Pan Seared Pesto Salmon
Pan seared pesto salmon pairs crispy, pan browned salmon with tender zucchini noodles tossed in a delightfully herby pesto.
Servings: 2
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
Ingredients
Herb Pesto
- 1½ c fresh parsley
- 1 c spinach, loosely packed
- 1 c fresh basil leaves
- ½ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp pine nuts (sub walnuts or almonds)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ⅓ c extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Pan Seared Salmon
- 2 4 to 6 oz salmon fillets
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 oz mushrooms (button, baby bellas, or other), sliced
- 3 medium zucchinis, spiralized
Instructions
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!
Notes
- 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!
- There will be extra pesto. You can store it in a resealable airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can swap the zucchini noodles with pasta or vegetable of choice. Roasted asparagus works great with this recipe as well.
- 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. Try to use similarly sized pieces. If using frozen salmon, thaw completely ahead of time. Judge cooking time on the browning and ability of your fish to flake without looking raw/dark pink. The times listed are general guidelines.