A quick, comforting, yet elegant one-bowl meal. Roast the salmon for a hands-off shortcut to light flavor and texture, and usie either homemade or jarred pesto to keep things flexible.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and place salmon filets on top, skin-side down, if they have skin. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.
2 large salmon filets, 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, kosher salt and black pepper
Place the baking sheet in the cold oven. Close the door, then turn the oven on to 400 degrees F and set a timer for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, check the salmon. If it is done, it will flake easily when pressed with a fork, and have an internal temperature nearing 145 degrees F in the thickest part. Leave it for a few minutes if needed, but remove promptly when it hits 145 degrees. (For a slightly crispy top, move the baking sheet to the top rack and turn the oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time, but watch it closely.)
While the salmon cooks, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve a bit of the pasta water in case you want it to loosen the sauce, then drain.
8 ounces dried pasta
Return drained pasta to the pot and add pesto, Parmesan, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir well to combine. If you prefer a looser sauce, stir in reserved pasta water a splash at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
2/3 cup pesto, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Using a fork, break up the cooked salmon into bite-sized pieces. Either mix into the pasta in the pot, or serve the pasta and top with salmon separately. Enjoy!