Grilled Salmon Fillet with Pesto Sauce
Salmon + Pesto?? Yes! And then let’s make that a creamy pesto shall we? I am all about that salmon lately! What’s new though, salmon has always been one of my favorite things to have for dinner. But honestly could they drop the price just a little? I love though when I make it at home I can feed 4+ people for what it costs to buy it at a restaurant. And this grilled salmon fillet with a simple creamy pesto is just as good as what you’d buy at a nice restaurant!
Pesto Grilled Salmon Fillet Ingredients
The grilled salmon itself is a simple grilled salmon recipe. What makes this recipe really pop is the creamy pesto sauce! Here’s what you’ll need to make the grilled salmon fillets and pesto sauce:
Salmon fillets Olive oil Salt and pepper Cream cheese Milk Pesto
Can I Use Low-Fat Cream Cheese?
I’ve yet to try the pesto sauce for grilled salmon with Neufchatel cheese, but I’d like to try it sometime. I’m hoping it will melt as smooth and creamy as the cream cheese does without creating any type of roux first. But this version is oh so perfectly rich and creamy and simply delicious. I’m totally in love! Try it soon!
How to Grill Salmon Fillets
Preheat grill. Brush both sides of salmon with olive oil and season. Grill salmon on oiled grates until just cooked through (note that it will continue to cook slightly off heat so I like to undercook slightly). Meanwhile, melt cream cheese with milk in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in pesto. Serve salmon warm with creamy pesto sauce.
How Long Do You Grill Salmon?
Your exact salmon grill time will vary depending on how thick your fillets are. For this recipe, I used 6 oz. salmon fillets and cooked them for roughly 3 minutes per side.
Can I Use Store-Bought Pesto?
For this recipe, I used homemade pesto because homemade is obviously best, but store-bought will work here as well.
Should I Use Skinless or Skin-On Fillets?
Buy whichever you prefer! If you buy skin-on salmon fillets, note that you can actually eat the skin. It crisps up on the grill and is very flavorful!
Can I Cook Salmon in a Skillet?
If you don’t want to grill the salmon, you can definitely pan sear it as well. To do so:
Pat salmon dry with paper towels, season with S&P. Cook the salmon in 2 tsp of olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (about 3 minutes per side).
Tips for Making Grilled Salmon Fillets
If using skin-on salmon, grill skin side up first. Pesto is already quite salty, so you may not need to add any extra salt to the creamy pesto sauce. If you have leftover salmon, store the pesto sauce and the grilled salmon separately in the fridge.
More Salmon Dinner Ideas You’ll Love!
Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce Salmon with Mango Avocado Salsa Orange Salmon 5-Ingredient Marinated Grilled Salmon Salmon and Asparagus in Foil Skillet Seared Salmon with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce Honey Glazed Salmon with Citrus Avocado Salsa
