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GET IT NOWThis Tuscan salmon might just be my favorite salmon recipe yet. The fish is flaky and tender, the parmesan cream sauce is silky and cheesy, and the sun-dried tomatoes take it over the top. It looks and tastes like something you’d get at a fancy restaurant, but it comes together so much faster, right at home. I served it for my pescatarian friends just a few weeks ago and they couldn’t stop talking about it. Make this creamy Tuscan salmon recipe with me and you’ll see why!
Why You Need My Tuscan Salmon Recipe
- That creamy garlic sauce is everything – It’s silky smooth, a little cheesy, and absolutely dreamy all around, with bursts of sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. If you like my creamy Tuscan chicken or sun-dried tomato chicken, this sauce is similar. And I don’t use any flour or cornstarch needed to thicken it. This might be my favorite cream sauce ever.
- Tender, flaky fish – I’m obsessed with how moist and flaky this Tuscan salmon turns out. The sauce makes it harder to dry out than regular pan seared salmon, and I’ve got tips below to help you make it perfectly.
- Quick and easy – This creamy salmon recipe use simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store, there’s almost no prep before cooking, and the whole thing takes me just 20 minutes. Triple-win.
- Works for any kind of dinner – This is the kind of dish that feels fancy for date night or impressing your guests, but simple enough for a healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my creamy Tuscan salmon recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Salmon Fillets – For more flavor, get salmon with the skin on if you can, even if you prefer not to eat the skin. I try to get wild-caught, but any kind will work. I talk more about the different types of salmon in my baked salmon recipe.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – You can make your own sun-dried tomatoes or buy them. For store-bought, get the kind packed in oil, but blot away excess oil to avoid an oily sauce.
- Baby Spinach – I highly recommend fresh spinach here, as you’ll wilt it only briefly. Frozen can work if you thaw and drain it, but the texture just isn’t the same, and you’ll need much less (only about 1/4 cup).
- Garlic – I either mince it or use this garlic press to save time. You can also saute 1/2 a diced onion for 5-10 minutes before adding the garlic.
- Heavy Cream – The base of the sauce. You can substitute full-fat coconut milk to reduce the dairy in this Tuscan salmon recipe, but it does still have cheese in it (below).
- Broth – Balances out the cream for a savory flavor. I usually use this reduced-sodium kind or homemade chicken broth, but for my pescatarian friends I swapped in vegetable broth and it worked great. You can also use bone broth for a deeper flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese – Thickens the sauce without any starches, plus it adds a rich, cheesy flavor. I recommend grated like this over shredded parm, so it melts without being stringy. You can omit the cheese if you really want to, but the sauce will be more runny.
- Olive Oil – Just a tablespoon for searing the fish. Avocado oil also works. I don’t recommend butter, as it will burn.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Toss in some red pepper flakes if you like some heat.
Summer Variation:
In the summer, I love this Tuscan salmon with fresh cherry tomatoes (cut into halves or quarters) and fresh basil in place of sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
How To Make Tuscan Salmon
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the salmon. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel, which helps it get a golden crust and crispy skin. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sear to get that crust and crispy skin. Add the fish to the pan, skin side down, in a single layer. Use a fish spatula to press down on each fillet for about 10 seconds to prevent curling . Sear until 80-90% opaque. (This is the same method I use for classic pan fried salmon, where I explain this technique in more detail.) Flip the fillets and cook to medium doneness. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Saute the garlic and tomatoes. This part is quick, just until the garlic is fragrant.
- Make the cream sauce. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the sauce starts to thicken a little. (It’ll still be pretty thin at this point.)
- Stir in the spinach. Do this at lower heat, and cook just until it’s just starting to wilt.
- Thicken the sauce. Mix in the parmesan, until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and thick. (See my tips below if it’s thinner than you’d like.)
- Bring it all together. Add the fish back to the pan and spoon the sauce over it. You can garnish your creamy Tuscan salmon with fresh parsley if you want, but I think it already has plenty of color as-is.
My Recipe Tips
- Get the oil nice and hot before adding the fish. You can test that it’s hot enough by adding a drop of water to the pan; if it sizzles, the pan is ready.
- Season the salmon only right before searing. If you season it and let it sit, moisture will come to the surface, and you won’t get as nice of a sear.
- Cook the salmon in batches if the pieces don’t fit. These days I use and love this cast iron skillet which not only gets you a beautiful crust on the Tuscan salmon, but also is large enough to fit the 4 pieces in this recipe at once. It also thickens the sauce faster. But I used a nonstick skillet for these older pictures and it still worked great.
- Always start skin side down. This Tuscan salmon recipe works just fine if your fish is skinless, but if it does have skin, it protects the delicate flesh and leaves your fish flakier and more tender — even if you choose not to eat it later.
- Sear for most of the time on one side. This seems counterintuitive, but it reduces sticking and I promise, your fish will still turn out evenly cooked.
- Use a fish spatula to flip. This thin, flexible tool makes flipping salmon so much easier. I love it!
- I recommend searing the salmon to medium, but you can choose how done you like it. Cook to 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done. The best way to check doneness is with a meat thermometer, but you can also flake the fish with a fork.
- How do you know when to add the spinach? The liquid volume should reduce by 1/4 first. Another sign I look for is cream bubbles that look thicker and take a little longer to pop than they did initially.
- Be careful not to overcook the spinach. As soon as it’s wilted and turns bright green, add the parmesan.
- You can easily adjust the thickness of the sauce. Just simmer for a little more time for an extra thick sauce that sticks to the fish (like my pictures here), or less time for a thinner one that you can drizzle (like my video below — perfect if you’re serving the Tuscan salmon over a base to catch the sauce). The time can also vary depending on your stovetop heat and the pan you use.
Serving Ideas
The best part of this creamy Tuscan salmon is the sauce, so I like to serve it with a base to catch it! Here are some ideas:
- Noodles – Pick your favorite pasta, or zoodles for a lighter option. I baked spaghetti squash as my base last time I made this dish.
- Rice – I usually make white rice for my kids, and cauliflower rice for my husband and me. And frozen cauliflower rice is a life saver for those last-minute days!
- Potatoes – These catch the creamy sauce really well, too. You can mash them, but my family’s fave is air fried potatoes. Some roasted turnips or even diced butternut squash can work in a similar way.
And if you’ve been around here a hot minute, you know I won’t serve a meal without some kind of green healthy side dish. 😉 I opted for roasted asparagus above (it times perfectly with the Tuscan salmon), but my smashed brussels sprouts, roasted green beans, or even broccolini also make amazing sides. Enjoy!
Tuscan Salmon (Creamy 20-Min Recipe)
My creamy Tuscan salmon recipe has a rich parmesan cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach, all in just 20 minutes. So easy!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Use paper towels to pat the salmon fillets completely dry – this will ensure even browning.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until shimmering.
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Right before you are ready to sear the salmon, season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
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Add the fish fillets to the pan in a single layer, skin side down (if your salmon has skin). Use a fish spatula to press down on top of each fillet for the first 10 seconds immediately after adding it to the pan, to prevent curling. Sear, without moving, for 5-6 minutes, until the salmon is 80-90% opaque; only the top will be not quite done.
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Use the fish spatula to carefully flip the salmon fillets. Cook the salmon for 1-2 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), which is done medium.
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Remove the salmon to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe the pan to remove any burned bits and excess oil, but leave a little oil in the pan (or add a little more oil if needed).
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Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Saute for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
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Add the chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes, until the volume is reduced by 1/4.
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Reduce the heat to low. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted but still bright green.
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Stir in the grated parmesan cheese, stirring constantly, until smooth and melted. Remove from heat. (You can add salt and pepper to taste here, but I didn't find it necessary.)
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Return the salmon to the pan, skin side down, and spoon the sauce over the fish. If you like it done more than medium, heat for a few more minutes, until done to your liking.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 salmon fillet with sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a golden crust, crispy skin, and a moist, tender inside. I’ve also got tips for flipping, adjusting the thickness of the sauce to your preference, and preventing overcooked spinach.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing Tuscan salmon, because the sauce will lose it’s wonderful texture.
- Reheat: Warm in a hot skillet over medium heat. The sauce will get super thick in the fridge, but you can scoop it into your pan with the fish.
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Tuscan Salmon
40 Comments
~Chrissie O.
0This is amazing! Serious flavor-bomb! I am NOT a sun-dried tomato girl (I’m Autistic, it’s a texture thing…), so I used chopped Romas…I added the Romas right when serving, and I loved that pop of freshness. I also added an onion when sauteeing the spinach. I don’t think I strayed too far from the intent of the poster, and it was freaking delicious! To save calories, we used a fat-free half and half, and had ZERO issues with consistency; might have used a tad more cheese to thicken, but when I calculated out calories, we actually came out under… I WILL ADMIT – I learned to do salmon in the air fryer (I use a parchment paper liner, and then the skin sticks to that, so when I peel off the liner, the skin comes with it, which, since this is a confirmed skin-vetoed family, makes it SO EASY and MESS-FREE!!!). So, plated the salmon, and then sauce over the top! Weeknight-easy, and company-worthy!!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks for the detailed review, Chrissie! I love how you made it work for your preferences, the Roma swap and air fryer salmon tip are both genius. And I’m so glad it turned out both delicious and mess-free!
Carol
0Lovely recipe! Made it exactly as written and it was so full of flavour. Served it with side salad and some small roaster potato’s. It’s a keeper!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you liked it, Carol! That sounds like such a satisfying meal, love the idea of pairing it with salad and roasted potatoes.
Patricia Moore
0This is great with rice over fried onions, About one finely minced onion and salt, pepper a pat of butter or oil, I like a little curry. Browned very well, so the rice is very flavorful. Served with salmon over rice, and a garnish of sliced green onions.
Wholesome Yum D
0Patricia, that sounds absolutely delicious! The fried onions and curry with salmon over rice make such a flavorful combination. I love how you built all that depth into the rice itself. Thank you for sharing your variation!
Pam Henderson
0This is by far my favorite salmon recipe! I could literally drink the sauce! I pair it with lemon roasted asparagus and it’s perfect!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Pan! Agree, this sauce is good enough to drink, haha.
Karen McKinney
0Not sure where to attach my photo, but this is such a delicious recipe! I’ve made it with salmon and then a friend brought me halibut from an Alaskan trip. It was heavenly! The sauce could be used on shrimp or any seafood. Thanks for one of my favorite sauce recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, I don’t have a way to attach a photo here right now, but you can share it in our Facebook group, Instagram, or right on this pin on Pinterest. The sauce does sound amazing on halibut and I’m excited to try that — thanks for sharing!
Sandra
0I make this often! Family loves it. Easy enough to throw together last minute. Thanks for sharing!
Monica
0This was a hit and so easy. Thank you!!!
Dee
0Quick easy and oh so tasty.
Heather
0Thank you, thank you, thank you for this awesome recipe. My husband can be picky when it comes to fish, but he asked me to make it again. He also said the sauce would be great with shrimp, or crab meat, almost anything! Winner hands down. I didn’t have sun-dried tomatoes so I substituted those with cherry tomatoes. Great recipe ?
Holly
0Made this tonight for New Year’s Eve dinner. It was awesome!!! My husband loves it. This will definitely be on our dinner menu ??
Karen Danzer
0Can I sub out the cream and use coconut milk instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, Yes, full-fat coconut milk works as a substitute and this is in my post above. 🙂
Joan
0This was the most amazing salmon recipe, we normally just do it on the grill with cedar plank, seasoned with lemon and herb seasoning. We will be doing this from now on, and when we want to impress guests, this will be our go-to recipe for sure. Thank you for all your amazing recipes
Cristina
0This was delicious! My sauce didn’t thicken as expected but maybe I should have simmered it more. It’s a keeper!
S Lauzon
0Loved it SO much! Tried it with chicken too! Yummmm.
Annette
0I have made this several times and it is one of our favorite salmon recipes! it is one way my husband will eat spinach. I used half n half rather than heavy cream and wouldn’t know the difference. Love the crunch on the browned top of salmon too and anything with sundried tomatoes has my vote. Can’t wait for leftovers.
James
0I absolutely love this recipe!
Rhonda Festa
0So very delicious!! Everyone must try!! It will be a regular in our house for sure.
Dustin
0I’m looking to make this tonight but would like to keep the dairy out if possible. Anything I could sub for the heavy cream?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dustin, Full-fat coconut milk works as a substitute, but the dish will still have dairy due to the parmesan cheese.
Brittany
0This is a weekly staple in our house! We will often substitute the protein with chicken in throw in asparagus!
Carolyn
0Absolutely delicious. Thank you ??
Becky T
0What could you substitute for the spinach?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Becky, You could substitute chopped kale, sliced mushrooms, fresh basil, or even chopped bok choy. The cook time can vary depending on what you use. If you opt for mushrooms, saute them before adding the garlic; the other options you can add at the time you’d add the spinach.
Bob
0This was a very delicious recipe I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes so I used fresh and chopped them up. Turn out very good. Differently will do this again
Donna
0Easy and delicious, this will definitely be happening again in our house!
Susan Pérez
0I fixed this tonight for dinner, first time. Easy and my husband LOVED it! I would be proud to serve this to guests! Thank you?
Karen Gebhardt
0This looks absolutely amazing! I am definitely going to make this, but what would you suggest as a side dish? I’m terrible at pairing meat and veg… ?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Karen, I have several suggested side dishes in the blog post but one I really like is oven roasted asparagus.
Glenda
0What a beautiful dish! It’s so simple I can cook it on a weeknight. But, it’s special enough to serve when company is coming. Delicious!
Kristyn
0Ok, this sauce is incredible!! I want to pour it over everything!! Full of flavor & the salmon is buttery & falls apart in your mouth!
Susie
0Wow wow wow! this salmon is amazing and I love everything about this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Toni
0This is packed full of amazing flavors! Everyone at my house loved this meal!
Shelby
0I love the flavors in this! Never made it with salmon before, only chicken. Came out awesome!
Taylor
0This salmon was DELICIOUS! Perfectly tender and flaky. Plus that creamy spinach garlic sauce on top is just divine. I love the flavor that the sun dried tomatoes add too!