I first made this when I wanted dinner to look planned. Pesto salmon really does a lot of unpaid emotional labor.
The quinoa makes it feel wholesome. The feta, lemon, and Dijon keep it from tasting like homework.
It’s fast, bright, and suspiciously impressive. Perfect for nights when effort is not exactly thriving.
Herb Pesto Salmon with Quinoa Salad
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Medium pot with lid
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup quinoa
- 6 cups water
- 1 bunch kale stems removed and leaves chopped
- 4 salmon fillets about 5 to 6 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup pesto
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa: Pour the chicken stock into a medium pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Prepare Kale: While the quinoa cooks, cut the kale leaves away from the thick stems. Chop the leaves into bite-size pieces.
- Cook Kale: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the chopped kale and cook for about 2 minutes, just until tender and bright green, then drain well.
- Mix Salad Base: Add the cooked quinoa and drained kale to a mixing bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
- Prepare Salmon: Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Leave space between the pieces so they bake evenly.
- Make Pesto Sauce: Add the lemon juice, pesto, and Dijon mustard to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Season Salmon: Sprinkle the salmon fillets with the salt and black pepper. Season the tops evenly.
- Coat Salmon: Spoon the pesto sauce over the salmon fillets. Spread it across the tops so each piece is covered.
- Bake Salmon: Bake the salmon at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork and reaches 145°F in the center.
- Finish and Serve: Serve each salmon fillet with the quinoa kale salad. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the salad before serving.
Video Recipe
Herb Pesto Salmon with Quinoa Salad: Tiny Tricks for Feeling Fancy Without Trying That Hard
This is the part where we pretend dinner was carefully planned. It wasn’t, and that’s fine.
Use Store-Bought Pesto and Move On
Homemade pesto is lovely, but so is not washing a food processor at 7 p.m. A good jarred pesto absolutely gets the job done, especially once lemon juice and Dijon wake it up like it had coffee.
Don’t Overcook the Salmon
Salmon goes from silky to sad cafeteria fish faster than anyone wants to admit. Pull it when it flakes easily and still looks moist in the center, because carryover heat is real and it loves to overachieve.
Swap the Quinoa Without Starting a Personality Crisis
Quinoa works great here, but cooked rice, couscous, farro, or even orzo can step in if that’s what you have. I’ve used leftover rice from takeout before, and honestly, it was thriving harder than I was.
Massage the Kale if It Looks Tough
If your kale seems extra sturdy, give it a quick squeeze with a little lemon juice or a pinch of salt before mixing it in. It softens up and stops acting like it was harvested from a decorative shrub.
Feta Is Great, but Not Mandatory
Feta adds salty little drama bombs, but goat cheese, Parmesan, or even a handful of shredded mozzarella can work. If you skip cheese completely, add a little extra salt or lemon so the salad doesn’t taste like it’s making a moral argument.
Frozen Salmon Is Not a Crime
Frozen salmon is perfectly fine as long as it’s thawed and patted dry before baking. Wet salmon and pesto do not become best friends, so blot it well unless you enjoy sauce sliding around like it’s on vacation.
Make the Salad Ahead
The quinoa and kale mixture holds up nicely in the fridge, which is more than I can say for most dinner plans. Store it separately from the salmon if you can, then reheat gently or eat it cold like a person who has accepted weekday reality.
Add Crunch if Dinner Feels Too Polite
Toasted almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or even crushed pita chips add texture fast. It’s the easiest way to make the bowl feel intentional instead of “I assembled this while standing in front of the fridge.”
Brighten Leftovers Before Serving
Leftovers can taste a little sleepy the next day, so hit them with a squeeze of lemon juice or a tiny drizzle of olive oil. It’s not magic, but it does make yesterday’s dinner stop acting so tired.
