Seed Oil Free Basil-Pesto Salmon Fillets
Bright, herbaceous, and genuinely satisfying, this skillet-to-oven salmon is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. The homemade pesto is the real star — built from fresh basil, ripe avocado, garlic, and lemon juice, then finished with extra-virgin olive oil for a sauce that's creamy, vivid green, and completely free of the refined seed oils that sneak into so many store-bought versions. Swapping conventional pesto for this blended avocado base means you get richness and body without canola, sunflower, or soybean oil anywhere in sight. The salmon itself is seared first in olive oil to develop a golden crust, then roasted with a generous spoonful of pesto on top so every bite is layered with flavor. Finishing it in the oven locks in moisture and brings the fish to a perfect 145°F without any fuss. A squeeze of lemon at the end cuts through the richness and makes the whole plate sing. If you've been hunting for a clean, flavorful salmon recipe that doesn't require label-checking every condiment in your pantry, this one is it.
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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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