Our garden is overflowing with basil and fresh tomatoes right now so a pesto recipe was a MUST! Also anytime Sockeye Salmon is on sale at Whole Foods or I stock up on the frozen sockeye salmon filets at Trader Joe's I'm making salmon.
This recipe takes only 15 minutes and the pesto, only 5. I like to add avocado into my pesto for a creamier consistency, perfect for a sauce. It also adds extra fiber and healthy fats which is obviously a bonus.
Fresh basil is key to that bright green color in the pesto.
If storing this pesto, in order to maintain the color, we recommend freezing in an ice cube tray or storing covered with a drizzle of olive oil. This will keep the pesto looking fresh and not brown after storing.
We served this pesto with marinated tomatoes and sockeye salmon. The tangy fresh tomatoes and hearty salmon are perfect with a thick noodle with a bit of a bite, we chose bucatini.
All together this dish is packed full of omega three's, fiber, protein and fresh ingredients! An absolute must!
Avocado Pesto
2-4 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes
Notes: I serve this with my sockeye salmon with marinated tomatoes, see below. If you like a lot of pesto feel free to double the recipe. Use extra basil for a thicker pesto and more olive oil/red wine vinegar for a thinner pesto or dressing.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/2 avocado (~2 oz)
1 tbsp citrus (lemon or lime juice)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender.
Pulse until well combined.
Toss with your favorite pasta, greens or add a dollop to any of your favorite dishes.
Note: this makes about 1/2 cup of pesto. Depending on how much pesto you prefer this could be 2-4 servings. Nutrition facts are provided for 4 servings but I used this recipe for 2, it’s all personal preference on sauciness!
Pesto Sockeye Salmon with Marinated Garden Tomatoes and Bucatini
4 servings | Cook time: 15 minutes
Notes: I love to add zucchini to my pasta recipes for extra fiber and veggies. You can omit the zucchini if you prefer just pasta. This recipe is dairy free but would also be delicious topped with fresh parmesan or mozzarella.
Ingredients:
Avocado Pesto, see above
6-8 oz thick pasta, linguine, bucatini, spaghetti
Optional: 2 large zucchini’s spiralized.
2 cups (~400g) large cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
1.5-2 lb sockeye salmon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Toss halved tomatoes with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, set aside.
Arrange salmon in a shallow baking dish. Use a spoon to distribute about 1 tbsp of pesto over the top of the salmon (a very thin layer just for flavor).
Top the salmon with the marinated tomatoes. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until an internal temperature of 145F.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating steam the spiralized zucchini over top. Once boiling, remove zucchini, salt and add pasta to cook according to package, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the zucchini to a sauté pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Sauté to remove excess water from zucchini, 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally. When the pasta is cooked, strain it- reserving a few tablespoons- and add it to the sauté pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and add remaining pesto. Use tongs to combine.
Once the salmon is cooked, remove from the oven. Serve pasta topped with salmon and tomatoes.
Screenshot/Printer Friendly Version:
Avocado Pesto:
Pesto Sockeye Salmon with Tomatoes and Bucatini:
Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.
