Pesto Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food

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Here’s a weeknight meal that can be thrown together with little effort, but this pesto salmon sheet pan dinner is no slouch when it comes to being healthy! The secret? It’s made with homemade basil and spinach pesto!

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Pesto Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner on 100 Days of Real Food

Back-to-school is that time of year when we need weeknight dinners to be as quick and easy as possible! And how about making them taste good and be good for us, too? Well, I’ve got the perfect sheet pan salmon with pesto recipe for you.

It, along with some whole-grain wild rice, can be thrown together with very little effort to make a well-rounded, tasty meal. Plus, with the pesto being made with half spinach and half basil, you can really feel good about offering this one to your family.

Enjoy!

Why Make Pesto With Spinach and Basil?

If you’re familiar with pesto then you may have noticed my recipe differs from the traditional Italian version. Normally pesto is made with two cups of basil, but I opted to substitute half the basil with spinach in my recipe.

Some people (especially kids) may find traditional pesto overpowering. Swapping in spinach tones down the basil flavor while adding a hint of sweetness kids and picky eaters will love.

It’s also a great way to add an extra serving of leafy greens to your family’s meal!

Finally, spinach is also a bit more cost-effective than fresh basil, which is good for your grocery budget.

Pesto Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner with homemade basil and spinach pesto

Pesto Salmon FAQs

Can I substitute the pine nuts in this recipe?

Yes! If you’re looking for a budget friendlier option or have a nut allergy in your home you can swap the pine nuts with sunflower seeds. The flavor will change slightly but they will keep a similar taste and texture in your pesto.

Walnuts, pistachios, and almonds can also be used; this is a great way to use up leftover nuts from other recipes.

What type of salmon works best for pesto salmon?

I love this recipe because you can use any salmon available to you. If you like to fish, freshly caught salmon is delicious when paired with spinach pesto. Frozen wild caught salmon is also fine, just make sure you thaw and debone first.

My salmon has bones and skin, help!

If you’re new to eating fish, especially pink fish like salmon, this part can feel overwhelming. It’s a little old, but I found this great video that clearly shows how to fillet and debone a whole salmon.

Important: Salmon is famous for having thin bones known as pin bones. If you’re deboning your salmon yourself, be careful to remove all these small bones. Always double check for any missing bones before serving salmon to young kids.

What Can I Serve With Pesto Salmon?

We like a variety of roasted vegetables in our pesto salmon sheet pan. This recipe calls for zucchini and/or summer squash and cherry tomatoes, but that’s flexible. You could easily swap with whatever you have on hand, what’s in season, or something from the garden.

As for side dishes, we love wild rice, but you could also serve this with whole-wheat pasta or no side at all.

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