes. This is a complete one-pan dinner recipe for two but can easily be doubled or tripled to cater to more.

If you love this Pesto Salmon, you will also love this Brown Butter Salmon With Capers And Sundried Tomatoes, Greek Codfish Cakes or Shrimp Orzo In A Lemon Garlic Sauce!

Two pieces of salmon with pesto and vegetables, in a skillet.

Why this recipe sings

It is delicious. Our mushroom stew recipe is based on the classic Greek stifado-red wine beef stew.
It is easy. The whole dish has a quick prep and the cooking takes about 40 minutes.
It is versatile. This mushroom stew can be served over mashed potatoes or polenta for a main course and the leftovers are terrific as a sauce next to a protein.

Two salmon fillets covered with pesto sauce surrounded with cherry tomatoes, potatoes and asparagus in a skillet, on a table with lemon halves, a cloth napkin and herbs.

Here is what you need

Ingredients to make pesto salmon on a wooden table.

Fresh salmon fillets. This recipe will also work with one large salmon fillet. You will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Pesto sauce. Get a jar of pesto sauce, or make your own. Vegan pesto works as well as the one with parmesan.
Cherry tomatoes. Campari variety of tomatoes would also be great, as well as grape tomatoes.
Yukon gold potatoes. I never peel the skin. Instead, I scrub the skin clean and cube them to a small size. Use the potatoes that already are in your pantry and by all means, peel the skin before dicing if you prefer.
Asparagus. It is one of my favorite vegetables, especially roasted. I wash and peel the lower part, then cut it into two or three pieces, depending on the size. The asparagus goes in at the second part of the recipe and gets beautifully roasted.
Onion and garlic. A small onion is enough. Substitute with shallots or thinly sliced leeks.
Sea salt, pepper and chili flakes. I love adding some chili flakes for serving.
A lemon. When the dish is done and ready for serving, I zest a lemon and drizzle tits juice all over. The lemon adds brightness and makes the pesto flavor pop.

Please note: This versatile recipe is easy to tweak to adjust your pantry supplies and budget. For example, you can add the garlic cloves still in their skin (they get sweet and savory with roasting, switch the fish to a different kind, or go for cauliflower florets, broccolini or green beans instead of asparagus.

How to make this pesto salmon

Halved cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, quartered potatoes and trimmed and cut asparagus on a cutting board.

Prepare the veggies. Halve the cherry tomatoes, peel the asparagus, and cut into one-inch-long pieces. Dice the potatoes and roughly chop the onion and garlic.

Halved cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, quartered potatoes and trimmed in a baking pan dressed with pesto sauce.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 425°F.
Add the cherry tomatoes, cubed potatoes, onion and garlic in a medium oven-proof pan. Drizzle half of the olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Take half of the pesto and mix it with the veggies. Bake for 30 minutes.

Two salmon fillets covered with pesto sauce surrounded with cherry tomatoes, potatoes and asparagus in skillet, on a table.

Remove the pan from the oven.
Massage each salmon fillet with one full tablespoon of pesto.
Create space in the middle of the veggies with the help of a large spatula or spoon. Tuck in the salmon fillets and surround them with the veggies. Arrange the asparagus pieces all over. Drizzle with the rest of the olive oil.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the salmon has reached your preferred doneness.
Right before serving, zest the lemon and drizzle lemon juice all over the dish.