Grilled Salmon with Fresh Herb Pesto

Jessica Braider

Use your favorite herbs to create a fresh tasting sauce for grilled or roasted fish. (You can leave the sauce off the fish for picky eaters, but kids often like including it.) For the sauce, you can use any fresh herbs of your choosing.

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Cook Time 25

Total Time 25

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings servings

Calories 363 kcal

Ingredients

1 - 1 1/2 lb. salmon or halibut fillet preferably wild Alaskan
2 1/3 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper or to taste
1/4 cup fresh herbs including any combination of basil, cilantro, parsley and/or chives coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon juice only, about 2 Tbsp.
1 1/2 Tbsp. pine nuts
1 tsp. honey

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the top and sides of the salmon (or halibut) with 1 tsp. of oil and season it with salt and pepper.
In a blender or food processor, puree the herbs, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. water, the lemon juice, pine nuts, and honey.
Grill the fish, skin side down, on top of aluminum foil or a grilling tray for about 10 minutes without flipping it until it flakes easily and is no longer dark pink in the middle. (Alternatively, bake the fish in the oven at 400 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes until it is cooked through.)
When the fish is done, slide a thin spatula between the flesh and the skin, allowing the skin to stick to the foil or tray, and transfer the fish to a serving plate. Serve the fish topped with the herb pesto.

Slow Cooker Directions

Place the salmon on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fold around the fish. Brush the flesh with 1 tsp. oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the salmon to make a packet. (If your piece of salmon is larger than your slow cooker, cut it to fit, and place each piece on its own individual piece of foil.)
Cook on low for 6 – 8 hours or on high for 3 – 4 hours, until the salmon is done. Remove it from the foil and top it with the pesto to serve. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)

Notes

Do Ahead or Delegate: Chop the herbs (don’t chop the basil in advance of making the pesto, as it will turn brown/black), juice the lemon, make and refrigerate the pesto.

Scramble Flavor Booster: Stir 1/2 tsp. lemon zest into the pesto.

Tip: Avoid grocery shopping when you’re hungry! A recent study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association determined that skipping a meal before heading to the market can lead shoppers to purchase 31 percent more high-calorie foods. The study also mentions that late afternoon shoppers bought fewer low-calorie foods relative to their overall purchase than those who shopped earlier in the day or on a full stomach. This is one more great reason to plan ahead for dinner— that way you’re less likely to find yourself in the grocery store at this vulnerable time.

Video: Watch Jessica make it on Facebook Live.

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Nutrition

Calories: 363kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 35gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 195mgPotassium: 892mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 153IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg

Keyword 30 Minutes (or less) Meals, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fall, Gluten-Free, Grilling, Kosher, Main Dish, Spring, Summer

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