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Pesto Salmon en Papillote

Name: Pesto Salmon en Papillote
Prep time: 13 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: salmon fillets — 680 g; salt — 5 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; basil pesto — 44 g; grape tomatoes — 473 g; lemon — 65 g; extra-virgin olive oil — 27 g; dry white wine — 59 g; garlic — 9 g; pine nuts — 59 g

Pesto Salmon en Papillote reads citrus 5.8, sourness 5.4 and richness 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.8 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.8 · Sourness 5.4 · Richness 5.2 · Umami 4.9 · Fruity 4.9 · Nutty 4.3 · Herbaceous 4.2 · Salinity 3.8 · Allium 3.5 · Sweetness 2.9 · Marine & Briny 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Floral 1.8 · Earthy 1.5 · Bitterness 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Smoke 0.6

What's in it (10)

salmon fillets — 680 g
salt — 5 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
basil pesto — 44 g
grape tomatoes — 473 g
lemon — 65 g
extra-virgin olive oil — 27 g
dry white wine — 59 g
garlic — 9 g
pine nuts — 59 g

Time & effort: about 15 min (13 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 128.1 kcal, 9.8 g protein, 6.1 g fat, 7.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper.
Cut four sheets of parchment paper, roughly 15 by 15 inches; fold each in half to crease, then unfold flat on the counter.
Spread 2 tablespoons of the pesto in a bed on one half of each parchment sheet, near the crease, about the size of a fillet.
Set a seasoned salmon fillet on top of each pesto bed, then spoon another tablespoon of pesto over the top of each fillet.
Divide the cherry tomatoes and garlic among the packets, scattering them around and over the fish, then lay 2 to 3 lemon slices over each fillet.
Drizzle each packet with the olive oil and a tablespoon of the white wine.
Fold the empty half of the parchment over the fish and crimp the edges tightly in small, overlapping folds all the way around to seal each packet into a sealed pouch.
Transfer the packets to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the packets are puffed with steam and the salmon is just opaque and flakes easily, 12 to 14 minutes; carefully open one packet to check, and look for an internal temperature of 130 to 135 F for tender, medium salmon (bake 2 to 3 minutes more for fully opaque throughout).
Pull the packets from the oven and let them rest, still sealed, for 2 minutes; they'll continue to steam gently.
Transfer each packet to a plate, carefully tear it open with the steam facing away from you, scatter with the toasted pine nuts, and serve with lemon wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Harissa Roasted Salmon Bowls — Middle Eastern
Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks and Orzo Salad with Walnuts, Oregano and Tomatoes — Mediterranean
Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Burrata — Italian
Lemon Herb Seared Scallops with Orzo — Mediterranean
Harissa Shrimp and Chickpea Skillet — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.