Description
Whip up this creamy pesto salmon for a quick weeknight dinner that’ll have your family asking for seconds. Fresh salmon gets a delicious Mediterranean makeover with herby pesto and smooth cream sauce that comes together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup pesto
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup low-fat cream cheese
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 cloves garlic
Seasoning and Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh basil
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Season your 4 salmon fillets with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Sear salmon skin-side down for exactly 4-5 minutes until golden brown edges form. Carefully flip and cook opposite side for 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer salmon to a clean plate and set aside. Reduce skillet heat to medium.
- Mince 3 cloves of garlic and saute in the same pan for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup whole cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, letting them soften and slightly blister.
- Whisk ½ cup low-fat cream cheese and ⅓ cup milk into the pan, stirring continuously until sauce becomes smooth.
- Pour ¼ cup pesto into the creamy sauce and blend thoroughly for 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Gently return salmon fillets to the skillet, spooning warm sauce over each piece.
- Simmer everything together for additional 2 minutes to reheat salmon completely.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Check salmon for even thickness to ensure consistent cooking and avoid dry or undercooked sections.
- Use fresh pesto for the brightest flavor, but store-bought works perfectly when time is short.
- Pat salmon dry before seasoning to help achieve a beautiful golden sear and prevent steaming instead of browning.
- For a lighter version, swap cream cheese with Greek yogurt and use half-and-half instead of whole milk.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg