Today’s recipe for salmon with rice is a complete meal that comes together with minimal supervision and tastes epic.

It’s as close to a hands-free meal as one gets; a little prep, and then while the salmon and sides bake in the oven, the rice cooks on the stove, leaving you to do what you need to do around the kitchen!

large plate of baked salmon with roasted tomatoes and white rice

Do Salmon and Rice Go Well Together?

With its neutral flavor, rice is the perfect sidekick to well-seasoned salmon, making it the ultimate side for this recipe.

I love using rice as the base for this baked salmon recipe to absorb all the juicy and delicious flavors of the roasted cherry tomatoes and onions, and when paired with pesto salmon, it takes the otherwise bland ingredient to the next level.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this gorgeous baked salmon and rice:

Rice: to serve with the fish, could also be cauliflower rice.
Salmon fillets: use fresh or frozen and thawed salmon.
Seasonings: plain ole salt and pepper are all you need.
Pesto: use your favorite prepared option or whip up this homemade pesto.
Cherry tomatoes: have a sweet, juicy flavor that’s just magical when roasted.
Red onion: get caramelized while roasting and gives each bite a sweet, toasty flavor.

As always, you’ll find the ingredient measurements and detailed cooking directions in the printable recipe card below.

sheet pan of roasted salmon and tomatoes next to a large bowl of white rice and a plate of pesto salmon with tomatoes

How to Make Salmon with Rice

Get ready for minimal prep and then be able to take care of the things in the kitchen for the next 15 minutes. This is what you’ll be doing:

Prep
Position one oven rack on the center shelf and preheat to 400F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Prepare the rice according to package directions.
Roast the veggies
Meanwhile, toss the cherry tomatoes and onions with pesto. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Get the salmon ready
Season the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper and top with remaining pesto.
Be careful
Using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven and move the veggies to the sides of the pan and place the fish in the center.
Bake and serve
Cook the salmon until it separates easily with a fork. Remove from the oven and serve over rice with roasted tomatoes and onions.

It couldn’t be easier to prep the salmon on the sheet pan to bake while the rice cooks on the stove.

Make next: Spicy Salmon and Rice Bowls

large plate of garlic salmon and tomatoes with white rice

What Else to Serve it With

I would consider this recipe to be a complete meal, but you can also stretch the 4 servings to 6 or feed hungry teens by adding a simple side salad or the easy popovers. Want to drizzle more pesto? you can also make your own pesto without pine nuts.

Salmon with Rice

Print Recipe

Today’s recipe for salmon with rice is a healthy salmon recipe that comes together with minimal supervision and tastes epic.

Author: Laura Fuentes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Dinner
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units

2 cups rice
4 salmon fillets
Salt & pepper, to season
½ cup prepared pesto, or homemade
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Position your oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
In a medium saucepan, cook 2 cups of dry rice according to package directions. Add salt to the water if desired.
Place cherry tomatoes and sliced onions in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of pesto sauce and transfer them onto the sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes, making sure to give them a good toss around minute 10.
Meanwhile, pat dry salmon fillets with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the remaining pesto sauce over the salmon fillets.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, move roasted tomatoes and onions to the sides and place the salmon fillets in the middle. Bake salmon and tomatoes for 16 to 20 minutes, until salmon flakes separate easily with a fork.
Serve salmon and tomatoes with white rice.