Description
A restaurant-quality pan-seared salmon with creamy Florentine sauce featuring tender salmon fillets, a rich garlicky cream sauce, and fresh spinach. Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
- Salmon Fillets (skin-on or skinless) – 4 fillets
- Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
- Salt – 1 tsp (adjust to taste)
- Pepper – ½ tsp (adjust to taste)
- Garlic – 4 cloves, minced
- Shallot – 1, finely chopped
- Fresh Spinach – 4 cups (about 5 oz)
- Heavy Cream – 1 cup
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth – ½ cup
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – ½ cup
- Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp (freshly squeezed)
- Butter – 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Prepare the Salmon: Pat salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Sear the Salmon: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon skin-side down, cook for 3–4 minutes until crispy, then flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped shallot, cooking until fragrant (1–2 minutes).
- Cook Spinach: Add fresh spinach and stir until wilted.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, letting the sauce simmer for 2–3 minutes to thicken.
- Brighten with Lemon: Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Combine & Serve: Return salmon to the skillet, spooning sauce over the fillets. Let warm for 1–2 minutes. Serve hot with your choice of sides.
Notes
- Dairy-Free Option: Replace heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- Vegetarian Option: Substitute salmon with seared tofu or roasted portobello mushrooms.
- Add Mushrooms: Include sautéed mushrooms with spinach for added flavor.
- Spicy Twist: Sprinkle red pepper flakes for heat.
- Herbaceous Boost: Stir in fresh basil, parsley, or dill.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: pan searing
- Cuisine: italian inspired
Keywords: Pan-seared salmon Creamy Florentine sauce Easy weeknight dinner Salmon recipes Italian-inspired dishes