Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (2024)

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This creamy Tuscan salmon recipe has an amazing cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and lemon juice. The best part? It only takes about 20 minutes to make!

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (1)

I originally made Tuscan Chicken,and I knew that style of sauce would go fabulously with salmon, so I had to make it. Olive Garden inspiration strikes again!

You know what? As good as the chicken one was, this pan-seared salmon version has it beat! I just love this flavor combo. Searing the salmon over a high heat gives it a wonderful slightly crispy crust and tender, flaky inside.

Love creamy salmon recipes? You may also like Creamy Garlic Salmon Pasta, my Creamy Lemon Salmon recipe, thisCreamy Garlic Salmon, or this Creamy Salmon Piccata.

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (2)

How do you make creamy Tuscan salmon?

Coat the salmon pieces in salt, pepper, and garlic powder; dredge in flour. Sear the salmon on both sides; take it out of the pan and set aside. Make the sauce by adding the chicken broth, lemon juice, and sun-dried tomatoes, followed by the cream. You then add the spinach and salmon and let the fish cook through. Take it up a notch and serve it with freshly grated parmesan cheese and basil on top! (Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below)

Recipes notes & tips:

  • Go up to 2 cups (packed) spinach if you like lots of spinach since it really does shrink down.
  • If you buy salmon with skin on and don’t want to eat it, it’s really easy to peel off once you sear it on both sides (peel it off before adding it back to the skillet).
  • You will get the best results using heavy cream, but if you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative, you may want to try Silk brand dairy-free whipping cream; readers have recommended it to me.
  • Skip the flour if you want this to be low-carb.
  • If you want this to be extra garlicky, add in a couple cloves of minced garlic prior to adding the chicken broth.

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (3)

What do you serve with Tuscan salmon?

I typically serve this dish with spaghetti or linguine, but any kind of pasta would work, as would rice or mashed potatoes. Or, make it a lower-carb dinner by serving it with cauliflower rice.

If you’re looking for a wine pairing, this Tuscan salmon would go well with sauvignon blanc. You could also add some into the recipe (instead of the chicken broth) if you want.

Love Tuscan flavors? Try these:

  • Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi (One Pan, 20 Minutes)
  • Tuscan Garlic Shrimp Recipe
  • Tuscan Sausage Pasta

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (4)

Will you make this salmon in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce? It’s DELICIOUS. 😉

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (5)

5 from 14 votes

Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe

By Natasha Bull

This creamy Tuscan salmon recipe has an amazing cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and lemon juice. The best part? It only takes about 20 minutes to make!

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh salmon cut into 4 pieces
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Flour for dredging
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (see note)
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1-2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach

Optional:

  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil sliced thin
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Prep your salmon and sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt & pepper and garlic powder, then dredge the salmon in flour.

  • Add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the salmon. Cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes/side or until it has a nice crust (careful not to overcook - it should not be fully cooked yet). Take the salmon out of the pan and set aside.

  • Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes.

  • Stir in the cream and let it cook for a couple more minutes.

  • Reduce heat to medium-low and add the spinach to the skillet. Let it wilt for 30 seconds or so, then add the fish in. Cook for a few minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the sauce thickens up a bit.

  • Serve with the basil and fresh parmesan if desired.

Notes

  • Anything around 3/4-1 pound of fish will work. Most grocery store salmon is about an inch thick in the thickest part, so use that for reference when considering how long to cook it.
  • I used the oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (draining them prior to adding to the sauce), which tend to taste more concentrated. If using a variety not packed in oil, you may want to add more if desired.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 151mg, Sodium: 270mg, Potassium: 1061mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 6668IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 114mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (6)

Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Tuscan cream sauce made of? ›

It's full of garlic, butter, seasoning, and most importantly, heavy cream. — The mix-ins. We added cherry tomatoes and spinach to our skillet (like we do in most of our Tuscan-inspired recipes), but you can add even more additions if you have them on hand, or swap out the cherry tomatoes for sun-dried tomatoes.

What wine goes with Tuscan butter salmon? ›

Typically, oily fish like salmon is paired with white wines, but this medium-bodied Pinot Noir has the subtlety to pair with fish, while also maintaining the body to carry through creamy tomato sauces. Because of the diversity of this wine, it does a great job in reinforcing the dichotomy in this Tuscan salmon dish.

How do you make salmon so it doesn't taste fishy? ›

You can also lessen salmon's strong flavor by soaking it in a milk bath for 20 minutes and then draining it and patting it dry before cooking. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it.

What is the creamy Italian sauce called? ›

Basic Italian White Cream Sauce (Like an Alfredo or Bechamel)

What condiments are in Tuscan? ›

The Tuscan flavor profile includes herbs such as rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme and marjoram. Aromatics like onion, garlic, red bell pepper and spicy red pepper flakes along with cracked black pepper. Lemon and citrus play a large part in the Tuscan flavor so lemon zest and lemon crystals make an appearance as well.

What alcohol goes best with salmon? ›

Dubbed the "king of fish," salmon is the one fish that pairs well with red and white wine and everything in between. And by everything in between, I mean wheat beers, Belgian ales, stouts or Saisons, junmai sake or crisp ciders. Salmon is wonderful whether baked, cured, grilled, poached, roasted, smoked or sushi.

What wine is best for salmon alfredo? ›

Full-Bodied White Wines – As a general rule, rich oily fish like Salmon pair wonderfully with full-bodied white wines like oak-aged Chardonnay, Viognier, Marsanne, White Rioja, White Burgundy, and White Pinot Noir.

What wine goes with creamy salmon? ›

Salmon in cream sauce

After the salmon is cooked, just drizzle the sauce over it and serve with greens steamed to perfection and buttery potatoes. To balance the creamy richness of this dish, opt for a white wine. A Chardonnay from Burgundy or a Loire Sauvignon Blanc would be excellent choices.

What is the secret to best salmon? ›

So, you want skin that is super crisp and flavorful, just as you would want with chicken. Starting your salmon skin-side down, and cooking it until it is well rendered, lightly browned, and crisp, and then turning the salmon to finish the cooking, will make for a terrific dining experience.

What to put on salmon before cooking? ›

Basic Salmon Seasoning

Just sprinkle your salmon with a little salt and pepper before cooking, at the same time that you add any oil to your salmon, if desired.

What does milk do to salmon? ›

Apparently, the proteins present in milk can bind to the fatty acids that have been exposed to air and give salmon its fishy odor or taste and mitigate them to be more neutral. (Fishiness is caused by the oxidation of fatty acids.)

Is it better to pan sear or bake salmon? ›

For smaller, crispy, skin-on Salmon; a crispy pan sear is recommended. For bigger fillets, and succulent, skin-off King Salmon; the best method would be cooking in an oven.

Is it better to fry or bake salmon? ›

Unlike pan-frying or sautéing, oven-baking salmon requires little to no additional oil. The natural fats in the salmon help to keep the fish moist, and the dry heat of the oven helps to create a slight caramelized exterior without excessive oil.

What Flavour is Tuscan? ›

The Tuscan flavor profile includes herbs such as rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme and marjoram. Aromatics like onion, garlic, red bell pepper and spicy red pepper flakes along with cracked black pepper. Lemon and citrus play a large part in the Tuscan flavor so lemon zest and lemon crystals make an appearance as well.

What ingredients are from Tuscany? ›

8 Quintessentially Tuscan Ingredients
  • Tuscan bread. This salt-free loaf features a hard crust and soft crumb that wonderfully complements the regional cuisine, letting the vibrant flavors shine. ...
  • Pine nuts. ...
  • Beans. ...
  • Brigidini. ...
  • Testaroli. ...
  • Extra-virgin olive oil PGI. ...
  • Bistecca alla fiorentina. ...
  • Lardo di Colonnata PGI.

What is cream sauce made of? ›

Garlic, chicken stock, flour, milk. None of them are really needed to make a full flavour cream sauce for any types of pasta. No need to build more suspense though. Truth is all you need is cream, freshly grated parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt.

What is Tuscan marinara sauce? ›

Made with fresh tomatoes, basil, and parsley. It's a basic tomato sauce suitable for Italian crostini or pasta.

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