Basil Butter Roasted Salmon & Burst Tomatoes. This dish is quick, easy and only requires one sheet pan! Perfect for a weeknight dinner, date night in, or entertaining, this dish is full of flavor, yet fuss free to prepare!
Hoooowdyyyy! <- You guys, I said that exactly like Minnie Pearl from the Hee Haw show. Too bad this blog doesn’t come with audio. Because, it felt (ahh hem and sounded) GLORIOUS.
Do you have zero clue what in the h-to-the-eck I’m talking about?
Watch this.
Did you giggle, or do I just have a lame sense of humor?
Don’t answer that.
Moving on.
So anyways, you know how for the past month I have been all like “Fall WHAT? It will ALWAYS be summer in my SOUL”?
Weeeell, I think I’m finally ready to accept the fact that autumn is coming. (<– Not to be confused with winter is coming. We are a few centuries and a fantasy land too late to that party.)
The weather here has gotten a little bit cooler and the air is starting to smell like cinnamon and apples. However, the latter part could just be in my head.
But, my point being, I am ALMOST ready to accept fall… I’m thinking by next week I will be 98.987% on board with the idea of fall flavors in my food.
To be fair, I still need to sing “God only knows what I’ll be without you” to summer about a dozen more times while twirling around and basking in the warmth of the summer sun.
But after that, I SEE YOU fall. And I raise you (mostly) acceptance.
Until then let’s eat ALL the burst summer tomatoes with a side of salmon.
Shall we?
WE SHALL! 🙌
Basil Butter Roasted Salmon with Burst Tomatoes
AKA salmon that will make you weep tears of PURE JOY.
Flaky, rich, absurdly luscious salmon slathered with decadent, silky, basil studded and lemon kissed butter; paired with warm, meltingly tender, outrageously juicy blistered tomatoes that taste like savory candy.
The mouth-feel of the salmon and burst tomatoes is SUPER luxurious. Like, this dish SO melt in your mouth luscious that it boarders INSANITY.
PLUS, it’s ridiculously easy to throw together. I’m talking ONE sheet pan meal! ONE!!!
AND this dish works for any kind of situation…
Weeknight family meal.
Date night weekend meal.
Let’s have the entire neighborhood over and entertain meal.
Essentially, it just encompasses ALL the meal possibilities. ALL of them.
It’s stupid quick and easy to make.
AND you only have to clean ONE pan.
I mean, basically this is the beginning of the rest of your life, friends.
The end.
Oh, but wait. Did I mention basil butter is involved?
BASIL BUTTER!!!!
The end the sequel.
Recipe Notes:
- You can either use a (roughly 1 ½ pound) side of salmon for this recipe, or you can use 4 (6 ounce) filets. The end results will be exactly the same, it just depends what kind of aesthetic and meal you are going for. However, if your filets are thick, keep in mind you will need to cook your salmon for a bit longer than stated in the recipe below.
- The length of time the salmon needs to cook in the oven depends on your preference and the thickness of your salmon. I cooked mine for a total of 13 minutes and it was cooked to my liking, medium (145 degrees).
- You can either make the basil butter using a small food processor, or you can make it by hand by finely chopping the garlic and basil with a knife. I actually think doing it by hand is easier and requires a little less clean up.
- The basil butter can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Just make sure you remove the butter from the fridge and let it soften on the counter for 30 minutes before using.
- You can marinate the tomatoes up to one day in advance and keep them stored in the refrigerator. Just make sure you toss them occasionally and remove the tomatoes from the fridge about 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe to allow them to come to room temperature.
- You can substitute balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar in the tomato marinade if you would like.
Decadent, yet packed with protein, omega 3’s and anti-oxidants PLUS ridiculously easy to prepare, this Basil Butter Roasted Salmon with Burst Tomatoes NEEDS to make an appearance on your dinner table!
Until next week, friends, cheers – one pan wonders.
XOXO
Cheyanne
- 5 TBS Unsalted Butter at room temperature
- 6 large fresh Basil Leaves plus more for garnish
- 1 small Clove Garlic peeled
- ¼ tsp freshly grated Lemon Zest
- Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- 4 6 ounce Salmon Filets (total 1 ½ pounds)
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 Shallot – peeled & sliced
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- 1 TBS Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 TBS Fresh Chives – thinly sliced
- Make the Basil Butter: In the bowl of a small food processor, pulse the basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add in the butter, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Process until well blended. (Alternatively you can finely chop the basil and garlic by hand and stir everything together in a bowl.) If not using immediately transfer butter to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use*.
- Prepare the tomatoes: In a medium bowl add the tomatoes, shallot, oil, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Toss to combine.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the salmon (skin side down) in the middle of the prepared baking sheet and generously season with salt and pepper. Scatter the tomatoes around the salmon.
- Bake the salmon (on the middle oven shelf) until almost opaque, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and evenly smear the butter on top of the salmon. Switch oven to broil. Return salmon and tomatoes to the middle shelf of the oven and broil for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the salmon filets are just opaque in center and the top is caramelized. Remove from oven.
- To serve: Sprinkle with chives and basil. Serve with flakey sea salt, lemon wedges and crusty bread. Enjoy!
1. You can either use a (roughly 1 ½ pound) side of salmon for this recipe, or you can use 4 (6 ounce) filets. The end results will be exactly the same, it just depends what kind of aesthetic and meal you are going for. However, if your filets are thick, keep in mind you will need to cook your salmon for a bit longer than stated in the recipe below.
2. The length of time the salmon needs to cook in the oven depends on your preference and the thickness of your salmon. I cooked mine for a total of 13 minutes and it was cooked to my liking, medium (145 degrees).
3. You can either make the basil butter using a small food processor, or you can make it by hand by finely chopping the garlic and basil with a knife. I actually think doing it by hand is easier and requires a little less clean up.
4. The basil butter can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Just make sure you remove the butter from the fridge and let it soften on the counter for 30 minutes before using.
5. You can marinate the tomatoes up to one day in advance and keep them stored in the refrigerator. Just make sure you toss them occasionally and remove the tomatoes from the fridge about 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe to allow them to come to room temperature.
6. You can substitute balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar in the tomato marinade if you would like.
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You know I’m all about some sheet pan dinners and salmon is definitely my favorite fish which means I’m always looking for new ideas! This basil butter salmon sounds so crazy delicious and those gorgeous burst tomatoes are definitely the perfect way to say goodbye to summer! Pinned and can’t wait to try this! Hope you have a fabulous last weekend of summer, my friend! XO
I’m not ready for summer to end, but I am embracing fall with open arms because it’s my favorite season! I’m with you on savoring what’s left of summer, though. You had me at basil butter and this looks AMAZING! I make salmon quite often for my husband and I, so I’m totally trying this version the next time. And those tomatoes give the prettiest pop of color! Such a yummy dish! Pinned! Hope you have a great weekend!
haha and then I’m over here like come on fall!!!! I will admit I was a little bit pissed the other day when I walked outside and it wasn’t as chilly 🙂 lol but that’s NC weather for you! This salmon sounds delicious!!! Especially now that I’m actually on the salmon train – I feel like I missed out for years!
Such a beautiful and delicious dish to farewell the summer, Chey. I just love all your salmon creations…can’t get enough of them. The one with black rice salad looks amazing too.
No lameness. I totally giggled! This reminds me of the salmon I always used to order at my favorite restaurant in my home town. It was poached and served with the most incredible compound butter. . .I’m drooling a little thinking about it. I need to try this ASAP! The chef at that restaurant retired and I’ve never been able to recreate his salmon on my own. This sounds like just the replacement I’m looking for :). Have a great weekend, Cheyanne!
This definitely needs to make an appearance on our dinner table Chey! I do love the smell of cinnamon and apples, but I’m still savoring summer. And these perfect little tomatoes are a great way to use up the end of the season’s bounty! That basil butter? Hello! Sounds amazing. I’ll let you know how we like this one! Happy weekend!
Aren’t you too young to know about Minnie Pearl and Hee Haw? At any rate, thanks for giving me a laugh! I’m embracing fall slowly but don’t want my gorgeous tomatoes to stop growing. Why does it have to be this way? Until then, I’ll enjoy this meal because salmon is a FAVE!
Wowza! You never cease to amaze, my friend! Basil butter? Burst tomatoes? You’re speaking my language! Now – I’ve never made salmon…never…(don’t yell at me!) but this just might be the one! I know my family will love it! Gorgeous photos, by the way! Oh man! Have a great weekend, dear! XO
As much as I love summer, fall is my FAVE! I know it’s not quite yours and every time I see a pumpkin recipe right now I think of you cause I know inside you are probably cringing. However, what about all the lovely fall flavours and the CLOTHES?! Anywho….better stop talking ’bout fall cause it’s too much 😉 Ok, this recipe! Love that it’s stupid quick cause that means I can shove in ma piehole quicker and that basil butter needs to be on everything. Love butter anything and basil just takes it up a notch. I’ll have butter with a side of salmon please. Um, salmon with extra butter, I mean. Yeah, that’s it, lol. And who doesn’t love bursting tomatoes? Right? Right. Cheers to an awesome weekend, Chey! XO
My basil plant is still going strong (for the moment ;), so I’ll definitely putting this one on the menu soon. Looks fabulous and I always love quick to put together, delicious meals like this one 😉
You always always make salmon look so sexy!! Love that basil butter, I have plenty of basil in my garden begging to be used. Have a great weekend!
I’m with you here, Chey! I’ve almost accepted the fact the fall is inevitable. That’s why I doubled the consumption of watermelons. Perhaps, I need to eat even more of them, if it’s possible. But I’ve been strong – I haven’t eaten an apple yet! Are you proud of me? However, some apple and pumpkin ideas have started to pop up, so I’m kind of excited about the fall. Anyways, I’m a huge fan of salmon so this flaky buttery beauty looks marvelous and appetizing to me!
Idk why I’ve never thought of this combo, but it sounds absolutely heavenly, Cheyanne! Pinning now!
You are too funny with your Minnie Pearl clip! I’ve got mixed feelings about the whole summer-fall transition. It was dang cold down here last week!!!! Either way, this salmon sheet pan business looks delicious for any season! Xoxo
I LOVE THE HEE HAW SHOW!! Haha we definitely have the same sense of humour. I also love how buttery and flaky this salmon looks – mmmmm!!!! What a fantastic way to use up my bounty of cherry tomatoes. We love our salmon around here!! Have a fantastic weekend friend!
Beautiful colors! Textures! Summer packed summer flavors which prove keeping it simple with fresh ingredients is best. Thanks for sharing!
Velva-Tomatoes on the Vine
This is one gorgeous salmon!! The basil butter is what dreams are made of!! Drooling over this one for sure! Take care.
How much do I love how you have rocked all the summer flavors in this dish? SO. MUCH. Pinned!
I could see us eating this at least once a week! Love salmon and try to get it in my kids as much as I can.
I don’t eat nearly enough salmon! I love it, but it’s just one of those things I tend not to make. I love how easy you make it! And that basil butter! Super Yum!!! This could be a great weeknight meal or an elegant dinner for guests!
Another great salmon dish, Cheyanne. Sending this to my mom – she loves salmon! The basil butter is the perfect topping. Easy, delicious and attractive – the best kind of recipe!
I love your salmon recipes, they always look so mouthwatering. And I am glad to hear that you watch Game of Thrones as well, best show I’ve ever seen, if you ask me. My heart hurts when I think about it coming to an end.
This is just absolutely beautiful, Cheyanne! As you said, perfect for a weeknight date night meal or to impress guests – they’ll never guess how easy this is to prepare!