Why You Will Love this:

The amount of prep for this Pesto Salmon dinner is minimal. I opted to use a ready to go pesto to minimize the mess for this recipe. No need to add more dishes into the mix. However, if you want to make your own pesto, have at it. For one thing, fresh pesto is MUCH PRETTIER. It was hard to make store bought pesto look pretty in these photos, but the flavor is so delicious regardless!

Gets some fish into your diet. We aren't big seafood eaters in my house, but we do love our salmon. I love to stock up during lent when it is on sale big time. This sheet pan dinner is an easy way to get the goodness we need from fish.

Clean up is so simple. While the step by step photos below show the potatoes being tossed in a bowl, you can actually do everything you need to make this dinner recipe on the pan. The only dish you will have to worry about is the sheet pan and whatever you eat your dinner on.

The flavor combinations. Parmesan crusted potatoes with pesto smothered salmon and then paired with asparagus with a touch of garlic--the flavors just work so well together. Add a squeeze of lemon and well, WOW, just wow!

What you will need:

About 1 ½ pounds of salmon is what I use and then cut it into 3-4 filets.

I use asparagus in this recipe, but have had many readers switch for different vegetables in both this chicken and steak sheet pan recipe with luck and very little adjustment in cook time. Green beans and broccoli are the most common substitutions.

Any pesto should work well in this Pesto Salmon dinner. Store bought or homemade. Whatever is easiest or on hand--go for it. I love the simple recipe from this orzo pesto salad on this salmon.

Salmon, asparagus, parmesan, potatoes and other ingredients labeled on counter.

How to make this recipe:

While step 1 shows a bowl, you can easily do this right on the sheet pan for less clean up. Toss together the potatoes, parmesan, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon sea salt (more or less as desired) and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread evenly on a sheet pan and bake at 425°F for about 20-25 minutes or until they start to become tender and are just starting to brown in some spots. (step 1)

Remove the pan from the oven and shift the potatoes to ⅓ of the pan. Lay the salmon on the pan and add salt and pepper as desired. (I typically do about ½ teaspoon of each) Spread the pesto evenly across the salmon filets to cover. (steps 2-4)

Potatoes in bowl and then on sheet pan with salmon.

Add the asparagus to the sheet pan and toss with one minced garlic clove, 2 teaspoons olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. (step 5)

Place the pan back into the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily. You want the salmon to bake to an internal temperature of 145°F but for some this is too done. The salmon will continue to cook slightly when you remove the pan, so plan according to your liking. (step 6)

For extra brown and crispy potatoes, you can broil for about 5 minutes on high in the last part of baking. You can remove the salmon before doing so if you are worried it will overcook.

Allow the salmon to rest for about 5 minutes and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Salmon and potatoes on sheet pan with asparagus.

Notes and tips:

Salmon is supposed to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. For some, this is too done. This recipe is written to salmon that is cooked through, so adjust the time to less if desired. Also, thicker salmon will take longer to cook so that also should be taken into consideration. The salmon I used was about just over 1 ½ inches at its thickest.

For best results, and even easier clean up, baking this Pesto Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner on parchment is ideal. I was out of it the day I shot this recipe so didn't use it. The mess is more for sure. You can spray the pan with oil where you lay the salmon if you are not using parchment.

A large sheet pan, about 10 inches by 15 inches at the smallest will work best. If not, two sheet pans can work if you don't have a large sheet pan. This allows you to spread the potatoes out evenly even when they are pushed to one third of the pan.

Pesto salmon on white plate with parmesan potatoes and asparagus.

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Val says

October 28, 2022 at 11:14 am

This was the easiest most impressive dinner and required such little prep work. This will be a staple in our home. Everyone loved it!

Pesto Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner

Why You Will Love this:

What you will need:

How to make this recipe:

Notes and tips:

Try these other recipes: