High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Basil-Pesto Salmon Fillets
Salmon dinners can feel like a weeknight luxury, and this one absolutely delivers — golden-seared fillets finished in the oven and blanketed in a vivid, herb-forward pesto that you blend up yourself in minutes. The pesto is the real star here: fresh basil, creamy avocado, bright lemon juice, garlic, and a hint of ground ginger come together into something silky and deeply flavorful. Because every component is made from whole, recognizable ingredients, there's no need to scan a label for sneaky sweeteners or corn-derived additives hiding in a store-bought sauce. Searing the salmon skin-side up first locks in a gorgeous crust before the oven does the gentle finishing work, so the texture is perfectly flaky without being dry. The avocado in the pesto gives it a richness that clings beautifully to the fish rather than sliding off, making every bite cohesive and satisfying. A squeeze of lemon at the table ties everything together and keeps the flavors clean and bright. It's the kind of meal that looks impressive enough for guests but is genuinely simple enough to pull off on a Tuesday night.
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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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