Driven By Taste: Simon Delaney Takes on Oven-Baked Salmon with Spaghetti and Pesto Rosso

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27/10/2026

What happens when you’re handed a recipe you haven’t chosen yourself and challenged to cook it? That’s exactly what happened to Honda brand ambassador Simon Delaney in the first episode of Driven By Taste, in collaboration with Nordmende.

For this episode, Simon was given one of his recipes selected by Honda, with no idea what he would be making until it was time to find out. Reaching into the glovebox of his Honda CR-V, Simon pulled out his mystery recipe: Oven-Baked Salmon with Spaghetti and Pesto Rosso.

With the recipe revealed, it was time to get cooking.

Taking to the kitchen with Nordmende, Simon got to work preparing the dish, combining oven-baked salmon with spaghetti tossed in a homemade pesto rosso made from sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil.

The result? A fresh, flavour-packed dish that brings together simple ingredients for a delicious meal. From blending the vibrant pesto rosso to flaking the salmon through the pasta, Simon took on the challenge and brought the recipe to life.

Driven By Taste brings together a love of good food, a little element of surprise and the enjoyment of trying something new. And with Simon behind the wheel of his Honda CR-V, the glovebox proved to be home to more than just the usual essentials!

Watch Episode 1 of Driven By Taste

See Simon take on the mystery recipe challenge and cook his Oven-Baked Salmon with Spaghetti and Pesto Rosso.

Oven-Baked Salmon with Spaghetti and Pesto Rosso

A simple, satisfying dish featuring tender salmon, spaghetti and a homemade roasted red pepper and sundried tomato pesto.

Prep time: Approximately 15 minutes

Cooking time: Approximately 12–15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200g spaghetti (or your pasta of choice)
• 4 salmon darnes
• Black pepper, to season
• 200g sundried tomatoes
• 200g roasted red peppers
• 30g fresh basil, reserving 10g for garnish
• 60g pine nuts
• 80g grated Parmesan, reserving 30g for garnish
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 50ml olive oil

Method

1. Prepare the salmon. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the salmon on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and season with a little black pepper. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, depending on the size of the salmon darnes, until cooked through.
2. Cook the pasta. While the salmon is in the oven, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions. Drain once cooked, reserving a little pasta water if needed.
3. Make the pesto rosso. Roughly chop the roasted red peppers and sundried tomatoes, then add them to a food processor along with the pine nuts, grated garlic, fresh basil, Parmesan and olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the consistency.
4. Bring everything together. Once the salmon is cooked, flake it into bite-sized pieces. Add pesto rosso to the drained spaghetti and stir through to taste.
5. Serve and enjoy. Gently fold the flaked salmon through the pasta. Divide between serving bowls and finish with the remaining grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Enjoy recreating Simon’s recipe at home, and keep an eye out for more episodes of Driven By Taste, with Honda and Nordmende.