Pan Seared Pesto Salmon

Pan seared pesto salmon pairs crispy, pan browned salmon with tender zucchini noodles tossed in a delightfully herby pesto. You’re going to love how quick and easy you can pull this dish together, making it the perfect weeknight dinner.

Pan seared salmon has been a favorite dinner of ours for years. And it’s really no surprise why you’ll love it too!

This salmon is…irresistibly crispy, tender and flaky, super easy to pan sear, and does not require any added oil. Plus, the pesto is zesty, herby, and flavorful. Perfect for twirling zucchini noodles in.

And if that’s not enough, salmon packs in tons of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Zucchini is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. Plus it keeps this recipe lower-carb.

Together you have a winning dinner combo.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets – fresh or frozen work in this recipe, just be sure to completely thaw. Try for pieces that are roughly the same mass (4 oz to 6 oz preferable) and thickness.
• Mushrooms – button, baby bellas, or any mushroom works.
• Zucchini – a great lower carb veggie “noodle” option. Feel free to swap with your favorite veggie noodles or pasta. You will need a spiralizer to make the noodles, or you can buy zucchini spirals in most grocery stores (look in the freezer section).
• Fresh herbs – fresh basil and parsley form the base of the pesto.
• Spinach – for a little extra veggie kick.
• Parmesan cheese – nutty, salty, cheesy goodness that elevates the pesto.
• Pine nuts – the traditional nut of pesto sauce. Swap with walnuts, almonds, or pistachios for equally yummy results.
• Lemon – for a little brightness.
• Extra virgin olive oil – essential for a good pesto.
• Seasonings – fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.

How to Make Pan Seared Pesto Salmon

Herb Pesto

Make the herb pesto by combining all of the pesto ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute. As the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil through the top. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and set aside.

Pan Seared Salmon

Prepare the ingredients: slice the mushrooms. Spiralize the zucchini. Alternately, you can dice the zucchini if you do not have a spiralizer. Set aside. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. It is very important that the pan is very hot in order to brown the salmon properly!

Once the pan is hot, add the salmon skin side up. If you have skinless salmon, place the seasoned side down. Leave undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the skin is browned and the fat from the salmon begins to render.

Turn the salmon and brown the sides for 1 to 2 minutes. Lastly, turn the salmon skin side down for the remaining 2 to 3 minutes to finish cooking.

To check for doneness, use a fork to gently pull at the thickest portion of the salmon. It should easily flake and not appear raw underneath. Transfer the salmon to a plate and cover with tin foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the same pan you used to cook the salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the liquid escapes. Set aside in a small bowl.

In the same pan, cook the zucchini noodles for 3 to 4 minutes, or until just slightly soft (al dente). Be careful not to overcook the zucchini (you don’t want soggy noodles!). Remove from heat and drain the liquid. Toss the noodles with two-thirds of the pesto.

Divide the pesto zucchini among two plates. Top with the mushrooms. Layer the salmon on top and spoon the remaining pesto on top of the salmon. Garnish with additional Parmesan or fresh herbs, if desired. Enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Pan Seared Salmon

• No oil needed – There is no need to add oil to your nonstick pan. Salmon is a fatty fish and will render its own fat, which will make your salmon perfectly browned and crispy WITHOUT adding extra fat or oil. Adding oil or butter just makes salmon super greasy and it’s just not necessary!
• Size of salmon – try to use evenly sized pieces of salmon, both in weight and thickness. This will help ensure that both pieces cook at a similar rate.
• Thaw salmon – before searing, make sure your salmon is 100% thawed if you’re using frozen salmon.
• Pan type – we use a Fundix non-stick pan. A well seasoned cast iron pan or a pan with a quality non-stick coating works best. Stainless steel pans aren’t great, as the salmon tends to stick to it and lose the browned skin.
• Cook time – The cook time for your salmon will vary on multiple factors, like the size and thickness of your salmon, whether it has skin on or is skinless, whether it is fresh or frozen, and even the type of pan you are using (see tips above). Judge cooking time on the browning and ability of your fish to flake without looking raw/dark pink. The times listed are general guidelines.

Recipe Modifications

• Pesto – use kale instead of spinach, try different herbs, swap out pine nuts for walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, or add some seeds for an extra nutrition boost, like in our pumpkin seed pesto
• Noodles – you can easily replace the zucchini noodles with your favorite pasta or try spiralizing different veggies, like butternut squash or yellow squash, or roast a spaghetti squash. You can also replace the noodles with other grains, like brown rice or couscous.
• Seasonings – we like to keep it simple with salt and pepper, but add your favorite seasonings, like lemon pepper, cumin, or paprika to switch things up

Let us know what you think about this recipe for pan seared pesto salmon by dropping a rating and/or comment on the recipe card below. We love to hear from you! Also, please consider sharing to social media and/or Pinterest if you enjoyed this recipe. We greatly appreciate it!

Try Our Other Seafood Dinners:

• Coconut Green Curry Shrimp
• Honey Garlic Shrimp Bowls
• Chipotle Shrimp and Cauliflower Bowls
• Coconut Shrimp Bowls