Dairy Free Basil-Pesto Salmon Fillets
Traditional pesto leans heavily on parmesan, which makes it a no-go for anyone avoiding dairy — but this version swaps the cheese for creamy avocado and gets every bit of that rich, velvety texture without a drop of it. The result is a bright, herbaceous sauce built from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil, with a hint of ginger that makes it feel genuinely special. It comes together in a blender in minutes and gets spooned generously over seared salmon fillets before a quick finish in the oven. The stovetop sear locks in a gorgeous golden crust, while the roasting step brings the fish to a perfectly flaky, juicy 145°F all the way through. Served with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a few extra basil leaves, this is the kind of weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ medium avocado, pitted and scooped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For the salmon
- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each), skin-on
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- 2
Combine the basil, avocado, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and ground ginger in a food processor or blender. Pulse several times to break everything down, then stream in the 1/4 cup olive oil with the motor running until the pesto is smooth and bright green. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Set aside.
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