Salmon Pesto Quinoa Bake

This salmon pesto quinoa bake is easy to throw together, healthy, and full of flavour. Made with quinoa, pesto, canned salmon, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, kale, red pepper, herbs, and mozzarella and parmesan cheese, it is the perfect weeknight dinner.

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks, to say the least! Since my last post, I travelled to Prince Edward Island for the PEI Marathon. I will share the details in a dedicated post shortly, as I have a fair amount to share. But I will say that while the race didn’t go as planned, I had a great solo weekend away. I returned home last Monday night, and was right back to work on Tuesday. By the end of that work week, I was completely exhausted… hence the lull in posting. But my energy is slowly but surely returning, and I am feeling a bit better each day.

Now that my spare time is no longer being spent training for a marathon, I will once again have time (not to mention energy) to create lots of delicious new recipes. I have so many ideas! Now if only I had more time…

Today’s recipe–salmon pesto quinoa bake– is one that I created several months ago. For whatever reason, I never got around to posting it at the time. It is so delicious, healthy, and simple. It is packed with protein, healthy omega 3 fat, and pops of salty flavour from the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and cheese. It is also gluten-free, since quinoa is a gluten-free “pseudograin.”

Ingredients in this Salmon Pesto Quinoa Bake

• Quinoa
• Pesto
• Kale
• Red pepper
• Garlic
• Kalamata olives
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Hot red pepper flakes
• Oregano
• Basil
• Canned salmon
• Parmesan cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Sea salt and pepper

step by step instructions

Cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir, and turn down heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and lightly fluff with a fork.

Place the canned salmon in a bowl and use a fork to break it apart into small pieces.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Transfer the quinoa into a large bowl. Add the pesto, kale, red pepper, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, hot red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, and salmon. Stir to combine.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the shredded Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Serve with lemon wedges and fresh herbs.

serving and menu ideas

This salmon pesto quinoa bake would pair nicely with a side salad. Try my Warm Roasted Mushroom, Pear, and Avocado Spinach Salad for a great cozy meal.

storage instructions

Store leftover salmon quinoa bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in a 350 F oven for 15-20 minutes.

more healthy salmon recipes

• Sheet Pan Lemon Paprika Salmon with Dilly Avocado Sauce and Roasted Root Vegetables
• Korean Salmon Meatballs with Kimchi Brown Rice Salad
• Mexican Salmon Quinoa Burgers
• Miso Garlic Butter Seared Salmon with Grape Salsa and Creamy Goat Cheese Orzo

to turn this into a vegan-friendly recipe:

Swap out the salmon for 3 cups of cooked beans or lentils, and use shredded vegan cheese or my Vegan Parmesan on top.

I hope that you love this salmon pesto quinoa bake! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below the post.

If you love this recipe and would like to see more of my recipes, be sure to subscribe to my email list. You can also follow along on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Enjoy!

Print