From bright and herby from basil and fresh herbs to salty and rich from the cheese and pine nuts, pesto salmon is the perfect combination of flavors to serve with the fish. The salmon stays buttery and super flakey, resulting in the perfect texture to enjoy a savory and healthy combination.
The salmon fillets can be baked, grilled, or pan fried, then topped with pesto sauce. There are many ways to enjoy this delicious flavor combination, however what sides or wines to serve with salmon can make the experience a complete game changer.
What to serve with pesto salmon? Pesto salmon can be served with pasta, seasoned rice, and various vegetables including tomatoes, asparagus, potatoes, green beans, and many more vegetables no matter how they are cooked.
When it comes to select a wine to pair with pesto salmon, go with sauvignon blanc, vermentino, or catarratto. The salmon is coated with herbs and cheese, and these wine selections will enhance the flavor even more.
Pesto and salmon combination is a magnificent match. The bold flavors from basil with rich salmon blend well together.
If you are preparing pesto salmon for dinner tonight, this article will help determine the best sides that can be served with it. Answered below are frequently asked questions about what to serve with pest salmon, from salad to wine we have you covered.
What is pesto sauce?
Pesto is a sauce made out of crushed garlic, pine nuts, basil leaves, coarse salt, and hard cheese such as pecorino or parmigiano-reggiano blended with lots of olive oil.
This sauce is a premium addition to many meals because it pairs well with multiple ingredients, including pasta and roast vegetables.
It can become a dipping sauce, salad dressing, sandwich spread, sauce to garnish meat, fish, chicken, and vegetables. Also, it can make excellent stuffing into breaded chicken or pizza topping.
Do salmon and pesto go together?
Yes, pesto pairs excellently with salmon. In fact, with this condiment you don’t have to spice or marinate the fish because the sauce is packed with so much delicious flavor.
Whether salmon and pesto is served with rice, pasta, or vegetables, it makes an elegant meal that is fast and easy to prepare. With a simple garnish of salt and pepper, the fish tastes amazing.
A delicious pesto salmon dish can be prepared by strictly following a basic recipe or purchasing a store bought brand that doesn’t contain extra ingredients of preservatives.
What is pesto salmon usually served with?
Traditionally, pesto salmon is be served with pasta such as fettuccine, linguine, orecchiette, or rigatoni pasta noodles.
Other than pasta, here are other options that pesto salmon can be served with for an uplifting combination of flavors:
- Vegetables: sweet potatoes, artichoke, corn, bell peppers, green beans, zucchini, brussels sprouts, kale, potatoes, broccoli, asparagus
- Rice: white rice, brown rice, ancient grains, basmati rice
- Nuts: walnuts, pecan, pine nuts
- Herbs: basil, bay leaf, cilantro, dill, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme, tarragon
- Spices: cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, saffron
- Oil: canola, corn, grapeseed, peanut, sesame, olive, truffle
- Wine: chenin blanc, shiraz, merlot, sauvignon blanc, vermentino, catarratto
What flavors go well with pesto salmon?
Some of the best flavors that go well with pesto salmon include cream cheese, butter, honey, brown sugar, zest, caper, miso, olives, fresh lemon, vinegar, fresh lime, onion, garlic, ginger, sesame, or shallot.
These ingredients make pesto salmon delicious and enhance the dish to the next level.
Here are classic flavor combination that pairs well with pesto salmon:
- salmon + pesto + pine nuts + lemon zest
- salmon + pesto + white wine + salted butter
- salmon + pesto + herbs de Provence + heavy cream
- salmon + pesto + soy sauce + parmesan cheese + olive oil
- salmon + pesto + dijon mustard + lemon juice
Vegetables with pesto salmon
Pesto salmon is a filling and delicious main entrée that tastes wonderful with roasted, sautéed, stir-fried, and steamed vegetables. Due to its mild and buttery nature, many vegetables pair quite well with pesto salmon.
Some of the chef’s favorite vegetables that are used frequently when preparing pesto salmon are:
- spinach
- cabbage
- asparagus
- broccoli
- green beans
- potatoes
- zucchini
- brussels sprouts
- kale
- snap peas
- yellow squash
Sauce with pesto salmon
After preparing pesto salmon, consider adding some bright dijon sauce. This is a simple creamy sauce flavored with fresh dill and tangy dijon, the best combination for pesto salmon.
Other sauces that can be used with pesto salmon include:
- Herb pesto sauce: Adding a hint of mint and cilantro can blend well to make the pesto more pungent and fragrant to top over jasmin rice and serve with salmon.
- Lemon cream pesto sauce: Whether it is with pasta or fried rice, lemony and creamy sauce is an excellent choice that can be made with traditional pesto sauce. Lemon generally pairs well with salmon, therefore adding a touch of cream can make a topnotch taste.
- Spicy basil pesto sauce: Blend with extra garlic and serrano pepper, this spicy basil pesto is great alternative sauce to supercharge the pesto sauce to add-on salmon.
- Red pesto sauce: Hints of sun-dried tomatoes or roasted peppers can make the pesto sauce beautiful red color, but also adds fragrance to the dish.
Pesto salmon is the best choice when short on time for preparing dinner that is packed with flavor. Upgrading the sauce with a slight modification can take the classic preparation to the next level.
Salad to serve with pesto salmon
The best salad to serve with pesto salmon is the fresh chopped green salad with slight variation of dressing. The green salad is vegetables such as mixed greens, spinach, lettuce, kale, or arugula.
The vegetable salad toppings include cucumber, celery, mushrooms, carrots, or broccoli. All these make the best salad to serve with pesto salmon.
Here are salad and dressing combination that serve well with pesto salmon:
- salmon salad + pesto vinaigrette
- mediterranean salad + olive oil and lemon
- kale salad + dijon pesto dressing
- creamy potato salad + pesto and buttermilk dressing
- pesto salmon salad + caesar dressing
Eat With Pesto Salmon: Conclusion
Salmon and pesto pairs wonderfully together. Wether the salmon is pan-fried or baked, pesto sauce complements so well with many side dishes for a well balanced presentation.
In general, pesto salmon is widely served with pasta, seasoned rice pilaf or vegetables that have either been roasted or remain fresh.
Blended with garlic, pine nuts, basil, salt, and cheese, pesto makes an excellent condiment to pair with salmon. The fragrant sauce helps make the salmon less fishy tasting and maintain moisture inside the fillet.
There are many ways to upgrade the pesto sauce into a herby, creamy, spicy, and red pepper or tomato based sauce to top with salmon.
If you are looking to prepare pesto salmon as main entrée dish, consider these vegetables, salads and other sides to make a complete and well-rounded dish.