Sesame Free Basil-Pesto Salmon Fillets
Bright, herbaceous, and genuinely impressive on the plate, this salmon dish delivers restaurant-level results with a surprisingly short ingredient list. The star is a creamy avocado-basil pesto blended with garlic, lemon juice, and a hint of ground ginger — it's vivid green, silky, and completely free of tahini or any other sesame-based ingredient that can sneak into store-bought versions. That matters more than people realize, since many jarred pestos and marinades lean on sesame oil for depth, making label-reading a constant chore. Here, everything is made from scratch in a blender, so you stay in full control of what goes on that fish. The technique is equally satisfying: a quick stovetop sear locks in a golden crust before the oven finishes the job gently, keeping the fillets moist and flaky all the way through. Spooning the pesto over the salmon just before it roasts lets the flavors meld beautifully without losing that fresh, grassy brightness. A squeeze of lemon at the table ties it all together and makes the whole dish sing.
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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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