RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
February Pick: Dinner

Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach

Seared salmon finished in a garlicky parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach, and fresh basil, all in one skillet.

Why you'll love Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach

Creamy Tuscan salmon is a cozy, one-skillet dinner for a cold February night, and it is special enough for Valentine's Day at home. The salmon gets a golden crust, then simmers for its last few minutes in a cream sauce made with garlic, shallot, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan, with spinach wilted in at the end. The sauce is rich, savory, and a little tart from the tomatoes, and it soaks into the fish.

The salmon cooks in two stages. It sears hard on the presentation side first, just long enough to build a crust, and then comes out of the pan while the sauce comes together. When it goes back in for the finish, the gentle heat of the simmering cream cooks it through evenly, so the center stays moist while the crust stays on top above the sauce.

Every flavor in the sauce comes from the pan. The browned bits the salmon leaves behind dissolve into the broth, the sun-dried tomatoes bring concentrated sweetness and acid, and the parmesan melts in to season and thicken the cream all at once.

Quick overview: This Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach takes 15 min of hands-on time and about 40 min in all and makes 4 servings, each 1 fillet with sauce and spinach. You'll need a skillet.

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Creamy Tuscan salmon with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in a skillet
Prep 15 minCook 25 minTotal 40 minServes 4Serving 1 fillet with sauce and spinachYou'll need Skillet

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 oz each), about 1 inch thick
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped Label: tomatoes, olive oil, and salt, or tomatoes alone
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth Label: chicken, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream Label: cream, with no gums or carrageenan
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
  • 5 oz baby spinach
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • a small handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

  1. Season the salmon: Pat the fillets dry and season them on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the oregano. Drying the surface is what lets the crust form in the pan.
  2. Sear one side: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the salmon in, rounded side down, and leave it alone for 4 minutes, until a golden crust forms and the fish releases easily. Turn the fillets, cook for 1 minute more, then move them to a plate. They will still be underdone in the center, and they finish in the sauce.
  3. Soften the aromatics: Turn the heat to medium and add the butter. When it foams, add the shallot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds, until the garlic smells sweet.
  4. Build the sauce: Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, which carry the flavor of the seared salmon into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the cream and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
  5. Melt in the cheese and spinach: Turn the heat to low and stir in the parmesan a little at a time, so it melts smoothly instead of clumping in hot cream. Add the spinach in handfuls, turning it in the sauce until it wilts, about 1 minute.
  6. Finish the salmon: Nestle the fillets back into the skillet, crust side up, and spoon some sauce around them, keeping the crust above it. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and reaches 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point.
  7. Brighten and serve: Stir the lemon juice into the sauce around the fish and scatter the basil over the top. Serve each fillet with plenty of sauce and spinach.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it chills.

Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth until just warmed through, or eat the salmon cold, flaked over greens. Cream sauces separate in the freezer, so this one is best kept to the refrigerator.

Variations

  • With artichokes: Stir 1 cup of quartered artichoke hearts into the sauce with the sun-dried tomatoes.
  • Kale: Use 4 cups of chopped Tuscan kale, stems removed, in place of the spinach, simmering it in the cream for 3 to 4 minutes until tender.
  • Shrimp: Use 1 1/4 lb of large peeled shrimp in place of the salmon. Sear them for 1 minute a side, set them aside, and return them to the sauce for 2 minutes, until they reach 145°F (63°C).
  • Dairy-free: Use canned full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan.

Notes and tips

  • Check the sun-dried tomato label: Look for tomatoes, olive oil, and salt, or tomatoes alone. Some jars add sugar or seed oils. Dry-packed tomatoes work too; soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first.
  • Grate the parmesan fine: Finely grated cheese melts into the cream evenly. Thick shreds can turn stringy.
  • Keep the crust up: Setting the fillets crust side up above the sauce keeps the sear crisp while the bottom finishes in the cream.
  • Serve it with something green: Spoon it over sautéed zucchini, roasted broccoli, or cauliflower mash to catch the sauce.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Salmon brings protein and the long-chain omega-3 fats, and finishing it gently in the sauce keeps it moist.
  • Cream, butter, and parmesan are the real fat in this dinner. Fat carries the garlic and tomato flavor and helps you absorb the vitamins A and K in the spinach.
  • Spinach wilts down to a fraction of its size, so five ounces works a full serving of greens into each plate.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes are concentrated tomato, with their tartness and savory depth packed into a few spoonfuls.
  • As you eat, notice how rich the sauce is and how quickly a plate of it feels satisfying, and check in later in the evening: this dinner should keep you comfortably full until bed, with no pull toward something sweet afterward.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

What makes it Tuscan?

The name comes from Italian-American cooking, where Tuscan means a cream sauce with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan. It borrows the flavors of central Italy rather than a single traditional dish.

Can I use skin-on salmon?

Yes. Sear it skin side down first until the skin is crisp, about 5 minutes, then set it skin side up in the sauce so the skin stays above the cream.

How do I know when the salmon is done?

It flakes easily when pressed with a fork and reaches 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part. Thin fillets get there in 3 minutes in the sauce, and thick ones in about 5.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and pat it very dry before seasoning, since frozen fish releases more water.

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Tags: February Pick, Dinner, Italian-American