Pesto Salmon with Roasted Tomato Orzo

4.80 from 5 votes

Pesto Salmon with Roasted Tomato Orzo

Baked Pesto Salmon with Roasted Tomato Orzo comes together in just 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner. Easy, nutritious, and with minimal ingredients, this pesto salmon recipe will be a family favorite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings:

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Equipment

Large rimmed baking sheet
Medium saucepan

Ingredients

4 (6-oz.) salmon fillets
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup prepared pesto (I use DeLallo Simply Pesto)
10 to 12 oz. cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, sliced into coins
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 tsp. lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, and season flesh evenly with 1/4 tsp. each of salt and black pepper. Spread pesto evenly over the flesh of salmon, and let sit while you prepare the tomato orzo.
Place tomatoes and garlic on one half of a large baking sheet covered with foil. Toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt. Roast for 10 minutes. (Move on to step #3 while tomatoes roast.)
Remove baking sheet from oven, and add salmon fillets to open half of baking sheet. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan filled with salted water to a boil. Add orzo, and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain, place back in the pot (removed from burner) and stir in remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, lemon zest and juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, basil, and pine nuts.
To serve, spread orzo on a serving platter or large dish, and scatter roasted tomatoes and garlic overtop. Top with pesto salmon fillets, and garnish with extra fresh basil.

Notes

To Store: Place leftover salmon in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store orzo mixture separately for up to 4 days.
To Reheat Salmon: Remove salmon from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan on reheating it. After it sits, you can either reheat it in the oven, microwave, or a skillet.
- Stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium-low, and rewarm individual salmon portions with a splash of water, covering the skillet. Remove the salmon once it is heated through (this should only take a couple of minutes).
- Oven: Put the fish on a rimmed baking sheet and warm it a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F.
- Microwave: Place your salmon on a microwave-safe plate, cover it with a paper towel, and set your microwave to 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, check the salmon and adjust it for even heating, and continue to microwave as needed.
To Reheat Orzo: Microwave in a heat-proof bowl in 30-second increments until heated through. Alternatively, heat in a small skillet with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.

Nutrition