Add more fish to your little one's diet with this 2 ingredient pesto salmon! Ready in 20 minutes, this easy salmon for babies is a great texture for baby led weaning from 6 months on and the finger foods stage.
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Why You'll Love Pesto Salmon for Babies
When you need to get a family-friendly dinner on the table fast, including one that's appropriate for baby, pesto salmon save the day! This easy salmon recipe can be made in just 20 minutes and is the perfect texture for babies, both in the finger food stage and for baby led weaning babies 6 months and up. It's also healthy and delicious for the whole family.
Benefits of Salmon for Babies
Fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, is high in several nutrients critical for babies and toddlers, including1:
- Protein - the building blocks of all of baby's cells and growing tissues
- Iron - important for proper brain development and growth
- Zinc - needed for growth of cells and the immune system
- Choline - supports health brain development
- Vitamin D - this nutrient is low in most Americans, and fish is one of the only food sources!
- Vitamin B12 - necessary for red blood cells
- Omega-3 fatty acids - another important brain-building nutrient
In addition to being high in nutrients, fish is one of the top 9 most common allergens, and research points to early introduction for reducing the risk of food allergy development. So I recommend serving it twice a week for babies (and the whole family).
Ingredients
- Salmon - You can use fresh or frozen (thawed) salmon filets. Look for wild caught if your budget allows.
- Pesto - Store-bought or leftover pesto makes this recipe incredibly quick and easy. You can try my Spinach Basil Pesto recipe!
Helpful equipment: baking sheet, parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Step by Step Instructions
- Spoon pesto onto each salmon filet and spread it evenly over the tops.
- Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon is done. It should flake easily but not be dried out.
Tip: Be sure to check for small pin bones that may be present in salmon, even boneless filets. It's easiest to detect them before cooking, but you may find them after, too. Simply pull them out and discard.
Tips & Recipe Variations
- Cook time will vary based on the thickness and type of salmon. Wild caught salmon and thinner filets will cook faster, so start checking them at 8-10 minutes. Thicker filets will take a little longer.
- If you want strips for BLW babies, you can cook it just a little bit longer so that the fish stays together in one big piece rather than flaking.
- Nut-free: Pesto usually contains nuts, so if you haven't introduced nuts, or you have a nut allergy, use a nut-free pesto recipe.
- Dairy-free: Pesto also contains cheese. Use a recipe with no cheese for dairy-free.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze cooked salmon for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F, or on the lowest setting in the air fryer or toaster oven.
How To Serve Salmon for Baby Led Weaning
There are several ways to serve salmon for baby led weaning. For 6 months and up with a palmar grasp, cut the salmon into strips the width of 1-2 adult fingers. If it flakes too easily, just offer the largest flakes possible. You can also flake it into tiny pieces and stir it into mashed potatoes, risotto, or plain yogurt. For babies 9 months and up, or with a pincer grasp, you can offer smaller pieces, about the size of your fingernail, or continue offering larger strips.
Read More: How To Serve Fish for Baby Led Weaning
What To Serve with Pesto Salmon
- If you have extra pesto, stir some into baby-friendly pasta or couscous to serve alongside the salmon. Add some blistered cherry tomatoes (for adults) and quartered cherry tomatoes for little ones.
- Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Soft-cooked broccoli or green beans
- Chopped cooked spinach
Track your baby's journey through starting solids! Get my 100 First Foods Checklist and Allergen Checklist Bundle today!
Baby Friendly Pesto Salmon
Add more fish to your little one's diet with this 2 ingredient pesto salmon! Ready in less than 20 minutes, this easy salmon for babies is a great texture for baby led weaning from 6 months on and the finger foods stage.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 adult servings or 4 baby/toddler servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: seafood
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet or dish with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pesto onto each salmon filet and spread it to coat the tops evenly.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until it flakes easily but isn't too dry. Bake time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Once cooked, slide a spatula in between the flesh and the skin of the salmon to easily remove the skin before serving to baby.
Notes
- Fish is a common allergen, and pesto usually contains two common allergen, nuts and dairy. Make sure you've introduced all three allergens separately before giving this recipe to baby! Read more on why allergen exposure is good for babies.
- This recipe is great for BLW starting at 6 months, or babies in the finger food stage. For BLW, serve in finger-length strips, or large flakes. For babies with a pincer grasp, serve in smaller bite-size pieces.
- If you prefer, remove the salmon skin before cooking, or have the person at the fish counter do so for you.
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