Baked Pesto Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes

If you are looking for a quick and super easy weeknight dinner, this baked pesto salmon with sweet roasted cherry tomatoes is exactly what you need. Ready in just 20 minutes, it bursts with flavor and is also healthy!

This recipe was originally published on the August 25, 2014, and was republished in October 2020 to add better quality photos, re-test the recipe, and add more helpful tips.

Pesto is something that just screams summer to me. Especially homemade pesto. While you can get basil in the stores during the rest of the year, I always find it lackluster and not worth the high price.

I would much rather grow my own basil and enjoy the full freshness of the flavor for a limited time. Every summer I grow lots of basil on my windowsill. It’s perfect for easy harvests whenever you need a bit of basil while cooking. Perhaps a few leaves on some crostini.

Each summer I make lots of homemade pesto from my windowsill plants. I end up with so much I don’t know what to do with it! That’s a lie, of course I know what to do with it. Eat it! On anything and everything.

Homemade pesto is a perfect addition to so many dishes, not just pasta. And this dish is proof of that. With some sweet cherry tomatoes roasted alongside until they burst, this baked pesto salmon is an absolutely perfect summer meal you can make in 20 minutes. 

Homemade or store bought?

You can of course use store-bought pesto for this recipe if you don’t have time to make it yourself. I prefer to make my own pesto because the flavor is so much fresher – you could also say brighter and a bit tangier. And when making your own you can adjust ingredients like garlic and parmesan to your preferred taste.

If you do go with store bought, I recommend pesto from the refrigerated section rather than the jarred varieties. The canning process cooks the pesto in a way, making it taste a little duller. And there’s more likely to be lots of preservatives. The refrigerated options may not be as convenient for always having in the house, but I think they taste better.

Freezing pesto

If you do make your own pesto (or open a container of store bought) and don’t need all of it, you can store it for later by freezing it. Then you have homemade pesto ready to go the next time you want to make this recipe! If you put all your extra in a sealable freezer bag and flatten it out, it will freeze and defrost faster. To defrost it, just put the (sealed) bag in a bowl of cool water and allow it to sit until soft. So easy!

Salmon for every season

We all know it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a salmon recipe for every season. Fall is celebrated in the bourbon glazed salmon, winter with the salmon pie I make every Christmas, and fresh herbs are what spring is all about in my herb panko crusted salmon.  I was clearly lacking a recipe that embodied summer (that is my excuse anyway). I just had to combine my favorite fish with pesto and tomatoes for all the best in summer flavors. 

And really, this dish doesn’t need any more than that. Maybe serve it with a bit of rice, or perhaps on some pasta (I’m thinking a fresh fettuccine) but you don’t need anything else to make this a fancy dish. Just the 7 basic ingredients and 20 minutes for a beautiful meal. Easy and fast, just the way I like it.