This Pesto Salmon is best with…you guessed it, homemade pesto! Now, we know it’s not always that you have access to loads of fresh basil. But the flavor of freshly made basil pesto is so good, you’ll want to make it if at all possible. Here are a few things to know:

• Make a half recipe of our basil pesto. This way, you don’t need as much basil: just 1 cup of basil leaves.
• You can use cashews or walnuts. Traditional pesto is made with pine nuts, but they can be expensive or hard to find. Using other nuts works too! Our favorite is cashew pesto, or try this walnut pesto.
• Or, find the best quality purchased brand. Here’s the thing about storebought pesto: the quality varies widely. Some pestos taste flat and dull, some are overly salty.

Here’s how to brine salmon:

• Mix up a salt water solution. In a large dish, stir 4 cups of water with 3 tablespoons salt to make a salt water solution.
• Place the fish in the water for 15 minutes. You can do this in the time it takes to preheat your oven: so there’s no time lost!

Brining is letting your salmon sit in a brine solution before baking. 

• Cook it at a lower temperature to cook it more gently (325 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Brine the salmon in a salt and water solution before baking.

The presentation is the fun part, right? This pesto salmon looks just lovely on a plate. Here’s what to know about the presentation:

• Add the pesto after baking. This keeps it beautifully moist and bright green.
• Add chopped and toasted pine nuts as a garnish. These look lovely, and they have a unique flavor. Make sure to toast the pine nuts before using them: it accentuates the flavor in a way where you’ll taste the difference.
• Lemon zest adds brightness. Zest helps brighten the flavors; you’ll already have a lemon onhand if you make homemade pesto. If using storebought pesto, it can be a nice way to revive the flavors.