Air Fryer Pesto Salmon is a delicious salmon recipe that can be made with either fresh or frozen salmon fillets. It can be served with a variety of side dishes like roasted vegetables, rice, and green salads.
This easy salmon recipe is a great choice for a quick weeknight dinner. It can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and requires minimal prep work.
What are the nutrition facts
For a quick and easy weeknight dinner, this Air Fryer Pesto Salmon is the perfect recipe. The tang of basil pesto pairs well with the buttery texture of salmon to make a simple and delicious meal. This healthy recipe only uses 6 ingredients and comes together in less than 20 minutes!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Mix the melted butter, garlic, and parsley. Spread the butter mixture on top of the salmon fillets. Sprinkle the seasoned salmon with the almond pesto crumb and bake for 7-9 minutes.
The salmon should be cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Serve with a side of roasted vegetables and sweet potato mash.
To ensure that the salmon cooks evenly, it is important to use a high-quality air fryer and to keep an eye on the cooking process. A food thermometer is also helpful for ensuring that the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness.
To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter with olive oil and use a plant-based pesto without cheese or whey. For best results, grate the fresh garlic instead of using a garlic powder or pre-minced variety. Choose unsalted butter to better control the amount of salt you add to the dish. Using freshly grated garlic is also more flavorful than the jarred varieties. Make sure to taste the pesto you are using before adding salt; some brands are saltier than others.
Can I use frozen salmon
Frozen salmon is a great choice for this Air Fryer Pesto Salmon because it cooks up quickly and doesn’t lose much flavor in the process. The best part is that you don’t have to defrost the fish first before cooking it. Instead, you can put the frozen fillets in the air fryer as is and cook them for about 15 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 145F.
After cooking the salmon, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle the Parmesan and panko mixture on top. Return it to the air fryer for 2-3 minutes until the topping is crispy. Then serve immediately with your favorite side dishes.
This simple recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t have time to make a gourmet meal. The flavors in this dish come together beautifully and the salmon is very moist and tender. It pairs well with a wide variety of side dishes, including vegetables and pastas.
This recipe is also very easy to make, since you don’t have to worry about thawing the salmon or marinating it beforehand. Simply preheat your air fryer to 390F and prepare the sauce while the salmon is cooking. For the sauce, whisk together mustard, brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and dill in a small bowl. Then, coat each salmon fillet with the sauce and cook for 6 minutes in the air fryer before flipping and baste with another half of the sauce and cooking for 4 more minutes.
What temperature should I cook at
The recipe calls for air frying, but you can also bake this dish in the oven if you prefer. To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place the seasoned salmon on a tin foil-lined baking sheet. The salmon should be skin-side down for this recipe. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The cook time can vary based on the thickness of your salmon.
Pat the salmon fillets dry before seasoning and cooking them to remove extra moisture for a crispy skin. Use kosher salt for the best flavor and grind some fresh pepper over top. Choose a high-quality basil pesto, or make your own at home using fresh or frozen basil leaves. It is worth the extra effort to use quality ingredients, as they will make all the difference in the final taste of your meal.
If you are cooking the salmon with vegetables, toss them in the remaining pesto sauce before roasting them. This is a great way to get more vegetables in your diet. Veggies are delicious and healthy, and they pair well with salmon and pesto.
Serve this baked pesto salmon over pasta, rice, green vegetables, or a side salad. It’s a perfect meal for a summer dinner. It is also a great choice to bring to a picnic. Enjoy! You can even add this tasty dish to your brunch menu.
What is a good side dish
Salmon is baked in this recipe topped with pesto that’s been thinned out a bit with olive oil for a fish dish that’s as pretty as it is tasty. It’s served alongside a salad made from lentils and arugula with a mustard vinaigrette. Using store-bought pesto and canned lentils saves time in the kitchen since there’s no need to cook them, but this recipe also works with homemade pesto and fresh or frozen lentils.
This air fryer recipe is a great way to prepare salmon because it doesn’t require flipping the fillets. It’s important to pat the salmon fillets dry before seasoning and baking so that they crisp up nicely. The Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs are a delicious topping for the salmon, but you can skip them if you prefer to eat a gluten free or keto diet.
This dish is perfect for a weeknight meal because it’s quick, easy, and healthy. The leftovers can be eaten for lunch or dinner the next day and are easily reheated in the oven or microwaved. You can use any type of salmon for this recipe, but I recommend using skinless fillets to avoid the extra calories and fat from the fish skin. If you’re interested in serving this recipe with a side of vegetables, try roasting some carrots or grilling some asparagus or zucchini for a simple yet nutritious meal.
How do I make my own pesto
The air fryer makes this recipe a super quick, healthy weeknight dinner. This baked salmon is topped with herby pesto, umami Parmesan and crunchy panko breadcrumbs. It’s also full of heart-healthy omega 3 and protein. Use either fresh or frozen salmon, and make it with the oven or your air fryer – whatever fits your schedule and kitchen needs!
For the pesto, simply combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Use right away, or cover and refrigerate until needed. This recipe easily doubles, and the leftover pesto is great for adding to pasta or sprinkling over other protein or veggie dishes, such as roasted veggies or grilled chicken.
This classic basil pesto is a pantry staple that you’ll find yourself using over and over again. It’s the secret ingredient for elevating just about any meal. It’s the perfect drizzle over steak or chicken, tossed with salad, used as a dip for veggies, spread on sandwiches and burgers, or even as a sauce on pizza. It can even be mixed into mashed potatoes for an extra flavorful dinner.
You can add or subtract any of the herbs in this recipe as you like – try kale, spinach, cilantro, mint, sage, parsley, or a combination. The nuts can also be substituted, but it’s best to stick with the traditional pine nuts for the most authentic flavor.
Is air frying healthier than baking
Compared to deep frying, air frying has been shown to reduce the amount of harmful compounds in food, such as acrylamide, by up to 90%. It also allows you to avoid the extra calories and fat from added oils that are used in deep frying.
However, this isn’t to say that eating fried foods in the air fryer is healthy or that you can eat unlimited amounts of fatty foods prepared this way. Even if a dish has been air fried, it can still contain too much oil and calories, especially if the excess is from an unhealthy source, such as refined vegetable oils.
Another advantage of air frying is that it uses hot air convection to cook the food, which helps preserve nutrients. This isn’t the case when baking, which typically uses oven temperatures over 400 degrees F and can cause food to dry out.
One thing to keep in mind is that, regardless of cooking method, all cooked food creates breakdown products that are considered harmful. It’s important to focus on eating a nutritious diet that is low in saturated and trans fats, salt, sugar and high in fibre to help prevent obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease.