This pan seared salmon in Parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach is a dinner inspired by Tuscan flavours.
Serve with our vibrant Panzanella Salad for a real taste of Tuscany.
As much as I love all fish and seafood, I have to admit that salmon is my all time favourite. Numerous salmon recipes on this website is proof of my long standing love for it.
Salmon Recipes
I absolutely adore salmon cooked in Asian flavours like this Teriyaki salmon with bok choy. Asian salmon with carrot and cucumber slaw is another reader favourite. Just add rice and you’ve got a wholesome dinner ready in 30 minutes!
However, being raised in Europe I also lean heavily towards the salmon and cream combination. I developed the recipe for salmon with rose wine cream sauce specifically for holiday meals. It’s beautiful and luxurious. While this creamy salmon pasta with mixed greens is an affordable, everyday dinner!
Tuscan Salmon Recipe
While this salmon recipe doesn’t necessarily comes from Tuscany, don’t doubt for a second how delicious it is. Truth is this recipe is merely inspired by the sun-soaked flavours of the Italian region. However, if you are interested in authentic Italian recipes, you are welcome to explore our Italian recipe collection.
I used garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and vibrantly green spinach to evoke the magic of the Italian countryside. And although travel restrictions are still in place, we can travel vicariously through our food!
What is even better? This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes. Quick and delicious!
Parmesan Cream Sauce
Italians claim that no Parmesan cheese should ever go near fish or seafood. I have to respectfully disagree.
The creamy Parmesan sauce, flavoured by garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of white wine complements the salmon is a beautiful way.
The sauce itself is easy to make. It has only 5 ingredients and takes no longer than 10-12 minutes. This Parmesan cream sauce is not restricted to be served with the salmon alone. Feel free to use it with chicken, pork or as a pasta sauce!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Start by removing extra moisture from the salmon to allow the fish to sear instead of steam. Pat dry each piece with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
- Sear the salmon on high heat for a golden finish. This step intensifies the flavour and improves the texture of salmon.
- Make the sauce by sauteing garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in a little olive oil. You can use the same oil your sun-dried tomatoes were packed in to infuse the sauce with more flavour.
- Deglaze the pan with dry white wine. I often use Vermouth (fortified white wine) as it’s always in my cupboard and I don’t have to open a new bottle just for the sauce. You can omit the wine and use chicken or vegetable stock instead with a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity.
- Then add the heavy or light cream with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. I avoid pre-grated Parmesan as it tends to lose flavour quickly, so you end up using more.
- Then add your greens. I added spinach but you can also use kale or arugula/rocket.
- Return the salmon to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the fish is cooked all the way through. If your fish starts to breaks apart, it’s overcooked!
Serving Suggestions
This Tuscan salmon works very well when paired with rice or pasta. This Broccoli with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Garlic and Chillies is an authentic Italian recipe, which will make an excellent side dish.
More Salmon Recipes to Try:
- Salmon en Croute (Salmon Wellington)
- Salmon Fishcakes with Creamy White Wine Sauce
- Pasta with Smoked Salmon
Tuscan Salmon with Parmesan Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 pieces salmon fillet
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3-4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
- 125ml/1/2 cup dry white wine
- 250ml/1 cup double/heavy cream
- 50g/1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 30g/1 cup fresh spinach
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel all over to remove excess moisture. Season salmon with salt and pepper, heat the olive oil together with butter in a frying pan, then sear the salmon over medium high heat until golden and the skin side is crispy, starting with the skin side up. This should take approximately 6-7 minutes. The salmon doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through at this point. Remove the salmon to a plate until later.
- To the same pan add the garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes, sauté for about 30 seconds over very low heat, then deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid is reduced by a half.
- Add the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, stir until the cheese is incorporated into the sauce, then add the spinach and bring the salmon back into the pan, let the sauce simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt to taste.
