Salmon Pesto Pasta

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place the salmon filet on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle it with the olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle it lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast salmon for 12-14 minutes. 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. Remove salmon when done and set aside.

Step 2

While 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.

Step 3

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 (you may want to add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon juice, for example.)

Step 4

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!