Pecan Free Basil-Pesto Salmon Fillets
Bright, herbaceous, and genuinely impressive on the plate, this salmon dish brings together a silky avocado-basil pesto and perfectly roasted fillets for a dinner that feels restaurant-worthy without much fuss. The pesto is the real star — fresh basil, creamy avocado, garlic, lemon juice, and a hint of ground ginger all blitzed together into something vibrant and deeply flavorful. Spooned generously over the fish before it finishes in the oven, it melts into the salmon and keeps every bite incredibly moist. Traditional pesto recipes often call for pine nuts or other tree nuts, but this version skips them entirely and leans on avocado for that rich, smooth body instead — no substitutions needed, no flavor lost. The sear-then-roast method gives you golden, caramelized edges on the flesh side while the skin crisps up underneath, which is a technique worth adding to your regular rotation. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end ties everything together and makes the basil pop even more. Whether you're cooking for a weeknight crowd or a low-key dinner party, this one delivers big results with a surprisingly short ingredient list.
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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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