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Cherry tomatoes are at their peak in summer, but I can’t get enough of their juicy sweetness all year round. This Roasted Salmon and Cherry Tomato Puttanesca bridges summer and fall with its warm and cozy vibe.
This Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta Puttanesca is made with a thinner and lighter “sauce” because of the roasted cherry tomatoes that cling to the starchy pasta after you toss it all together. I love how the fresh cherry tomatoes add a lovely freshness to the dish and a bright pop of flavor! Roasting the cherry tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness plus, you end up with a fun mix of textures. They play so well with the tang and saltiness from the capers and olives for a fun twist on the classic Italian pasta.
Typically, when I make a puttanesca at home, I simply add anchovies for the fish element. Here, to make it a little heartier, I added salmon filets that are simply roasted with the cherry tomato mixture and flakes into the sauce. Making it a wonderfully easy, delicious, and nutritious weeknight dinner.
I also love that you can put most of the ingredients in a baking dish and allow the oven to do the work. Giving you a little extra time to clean up the kitchen and set the table for dinnertime!
ingredients:
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Kalamata Olives
- Capers
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Lemon
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Basil
- Salmon Filets
- Gluten-Free Brown Rice Linguine
step-by-step instructions:
step one: preheat the oven and boil the water
Preheat the oven to 425℉. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
step two: prep the cherry tomato sauce
In a 9×13 baking dish, combine the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, olives, capers, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, parsley, and basil. Toss until well combined. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cherry tomatoes begin to burst, about 15 minutes.
step three: roast the salmon
Remove from the oven and toss. Nestle the salmon filets in the cherry tomato mixture and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Transfer back into the oven and bake until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 8 minutes.
step four: cook the pasta
Meanwhile, add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl.
step five: toss the pasta with the sauce
Flake the salmon into bite-sized pieces, then carefully pour the salmon-tomato mixture over the cooked pasta and gently toss until the pasta is just coated in the sauce. It might seem a little overly runny at first, but the pasta will absorb the liquid from the cherry tomatoes within a few minutes. Taste and add more salt, if desired.
step six: garnish and serve
To serve, garnish with more fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
recipe faqs:
Absolutely! Just follow the cook time on the package.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration for how to cook with cherry tomatoes or are just craving a feel-good pasta dish, I hope you love this Roasted Salmon and Cherry Tomato Puttanesca! Tag me on social @thedefineddish so I can see your final dish!
looking for more salmon recipes? try these!
One Pot Salmon with Herb Butter Couscous
Sheet Pan Gochujang Glazed Salmon
Roasted Salmon and Cherry Tomato Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup halved and thinly sliced shallot (from about 1 large shallot)
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup drained, pitted, and torn kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus more for serving
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon filets, pin-bones and skin removed
- 8 ounces gluten-free brown rice linguine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, combine the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, olives, capers, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, parsley, and basil. Toss until well combined. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cherry tomatoes begin to burst, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and toss. Nestle the salmon filets in the cherry tomato mixture and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Transfer back into the oven and bake until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Flake the salmon into bite-sized pieces, then carefully pour the salmon-tomato mixture over the cooked pasta and gently toss until the pasta is just coated in the sauce. It might seem a little overly runny at first, but the pasta will absorb the liquid from the cherry tomatoes within a few minutes. Taste and add more salt, if desired.
- To serve, garnish with more fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
This dish was absolutely divine! Can’t wait to make it the next time we entertain since it has such little prep. A side salad and some homemade focaccia and you have a a stunning meal. Thank you!
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit…delicious!
Can the leftovers be frozen with success?
can the first step be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge for several hours before baking?
yes absolutely!
The flavors of this dish…wow!!! Came together super easy. Going to try it with shrimp next time 😋
Shrimp would be delicious with this, glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious! Wonderful flavors. Came together quickly. I used a box of Jovial pasta, so 12 oz. Fed 4 people well.
Can you substitute chicken or a different protein for the salmon? Just pregnant and not into salmon atm but the rest sounds soooo good and the picture looks amazing.
The cook time on the chicken would vary a bit from the salmon here, but you could separately cook the chicken (pan-seared or grilled) and add on top!
Can I omit olives and sub for something else??
There is not a great swap for olives so I would just omit them! The capers will help with the brightness and you can always increase that amount slightly.
This meal is a TOTAL flavor bomb!! The sweetness of the roasted tomatoes paired with the brine of the olives & capers along with the citrus & hint of heat from the chili flakes is an absolute stellar combination! Outside of your roasting time this comes together super easily & easily feeds 6. High five Alex!!
So excited to make this dish for my in-laws tonight! Will let you know how it turns out. Any recommendations on side dish? I was thinking of just garlic bread since this main course already checks a lot of boxes.
That’s a great addition to soak up any extra sauce! Other than that, I would just do a simple green salad.
8 oz of pasta for 6 servings? Isn’t that a little light? Should it be more like 12 oz?
This made a ton + with the salmon in it, we found it very filling.